Wood-fired saunas

A wood-fired sauna needs no 400 V power supply — a burner of up to 22 kW runs on wood and gives a stronger burst of steam than an electric heater. The wood burner is an option in the configurator rather than a different model, so you can add it to 55 of the 58 outdoor saunas in the range. Prices start at 4 241 € including delivery and installation.

The wood burner is an option, not a different model

The type of heater is chosen when configuring a particular sauna, not by picking a different product. In practice that means every shape — barrel, square CUBE, cabin and panoramic — is available in a wood-fired version. There are three exceptions: Aurora Grand and the two smallest square models, Nordic Pod and Nordic Nest, which are supplied with an electric heater only. On the remaining 55 outdoor models the choice is yours; indoor saunas are always heated electrically.

What a wood burner needs

A chimney and access for feeding it. What it does not need is the 400 V supply an electric heater requires — which is the main reason a wood-fired sauna is chosen for cabins, for plots with no three-phase supply and for places where connecting one would mean digging. When positioning it, allow for the distance from combustible structures and for the chimney outlet above roof level.

Wood burner versus electric heater

The electric heater is the more convenient of the two: you set a time and walk into a hot cabin. The wood burner gives a more intense experience and independence from the grid, but it has to be lit in advance and watched while it burns.

Stones and löyly

The sauna heater heats the stones, the stones radiate heat into the cabin and water thrown over them releases a short wave of steam — löyly. With a wood burner both the mass of stones and the temperature reached are usually higher, so the wave of steam is stronger. The cabin holds between 80 and 100 °C at up to 20 % humidity.

Which models, and for how much

A wood burner is available on every type of construction. The least expensive model is the square Nordic Haven for 3 to 4 people from 4 241 €, among the four-person models Nordic Box from 4 653 €, and among the barrel saunas prices start at 4 825 € with Forest Arc. The full range with all the types of construction is listed under outdoor saunas.

Running it, and the price

Every sauna price covers insulation, delivery to the place of delivery in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, installation and commissioning, a 2-year warranty and our 4-year service. The lead time is 4 to 12 weeks from payment of the deposit. Whether wood or electricity works out cheaper depends on your energy prices and on how often you use the sauna — the running-cost calculator does the sums. Put your configuration with the chosen heater together in the configurator.

Frequently asked questions

Does a wood-fired sauna need a chimney?

Yes. A wood burner needs the flue taken above roof level and a distance kept from combustible structures. What it does not need is a 400 V supply, which is the main reason it is chosen for plots with no three-phase power.

What heater output is needed?

The heater is chosen according to the volume of the cabin, with outputs up to 22 kW available. When you pick a specific sauna the matching output is already assigned to the model, so it is not something you have to work out separately.

Which saunas can be heated with wood?

The wood burner is optional on 55 of the 58 outdoor models, that is on every type of construction including barrel, square CUBE, cabin and panoramic. The exceptions are Aurora Grand and the two smallest models, Nordic Pod and Nordic Nest. Indoor saunas are always heated electrically.

Is a wood-fired sauna cheaper to run than an electric one?

It depends on the price of firewood and electricity in your region and on how often you use it. The running-cost calculator works out the difference once you enter your own energy prices.

Why does a wood burner give stronger löyly?

Both the mass of stones and the temperature reached are usually higher with a wood burner, so throwing water releases a more intense wave of steam. An electric heater gives gentler but more stable and more controllable löyly.