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Driftwood Saunas
Custom Indoor Sauna Installation
Custom indoor saunas are permanent, built-in installations designed around the specific dimensions and layout of a space inside your home. They're ideal if you want a sauna you can step into barefoot on a Tuesday night without ever leaving the house in total privacy. This approach also comes with certain inherent cost efficiencies in regards to energy consumption and scope compared to outdoor sauna builds.
The Download on Custom Indoor Saunas
A custom indoor sauna is a built-in feature designed to work with your home — your layout, your square footage, and the way you want the experience to fit into daily life. If your vision is turning an underused corner of your home into something you actually use every day, this is the right approach.
From a design standpoint, building indoors means we're working within existing walls, ceiling heights, and room layouts — we start with your home and design the sauna to fit the space you already have, whether that's an unused closet, a basement corner, or a spare bathroom.
Homes are full of overlooked square footage — a closet that's become storage, a basement room nobody uses, a bathroom that's more space than function. A custom indoor sauna turns that space into something valuable, giving square footage you already own a real, daily purpose.
For homeowners who want to make the most of the space they already have, nothing else delivers the same combination of convenience, integration, and everyday use.
What's Included
Every project starts with a free on-site consultation. From there, a typical custom outdoor build covers:
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Site evaluation, foundation design, and concrete slab / sonotube footings
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Structural framing, exterior sheathing, roofing, and weatherproof cladding
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High-performance Rockwool insulation and foil vapor barrier
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Interior paneling, benches, and finish carpentry
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Heater selection, placement, ventilation system, and lighting
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All weatherproof electrical, code-compliant and performed by licensed electrician
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Door, hardware, windows, and any porch or changing room
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Full handoff with operation, care, and seasoning instructions
Materials We Use
The wood you choose defines the look, scent, and feel of your sauna — and outdoor builds have an exterior to consider as well as an interior. We work with three interior species:
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Western Red Cedar — One of the most popular woods for sauna interiors. Moisture-resistant, aromatic, rich reddish tone. The classic choice and a strong performer in outdoor applications.
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Hemlock — Light, uniform, minimal knots. Clean and modern. Traditional choice in Scandinavia.
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Aspen — Virtually no resin or tannins, meaning it stays cool to the touch even in high heat and won't stain skin or clothing. Fine, even grain and naturally pale tone. Bright aesthetic.
For exterior cladding we work in cedar, thermally modified wood, board-and-batten, or composite shingle & plank siding depending on the look you want and how the sauna will sit in the landscape. We bring options to your consultation.
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Consult — Free on-site visit. We walk the yard, discuss your vision, and work towards creating a final design that brings your vision into the world.
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Design & Estimate — Layout drawings, exterior renderings, final material selections, and a transparent all-in quote.
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Build — Foundation, framing, weatherproof envelope, electrical, and interior.
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Handoff — We clean up, walk you through operation and care, and you're ready for your first session.
FAQs
How much space do I need?
A sauna for one to two people fits in as little as 4’ x 4’. For three to four people, plan on roughly 5’ x 7’. We’ll help you find the right size and bench layout that fits your space during the consultation.
Traditional heater or infrared?
Traditional electric heaters produce far higher temperatures and let you add steam with water over stones. Infrared panels heat your body directly at a lower temperature and use less energy, but it is uncertain / unproven if infrared saunas have comparable health effects to traditional saunas. It is possible to combine both types of heat supply to create "hybrid" saunas.
What is typical for all-in project cost?
These projects vary dramatically in terms of material selection, scope, size, etc. We find that custom indoor saunas start out around $15,000 for a very simple, no-frills sauna that has seating capacity for 1-2 people. A mid-tier price point, which may include additional seating and features such as Wi-Fi app heater controls, integrated Bluetooth audio system, premium clear grade wood for benches or wall cladding, high end accessories, etc will cost between $20,000 - $35,000. Commercial indoor saunas typically will exceed $35,000 in total project cost. For more information, please see our Price Guide.