How to Care for Your Outdoor Sauna: A Simple Maintenance Guide

A well built outdoor sauna needs very little maintenance. A few simple habits after each session and a regular oiling routine keep the timber looking and performing its best for decades. This guide covers how to care for an outdoor sauna in Australian conditions.

After every session: dry it out

Moisture is the main thing to manage inside a sauna. Follow these steps when you finish.

1. Leave the heater running for around 30 minutes with the door closed to dry out any moisture inside.
2. Turn the heater off, open the door and let the sauna air out for another 30 minutes.
3. Wipe down the benches.
4. Take out towels and any damp items before you close the door.

Protect the interior benches

When you first install your sauna, treat the interior benches with paraffin oil. It soaks into the timber to stop it drying out and cracking under repeated heat cycles. It also helps keep sweat and moisture out of the wood and makes the benches easier to wipe clean. Reapply it every 12 months.

Oil the exterior timber

The outside of the sauna faces sun, rain and wind every day. Use a quality penetrating oil made for exterior timber such as Cutek, Intergrain or Osmo UV Protection Oil. These oils soak deep into the wood and protect it from moisture and UV while letting the timber breathe. Many come in tinted options if you want to add colour while keeping a natural timber look. How often you reapply depends on your timber, your climate and how exposed the sauna is.

How often to oil the exterior

Both Nova timbers are thermally modified for 72 hours, which improves their resistance to moisture, warping and shrinking.

• Canadian Hemlock Thermowood: every 12 months
• Canadian Red Cedar Thermowood: every 16 to 24 months thanks to its natural oils

Check the roof and surrounds

Every Nova Sauna has SAUNAPROTECT™ weatherproof bitumen roof shingles. Take a look at the roof a few times a year and clear away leaves or debris. Keep garden beds, sprinklers and mulch away from the base so the timber can stay dry.

Heater care

Keep the heater area clear and only use water on the rocks during a session. Leave any electrical work on the heater to a licensed electrician. If something doesn't seem right, contact our team for help.

Your sauna care checklist

• After each session: heat to dry, air out, wipe down and remove damp items
• Paraffin oil on the interior benches every 12 months
• Exterior oil every 12 months for Hemlock or every 16 to 24 months for Red Cedar
• Clear the roof of leaves and debris
• Keep sprinklers and garden beds away from the base
• Electrical work only by a licensed electrician