Building a backyard sauna in edmonton

[crocker038]

Originally Posted by KGB

Has anyone else succeeded in building one?
I am aware of the Russian style sauna been almost ready to open in Edmonton. Hopefully a few more weeks, according to the Facebook page.

link? name?

[-JR-]

We have done a few camp fire saunas.

Might want to try it in your back yard ,to see if you really want one

just make a tent using tree branches and a tarp

or even a pop up ice fishing tent.

In your back yard fire pit ,heat some rocks.

When they are very hot .carry them in to your tent via /pail or shovel

now you are set , just add water for a wet sauna

[KGB]

Originally Posted by crocker038

link? name?

It’s not open yet. The location is around 156 street and 130 Ave. Judging by the amount of inquires on a Facebook - this place is going to be popular! The link to the Facebook page won’t help you much- it is in Russian, lol! I promise I will post an update here when it gets going.

[Kiruxa]

Originally Posted by KGB

More details please! And pictures!

I would love to post pictures and details but i dont want to get in trouble with moderators as i am offering this sauna for rent to others etc.

I can say that i built one and it looks and operates amazing. If i broke some rules by posting this, apologies. Thanks

I have heard about that Russian banya but dont know the prices and everything

[KGB]

I have seen it on Facebook and your website - pretty cool looking unit! The only concern that I have is this: parked on my front driveway, I don’t think my neighbours will appreciate the scenery of us running butt naked in and out of the trailer, lol!
The new Russian sauna that just opened is called Hot Stones Sauna and located at 13075-156 street.
We are booked for Sunday to check it out.

[Kiruxa]

Originally Posted by KGB

I have seen it on Facebook and your website - pretty cool looking unit! The only concern that I have is this: parked on my front driveway, I don’t think my neighbours will appreciate the scenery of us running butt naked in and out of the trailer, lol!
The new Russian sauna that just opened is called Hot Stones Sauna and located at 13075-156 street.
We are booked for Sunday to check it out.

Thank you.
Travelling between sauna and house is in bathrobe and usually not butt naked lol. Swimming trunks and bikinis are just fine for snow cooling off sessions.
Also little to no smoke from it because birch wood.

I will attached some photos. Admins please delete if im breaking the rules here. Thanks

[KGB]

Looks pretty good! I do wish you luck in your new business adventure. Might even give it a try later in the year...

[Kiruxa]

Originally Posted by KGB

Looks pretty good! I do wish you luck in your new business adventure. Might even give it a try later in the year...

Thank you!

[KGB]

So guys, I just wanted to give you an update on what is going on in Edmonton in regards to the Russian style sauna(banya).
The one on the 156 street and 132 Ave is up and running. Really nice place, spotless clean and well decorated. The place can accommodate two groups of people up to 8 people in a group. More than 8- and you won’t have enough time in the sauna.
They do offer you water and very tasty herbal tea at no charge. You can purchase a special hat and VENIK (dried birch or oak twigs put together in a bunch) for a special “massage therapy”. They can offer you towels($2.00 each) but I suggest to bring your own. You will need 2 bath towels.
I have been going there since they opened in January 2019 pretty much every two weeks.
I have brought my Canadian friends with me on a numerous occasions and they all loved the experience. They are still coming with with me every so often, depending if our schedule allows.
This place has a drop in public hours every Wednesday between 6-9pm. You can go there for 2 hours for like $30.00. You will be with other people so you can see and learn what it is about. Remember, sauna in Russia and Eastern Europe is a social place where people are coming to relax and socialize.
They also have a private room booking- and that’s what I was trying to do most of the time. For 4 people at $80.00 per hour you can have the place just for yourself. A bit more expensive but in my mind totally worth it. I usually have no problem getting 4 people together. That way it is not as crowded and you have more time in a sauna.
There is also a second place that is just getting ready, they have a few more inspections to go thru. They are located in Mayfield area. I had a chance to walk thru the facilities and I did like it. A bit different than the first one.

[1894Cowboy]

Hi guys, figured I'd post this here rather than start a new thread. I just spent the last two months building a traditional Finnish sauna in my back yard. If anyone here has experience with electric stoves and their high-limit reset switches, I'd like to hear from you.

These are safety switches that turn off the stove when the sensor detects too much heat. For this reason, I've read it's best to not put the sensor right near the ceiling where it's hottest, but instead drop it down to where it's a bit cooler. I put my sensor maybe 2 feet below the ceiling, and the high limit reset keeps tripping when the stove reaches around 75 degrees Celcius. I've found a way to get around this is by splashing a bit of water on the stove, the steam created causes the sensor to not trip the safety switch for some reason and I can then fire it up to 120 degrees Celcius.

When I wrote to the guy who sold me the stove out of Toronto, he was full of contradictory and confusing information, telling me in one sentence that the sensor and the high limit switch have nothing do to with each other and are independent of each other, and in the next email saying that the high limit switch trips when the sensor detects too much heat and therefore I need to place the sensor closer to the ceiling. (where there is more heat). Wtf.

Can anyone here shed some light on this? I wish I could just disable this nanny-state safety feature altogether. Should have gone with a wood stove instead.

Here is the get-up, sensor is located below the thermometer on the left side.

[KGB]

You should worry about the heating elements on your stove, they might not be able to take 120C temperature. And also you need to make sure that you can actually splash the water on the rocks. Some elements are only designed to be used in a dry heat and don’t take the water very well….
Yeah I would definitely go with a wood burning stove in a backyard sauna!

[1894Cowboy]

The 120 C temperature is just the air temp near the ceiling after moisture is added to the heat. The stove elements can take some water yes.

Here's the inside. I was going to build benches out of clear cedar 2x4s, but at $75 each for an 8-footer there was no way in hell. So I found a better and local solution -- got some slabs of aspen/poplar from a local micro sawmill operation. Turned out great.

[ghfalls]

That looks great. Good job. Could you post some outside pics? I’m gonna start building one on Wednesday. Gonna be wood fired and tongue and groove pine interior as cedar is so expensive. Are you worried about the window cracking with the temperature swings?
Thanks

[KGB]

Originally Posted by 1894Cowboy

The 120 C temperature is just the air temp near the ceiling after moisture is added to the heat. The stove elements can take some water yes.

Here's the inside. I was going to build benches out of clear cedar 2x4s, but at $75 each for an 8-footer there was no way in hell. So I found a better and local solution -- got some slabs of aspen/poplar from a local micro sawmill operation. Turned out great.

The humidity does not equal temperature just to let you know. By increasing the humidity you can actually lower the temperature and feel as hot or even hotter. To me my personal favourite is 70C temp and 50% humidity. In lower temp the body doesn’t overheat as fast but the steam gives your skin the “burning” sensation. This will allow you to spend more time inside the sauna.
Your benches look great, I just hope that they won’t leak any sap…
As for the use of the sauna-if you haven’t used it before, you will need to figure out the style that you like- dry heat or steam. Those are two totally different styles.

[1894Cowboy]

Originally Posted by ghfalls

That looks great. Good job. Could you post some outside pics? I’m gonna start building one on Wednesday. Gonna be wood fired and tongue and groove pine interior as cedar is so expensive. Are you worried about the window cracking with the temperature swings?
Thanks

I was wondering about that too, with the windows. So far so good... last night it was -12 outside and the glass was too hot to touch inside, no issues so far. They're big and beefy glass blocks, laid in glass block mortar (which has some give to allow for micro expansion), so that probably helps.

I wouldn't use pine inside the sauna, it'll leak sap and get super hot.

Here's some pics of the outside

[1894Cowboy]

Originally Posted by KGB

The humidity does not equal temperature just to let you know. By increasing the humidity you can actually lower the temperature and feel as hot or even hotter. To me my personal favourite is 70C temp and 50% humidity. In lower temp the body doesn’t overheat as fast but the steam gives your skin the “burning” sensation. This will allow you to spend more time inside the sauna.
Your benches look great, I just hope that they won’t leak any sap…
As for the use of the sauna-if you haven’t used it before, you will need to figure out the style that you like- dry heat or steam. Those are two totally different styles.

Ah, ok. I was just going by what the thermometer on the wall said. I like dry heat, with the occasional water thrown on the rocks, like the traditional Finnish style.

The benches won't leak sap, I did my research... poplar and aspen are ideal woods to use in a sauna. They don't leak sap, and don't absorb heat. I noticed that while it was hard to lean up against the walls because the cedar was so hot, the benches were nice and cool to the touch.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by brohymn2

Anyone have experience building a backyard yard sauna here in edmonton??? Or know if its even legal... i googled the bylaws but didnt find anything Thanks

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Phone the city and contact the department responsible for the bylaws regarding your future build.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by 1894Cowboy

Ah, ok. I was just going by what the thermometer on the wall said. I like dry heat, with the occasional water thrown on the rocks, like the traditional Finnish style.

The benches won't leak sap, I did my research... poplar and aspen are ideal woods to use in a sauna. They don't leak sap, and don't absorb heat. I noticed that while it was hard to lean up against the walls because the cedar was so hot, the benches were nice and cool to the touch.

That’s awesome, I didn’t know that about poplar and aspen.
You should try the traditional Russian style sauna- with VENIK ( dry twigs of birch/oak/linden tied into a bunch, then soaked in a warm water right before you start steaming…. That’s by far my favourite. You use VENIK to fan the heat down on you or your partner and to lightly beat yourself and your partner with it for a way better blood circulation, skin conditioning and deep heat penetration. I know, I know, it sounds creepy but trust me, it is not! All my buddies love it now!

[1894Cowboy]

Originally Posted by KGB

You should try the traditional Russian style sauna- with VENIK ( dry twigs of birch/oak/linden tied into a bunch, then soaked in a warm water right before you start steaming…

The Finns call this vasta, and it is a central part of the Finnish sauna too. I wonder who influenced who?

[KGB]

Russians of coarse! That thing came from as far as Siberia!
But who really cares! As long as we can enjoy it!

[KMCL0610]

At my backyard, I created a wood-fired sauna made of logs. It's around 10x10 on the interior, with a wood stove. I maintain a small stack of wood nearby and feed it from the inside. My roof is domed, and there are lower and upper benches. It's fantastic, and we enjoy it on a daily basis when we're up there. In front of the sauna in the backyard shed, I built a little makeshift pool that I heated with a copper coil and the sauna's wood burner. It's also fantastic.

[DirtShooter]

My buddy just built one in his backyard out in twohills, so damn jealous. 8x8, wood fired, thinking of doing the same in my backyard but not sure if I'll have the room.

[marlin1]

Originally Posted by KGB

That’s awesome, I didn’t know that about poplar and aspen.
You should try the traditional Russian style sauna- with VENIK ( dry twigs of birch/oak/linden tied into a bunch, then soaked in a warm water right before you start steaming…. That’s by far my favourite. You use VENIK to fan the heat down on you or your partner and to lightly beat yourself and your partner with it for a way better blood circulation, skin conditioning and deep heat penetration. I know, I know, it sounds creepy but trust me, it is not! All my buddies love it now!

I remember my Dads Finnish friends doing this . My bro in law built a sauna and the stove from finland had cycling issues . the company he bought from simply had him rearrange the stones and this seemed to resolve the issue . Wood for interior is also from Finland . I want to build one myself to replace the hot tub . Its in my blood . My mother was born in Finland

[ak77]

Before anyone starts giving the advice to people postings on the first two pages - the thread was started almost at least 3 years ago.

Those who already built it -goodspeed and good luck to you.
Those who consider it... Do your homework. Then scrap it and do it again. Then burn it, and forget about it.
I talked to the buddy of mine who owns one of the two russian saunas in Edmonton, and he mentioned that few people who built their own regretted it big time. The cost of build, plus the ongoing costs of electricity/wood and water, repair, cleaning, maintenance would pay for years of occasional sauna visits to the business. I think it's comparable to the timeshare.. Sounds good on paper until you read the fine print.

[Sundancefisher]

Found this

http://homesaunakits-since1974.com/S...iAAEgITFPD_BwE

As for permitting for saunas it looks like they highlighted hot tubs and whirlpools

https://www.edmonton.ca/city_governm...aws/bylaws-a-z you can search

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by ak77

Before anyone starts giving the advice to people postings on the first two pages - the thread was started almost at least 3 years ago.

Those who already built it -goodspeed and good luck to you.
Those who consider it... Do your homework. Then scrap it and do it again. Then burn it, and forget about it.
I talked to the buddy of mine who owns one of the two russian saunas in Edmonton, and he mentioned that few people who built their own regretted it big time. The cost of build, plus the ongoing costs of electricity/wood and water, repair, cleaning, maintenance would pay for years of occasional sauna visits to the business. I think it's comparable to the timeshare.. Sounds good on paper until you read the fine print.

Makes sense. The mold issue has to be significant. Must be why many use cedar for its natural anti mold properties however lots of mold loves cellulose.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Makes sense. The mold issue has to be significant. Must be why many use cedar for its natural anti mold properties however lots of mold loves cellulose.

I don’t think so. As far as I know, our mutual friends never had any issues with mould in their sauna. And we used it every time we visited them…
If you air it after the use, there should be no mould issue at all.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by ak77

Before anyone starts giving the advice to people postings on the first two pages - the thread was started almost at least 3 years ago.

Those who already built it -goodspeed and good luck to you.
Those who consider it... Do your homework. Then scrap it and do it again. Then burn it, and forget about it.
I talked to the buddy of mine who owns one of the two russian saunas in Edmonton, and he mentioned that few people who built their own regretted it big time. The cost of build, plus the ongoing costs of electricity/wood and water, repair, cleaning, maintenance would pay for years of occasional sauna visits to the business. I think it's comparable to the timeshare.. Sounds good on paper until you read the fine print.

It’s partially true. If I live on an acreage, lots of backyard space and no neighbours- I would definitely built one and use it often. Here in a city- it is just easier to go to the business, enjoy it for a few hours and pay and then leave without worrying about cleaning, washing, and Maintanance.
I am a huge fan of sauna and trying to go every time I have a chance…

[straight]

If you don't want to build sauna, you always can get portable tent-sauna like mobiba:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Mobiba-O...7655596/posts/
My son loves sauna and surfing. He surfs all year around (even at -20C) and what could be better than hot sauna after surfing in icy cold water? For that purpose he built portable sauna using Eskimo ice fishing shelter (Russian style). Sometimes he sets it up in his backyard in Calgary. Cheap solution and it works.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by KGB

I don’t think so. As far as I know, our mutual friends never had any issues with mould in their sauna. And we used it every time we visited them…
If you air it after the use, there should be no mould issue at all.

I’m just thinking a do it yourself outdoor sauna isn’t likely to get fully dried out after each use unless it’s a dry heat.

Water and moisture is a real problem for structures unless built properly.