Sauna

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Once you’ve experienced an authentic Finnleo traditional sauna or far-infrared room, the benefits of heat bathing are obvious. Muscles relax. Aches fade away. Heart and circulation improve. Calories burn. Skin feels renewed. Tension and discord slip into harmony. Body and soul refresh.

There is no better way to deal with mental strain and physical fatigue, reducing stress and relaxing muscles, than in a Finnleo sauna. No one knows for certain whether it's the physiological and psychological changes that occur in the warmth of these wonderful amenities or the time spent in the calm, still retreat that should be accredited for the therapeutic effect. All who sauna bathe agree, though, it feels wonderful.

For over 40 years, we have been working together with Finnleo to bring quality sauna products to the homes of customers across the greater Twin Cities area. Based out of Cokato, MN, Finnleo is one of the oldest sauna companies in world and a globally renowned sauna manufacturer. You can read more about Finnleo's full line on their website, www.finnleo.com.

Feel free to call us at 651-645-2443 or send us an email at [email protected] for more information.

Sauna FAQ

Sauna Benefits and Basics

People that take sauna frequently observe a variety of health benefits.¹ In traditional saunas, exposure to heat creates a “false fever” in the body stimulating cardiovascular function, sweating, and white blood cell counts.^1,2 This in turn aids in improving heart health, recovery from exercise, and offers a great source of stress relief. The natural process of sweating releases built up toxins,³ can help prevent cognitive diseases associated with aging,⁴ and improves overall skin health.⁵
Infrared rooms offer similar benefits, though at a lower heat and humidity that can accommodate those with breathing concerns and sensitivity to high heats. Finnleo’s Far Infrared panels are tailored to deeply penetrating the sorest of muscles and tendons to help heat your body, relax your aches, and stimulate muscle healing.⁶
More information and research into the myriad of health benefits of saunas can be found on Finnleo’s Health and Wellness Library.

Kukkonen-Harjula K, Kauppinen K. Health effects and risks of sauna bathing. Int J Circumpolar Health 2006; 65: 195–205.
Gonzalez-Alonso J, Crandall CG, Johnson JM. The cardiovascular challenge of exercising in the heat. J Physiol 2008; 586: 45–53.
Sears ME, Kerr KJ, Bray RI. Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review. J. Environ. Public Health. 2012; 2012:10.
Laukkanen, Kunutsor, Kauhanen, Antero Laukkanen. Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in middle-aged Finnish men. Age and Ageing 2016; 0: 1–5.
Kowatzki D, et al. Effect of regular sauna on epidermal barrier function and stratum corneum water-holding capacity in vivo in humans: a controlled study. Dermatology. 2008; 217:173–180.
Tsai SR, Hamblin MR. Biological effects and medical application of infrared radiation. J. Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology 2017; 170: 197-207.

Finnleo started up in Cokato, Minnesota in 1984 and remains in its hometown to this day. With nearly 40 years of service, expertise, and industry experience, they’re the premiere choice for custom-cut and pre-built saunas, along with sauna fixtures, lumber, and pre-hung doors. Their proximity means that the expertise is nearby and ready for Minnesota’s special challenges to sauna projects.

Sauna360 boasts over a hundred years of innovation in sauna heaters, design, and accessibility. Established in Wyborg, Finland in 1919, Sauna360 seeks to spread the healthy practice of sauna to enthusiasts and curious parties alike. Their legacy at the leading edge of sauna technology means you’re in the right hands everytime you step into your sauna.

Taking sauna tends to expel lots of toxins through your sweat. Those toxins and your sweat will stay on your skin if you don’t do anything after a sauna. The traditional practice after a sauna is to do a cold plunge in a pool, bucket, or a lake!

If you don’t have access to cool water like that, a nice shower is usually recommended. For many outdoor projects, an outdoor rinsing shower or a plunge tub is a perfect addition!

Every sauna project should be built with this in mind, install it close to your shower and you won’t dread the chilly walk to your refreshing shower.

Sauna and other Heat Room Options

Traditional saunas revolve around a stove that conductively heats sauna rocks stacked within the stove’s enclosure that then warms the room convectively with proper air flow. Traditional saunas are sometimes known as wet saunas due to the traditional practice of pouring water over the sauna rocks releasing löyly, or “sauna steam” in Finnish. For many, the refreshing wave of steam and humidity is what makes the true sauna experience.

Infrared rooms use specially engineered panels built into the room to heat you through radiative heat. Finnleo Pure Infra Low EMR/EF Infrared rooms feature panels fine-tuned to release infrared light within a small margin of frequencies to heat you deeply and directly. Infrared rooms operate cooler than a traditional sauna, and don’t include the active steam elements.

Finnleo’s hybrid Infrasaunas offer the best of both worlds, allowing you to choose your experience each time you step into the room. For houses divided or those serious about reaping the benefits of methods both time-tested and cutting edge, these hybrid rooms allow you to switch between either a traditional wet sauna experience or infrared dry room heating.

When building your traditional sauna, it's important to consider what type of heater is going into your room. For freestanding indoor saunas, electric stoves are the way to go. For smaller rooms, the Finnleo Mini Picolo heater plugs right into a 120V wall plug, while most other heaters require a dedicated 240V line. Electric heaters offer a great way to heat indoor or outdoor units.

Woodburning stoves offer you a closer tie to the original pit saunas, short of the soot smeared walls. Woodburning stoves give your local lumberjack a little extra work and you the freedom to heat the room as you'd like. Often heating more consistently in the cold of northern winters.

The Sauna Process

After you’ve tracked down as much information as you can take online... what are the next steps?

Measure the space you want to fit your sauna in, whether inside or outside. Think about what type of heating you’d prefer, traditional or infrared.
Stop by Finn Sisu and talk to our friendly staff about your vision. We will use your estimates to provide a ballpark estimate.
When you’re ready to get the project moving after this visit, we will schedule a site visit for precise measurements of the space—or you can get your contractor to supmit those dimensions.
Following a site visit, we will finalize the specifics and any add-ons for your room and request a CAD and quote from Finnleo with up-to-date pricing.
When we receive the CAD, we will then okay the design or go through any necessary revisions. Once okayed and submitted to Finnleo, manufacturing will start. At this time we will determine your preferences for delivery and/or installation. Additionally, a 50% deposit is required to confirm the order.
Once Finnleo finishes fabrication of your room, they will notify us. From there we will coordinate delivery/install dates and times.

The time it takes depends on a variety of factors. This includes sauna heating type, if its prefabricated or custom cut, the size of Finnleo’s manufacturing queue, availability of lumber and more. The lead time fluctuates but is usually between 2 to 3 months from a finalized order.

For the most up to date information, contact [email protected]

Sauna cost depends on a variety of factors, including size of the room, heater/heating type chosen, optional upgrades and more. Feel free to stop by our saleroom to walk through the process of getting your sauna and we can provide a ballpark estimate then and there.