The Basics Of Suanas
History and Use of the Sauna
It is unknown exactly when the first sauna was built, but it can safely be said that saunas of one sort or another were in use by nomadic tribes in what is now Finland more than 1000 years ago. The original saunas were a tent in which a fire would be lit – after the fire went out, people would enter, similar to the sweat lodge of Native Americans.
This type of sauna evolved into a smoke sauna — a small building with a stone fireplace inside. There was a small hole in the roof where the smoke could escape but the fire had to die down before the building could be entered. This type of sauna was commonly used up until the 1920s when it started to be replaced by modern saunas as we know them today. The smoke sauna, however, has enjoyed a recent revival in Finland. Many people consider them to be the finest type of sauna.
By the 1930s, a new type of sauna stove was introduced. This sauna stove allowed the rocks to be heated without being placed directly over the flames of the fire. This meant that the fire could burn while the sauna was being used. The earliest stoves of this type used wood as a fuel but later models used electricity.
Different Types of Saunas
There are many different styles, shapes and sizes of saunas. A sauna can be its own separate structure or can be installed inside of a home. A traditional sauna is a wooden structure, generally outdoors which is both useful and aesthetically pleasing.
The worldwide popularity of saunas has spurred innovative new designs. One of the most unusual of these is the portable sauna — folding saunas that can be used almost anywhere. They are just big enough for one person to sit in. There is a hole for your head and slits for your hands if you wish to read or talk on the phone while you are sitting in this sauna.
The barrel sauna is another style. These saunas are small cabins which are built much like a barrel (i.e staves and hoops) and can seat as many as eight people. A barrel sauna can be built either inside or outside and can use either an electrical heater or a wood burning stove.
Since the 1960s, infrared saunas have also been in use. In these saunas, an infrared heater is used rather than wood or an electric heater. An infrared heater heats not the air in the sauna, but the people and other objects in it. Infrared saunas are claimed by many to have more health benefits than do traditional saunas.
Sauna Construction Styles
Almost every type of sauna is made of wood. The walls, ceilings, and floors and benches are all made from a wood such as cedar or hemlock. The only non-wood materials are the stove and the rocks that are heated on the stove.
A dry heat of around 70C to 100C is produced by a sauna. You can toss some water on the rocks on the stove every now and again. A cloud of steam is produced causing an immediate rise of temperature.
The sauna can be heated with an electric or wood stove. Wood stoves are traditional in the countryside, but most urban saunas use an electric heater.
