Traditional Steam Or Infrared Saunas?

Traditional steam and infrared saunas are excellent methods for deep relaxation, especially during the colder months. The health benefits include pain relief, warmth to aching joints, and of course socializing. If you’re deciding between these two sauna heating options for your backyard, here’s a quick overview of their differences and features.

Benefits of Traditional Steam Saunas

Installation

Steam and hot rock saunas can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including barrel, square, octagonal, and custom. Traditional steam saunas often take longer to build and come with more complex instructions.

Materials

Saunas are often made with softwoods, such as cedar, aspen, or even hemlock. Progess in technology has produced materials such as Thermowood. The heating elements are chosen based on the space inside the sauna.

Maintenance

Because traditional saunas require rocks and water to create steam, they require more maintenance. The constant flux of water being used can gradually warp and damage the interior wood over time. For outdoor saunas exposure to our Alberta winters can make the difference in temps even more severe.

Temperatures

Traditional steam saunas tend to reach higher temperatures between 150°-175° Fahrenheit, producing heat slower and creating less moisture overall. 

Humidity

Most people report that these saunas tend to produce dry heat due to the higher temperatures they produce. While moisture from the sauna stones adds some humidity, its overall humidity is lower, making it a drier experience for the skin. 

Energy Costs

These outdoor saunas often require more energy to heat because you have to get many stones so hot they vaporize water the moment of contact.

Alternative Heating Sources

Outdoor saunas can use various types of sauna heaters, including:

• Wood-Burning: Perfect for truly remote experiences. Wood-burning involves burning softwoods and hardwoods in a wood stove to heat sauna stones.  Softwoods are ideal for kindling, while hardwoods burn longer, requiring less frequent stoking during extended sauna sessions. This heating method is considered the most traditional, but it also requires more cleaning and maintenance to prevent gunk from building up. 
• Gas Heat: Gas heaters use either propane or natural gas. It allows heat to generate and warm up the sauna stones quickly. For these types of heaters, a gas line needs to be installed, and the sauna needs good ventilation. These heaters also require less maintenance once set up.
• Electric Heat: Instead of gas or wood, electricity is used to heat the stones. They’re easy to use, require minimal upkeep, and offer better control over temperatures in your outdoor sauna. These heaters also don’t emit gas or wood fumes, which makes them safer for indoor use. 

Benefits of Infrared Saunas

Installation

Infrared saunas tend to be smaller and more compact due to the proximity people need to be to the source to get hot. Typically it requires numerous heating elements placed strategically at different levels to maximize its effectiveness.

Materials

Just like traditional steam saunas, infrared saunas use the same materials for the actual structure, this includes softwoods like cedar and teak that contains natural resistance to mold and rot. Inside infrared saunas are a bit smaller and have more compartments for the heating elements.

Maintenance

Because Infrared Saunas don’t have the water steam that traditional saunas have they are typically easier to maintain the interior. However with more heating elements there is a higher probability for repairs being needed.  

Temperatures

Infrared heaters run at lower temperatures compared to their traditional sauna counterparts. They run at temperatures between 120°-130° Fahrenheit. These temperatures provide a more comfortable experience, especially for those new to using saunas. If you find traditional, steam saunas too intense then infrared is a great alternative while still getting the health benefits.

Humidity

Despite the lower temperatures, humidity in infrared saunas is usually lower, therefore producing a dry heat that makes people sweat more. The difference comes from how the heat is transferred to your body, sinking deeper into tissues than hot steam that hits just the surface.

Energy Costs

Infrared saunas have many options that are incredibly efficient. Of course operating multiple infrared heaters simultaneously well above 100 degree F does come with some costs. Depending on energy costs in your area it can be very affordable.

How it Works

Infrared radiation transmits energy through wavelengths longer than visible light. These wavelengths, instead of being transferred to the air in your sauna, like steam directly heat the body and surrounding objects. This means the surfaces, your body all get heated up while the air remains at a constant, comfortable temperature.

Infrared creates a penetrating warmth that reaches deep into the tissues. It’s also why the temperature and humidity in barrel saunas are lower as well. This heating type doesn’t need water or rocks, and they do not create steam. 

Which Outdoor Sauna Is Best For You? 

Your choice depends on what you want from your experience. If you’re looking for a traditional, steamy sauna and don’t mind the higher maintenance costs, then a traditional, rock and steam heated sauna will work perfectly. If you prefer a space-saving, energy-efficient option with better temperature control, an infrared barrel sauna is an excellent choice

Find The Sauna of Your Dreams With Backyard Canada 

Our team at Backyard Canada partners with some of the best sauna companies in the world, such as Leisurecraft for steam saunas. For infrared Saunacore offers some great designs. No matter the space, budget, indoors or outdoors we have the perfect sauna for you.

Best of all, our saunas are fully customizable—whether you prefer the steam of a wood burner, the efficiency of an infrared heater, or specific interior adjustments, we make it easy to create your ideal setup. If you want to get started, reach out to us for a custom quote, and we’ll help you make the right choice for your backyard.