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For many cabin owners, the sauna is the absolute top priority. What would a holiday cottage be without the gentle löyly of a wood-burning sauna heater! Have you considered whether separate sauna and cabin buildings or a sauna cabin would best make your dream come true? A sauna cabin and a sleeping aitta is also a good option!
But what is the best solution for you?
At the planning stage it is very important to stop and think about this question. The solution should be based on the cabin users' needs – and of course the shape and size of the plot also add their own flavour to the planning.
There are always many opinions about building. This is because people value and need different things. So it is essential to identify your own needs, so that you don't make choices based only on other people's opinions.
The purpose of this article is to help you identify the points that matter to you, so that you can base your decision on solid ground. That way you'll still be happy years from now.
Questions that help you plan the buildings on a cabin plot correctly
We have put together a few questions to help you find the best solution for your own cabin plot. Go through all the questions and list the three things you consider most important. Base your choice on them!
What overnight needs do the cabin's users and guests have?
If the people staying overnight have different needs (e.g. families with small children, people sensitive to noise, etc.), a sauna cabin as the main building + a sleeping aitta as an additional building is probably the best solution.
The living and sauna spaces are in the main building, so spending the evening together comes naturally and the timing of sauna sessions doesn't disturb those who want peace to sleep. The sauna cabin also has sleeping space for part of the group.
What is the budget now and in the future?
As a rule, one building costs less than two. That is why a sauna cabin is an excellent compromise for a tighter budget.
If you need more sleeping space on the cabin plot in any case, two competitively priced prefabricated buildings can be almost as affordable as one larger building. And, as we noted above, two buildings can serve overnight guests better.
If the budget is tight now but you expect to be able to invest a bit more in the cabin plot later on, what's to stop you building an additional building for sleeping in, say, five or ten years' time?
What is the most important building on the plot?
If the cabin plot is new and you want to start using it as soon as possible, a sauna cabin is usually the best first building. That way you can start enjoying both cabin life and the sauna straight away. Cabin life needs are in the end fairly simple: if, as well as the sauna, you can cook and sleep there, the needs are met by a lounge with a kitchenette and room for a dining table. A sofa bed covers both relaxing and sleeping.
Ehta's 30-square-metre sauna cabin was on display at the 2025 At the Helsinki Spring Fair.
Explore what a sauna cabin can offer in our unique article, which presents a 30 m² sauna cabin and its use of space in detail, with different floor plans and equipment levels:
👉 How to create a 30 m² sauna cabin that feels bigger than it is.
Is there room for a lakeside sauna on the plot?
It's nice to be able to take a quick dip straight from the sauna. If the plot has a perfect spot for the cabin further from the shore, but you are allowed to build the sauna closer to the water, a cabin as the main building and a sauna on the shore may be the right combination. Alongside the sauna you could consider, for example, a sauna lounge with a sofa bed, which can take overnight guests when needed.
What size and shape is the cabin plot?
If the plot is small, or placing two buildings would take up too much of the surroundings, a single-building approach may be best. A large enough sauna cabin meets every need. On the other hand, two buildings placed side by side in an I or L shape can work just as well and give more privacy if there are more people at the cabin at the same time. You also keep the heat and moisture of the sauna room separate from the other spaces.
Are you dreaming of a cabin or sauna cabin for the autumn or next year? Start planning in good time to secure the best delivery time. Our designers will help you on the way from dream to reality.
Points to consider when siting the sauna
In a sauna cabin, the sauna room is best placed at one end. When planning the whole and the size of the sauna, it is also worth considering whether washing will be done in the sauna or in a separate bathroom.
Heat and steam are the challenge in a sauna cabin, as they easily spread to other spaces.
How to stop heat and steam spreading between the spaces of a sauna cabin:
- A changing or shower room between the living space and the sauna room helps keep most of the steam and heat from reaching the living areas.
- Access to the sauna room from outside completely stops warm water vapour from spreading, but heating the sauna can still raise the temperature of the living room too much, especially during warm spells in summer. An air-source heat pump with a cooling function solves heat problems.
- An open space between the living and sauna spaces keeps the sauna room completely separate. Although it is one building, the different spaces have entirely separate walls.
- Eseparate sauna will of course ensure that heat and moisture never spread to other spaces.
Especially in summer When choosing a cabin that will be used regularly, the heat from the sauna is such a significant factor that it can in itself be a good reason to build the sauna separately or to choose a sauna cabin with an in-between space. If you buy the sauna separately, you can connect it to the rest of the set-up with a (covered) deck if you like.
Are you mainly interested in a cabin without a sauna?
A 30 m² cabin without a sauna is a great option if you want more living space or are thinking of placing the sauna separately from the main building.
👉 Have a look at Ehta's 30 square metre cottage and
its floor plans >>
