Skip to content
The height of sauna benches and other dimensions puzzle sauna builders. It is an important question, as both the proportions of the sauna and the height of the benches affect how the löyly behaves. In this article we focus on sizing garden saunas and sauna cabins.
The range of outdoor saunas has grown enormously in recent years. Minimalism and small saunas have become more common, but in the end many people have been disappointed by the bathing experience in the smallest barrel and trailer saunas.
The main rule is that a sauna should not be built too small or too low.
In this article:
How to choose the right sauna bench height and other proportions
Sauna bench height used to be planned according to the “law of löyly” known from folk tradition
When you sit on the benches, make sure the sauna stones are level with your toes and the ceiling is just within reach of a sauna whisk.
– Sakari Pälsi (1882-1965), Finnish archaeologist, explorer and ethnologist.
This folk wisdom is not plucked out of thin air, because two things are key to sizing a sauna and its benches: enough air space and benches that are high enough:
- When the ceiling is high enough (just within reach of a sauna whisk), there is plenty of air space and natural air circulation keeps the sauna comfortable.
- When the benches are high enough (sauna stones level with your toes), the löyly comes down pleasantly, so that your feet and toes also get their share of the heat and you don't have to sit in the sauna with cold toes.
A protective wall around the sauna heater spreads the warm air more widely
There's no need to follow the old law too strictly, as the same goals can be reached with a little “less”. The main thing is good, soft löyly.
For example, the height of the benches can also be somewhat below the top of the sauna heater, as long as the sauna has a large enough heater. If a protective wall is also fitted around the heater, air circulation along the sides of the hot heater is improved. The warm air is then distributed more evenly throughout the room, right down to the floor.
The 4 main reasons not to build a sauna too small or too low:
- Lack of oxygen: Too little air space easily causes a lack of oxygen in the sauna. The bather soon starts to feel uncomfortable or faint and wants to get out.
- Löyly that is too sharp and dry: A small sauna heater is worse for löyly than a large one. With few stones, the löyly is sharp and short – and dry, especially with electric heaters. A large quantity of stones, on the other hand, gives suitably hot but lingering, soft and moist löyly.
A small sauna does, however, need a small heater. The size of the heater must be matched to the size of the sauna, partly so that the heater fits sensibly, but also because a large heater in too small a space heats it too much.
- Air circulation: A wood-burning sauna heater promotes natural air circulation in the sauna, but on the other hand a large heater uses up more of the oxygen in the room. This is another reason why a larger heater doesn't work in a small sauna.
- Washing: If you also plan to wash in the sauna, you need space to do so safely.
In addition to suitable air space, good ventilation is essential so that there is enough oxygen and the temperature stays right. Natural (gravity) ventilation is the most common ventilation solution in outdoor saunas. It works particularly well in wood-heated saunas, as the heater acts like an efficient ventilation unit, drawing air from the room and using it for combustion. The combustion gases then leave through the chimney.
If you are interested in the details, read the article on the Saunologia website about natural ventilation in saunas.
The right height for the sauna and benches – a professional's detailed recommendations
Ehta has solid experience in building garden saunas and we pay special attention to how to achieve the best possible sauna steam.
We recommend a ceiling height of at least 220-240 cm for the sauna. The starting point is: the higher, the better. If washing is done in the sauna, a high ceiling also makes washing more pleasant, as the temperature difference between floor level and bench level is then greater.
Sizing the benches starts from the top, to ensure enough seating space and that the löyly spreads well for the bathers. A suitable height for the space between the ceiling and the upper bench is 100-120 cm – but always less than 125 cm. Between the upper and lower bench, leave 40-45 cm. After this you usually need at least one step or a stool before the floor. A suitable step height is 30-35 cm.
The recommendations are based on the following criteria:
- There must be enough (vertical) space on the benches to sit and move comfortably.
- The air space and height allow good ventilation.
- It is easier to breathe in a sauna that is high enough, as the steam spreads better through the room.
Sauna width and other proportions
The other dimensions of the sauna follow from how it will be used. The following questions help to clarify your needs:
- How many people usually use the sauna at a time?
- How many people do you want the sauna to fit at the same time?
- Do you want room to lie down on the benches, or is it enough to be able to sit comfortably?
- Will washing take place in the sauna or elsewhere?
- How big a sauna heater do you want? (The bigger, the better the löyly. However, it's not worth choosing the very largest heater models for a small sauna.)
- Does the sauna have a wood-burning or electric heater? (With a wood-burning heater, safety distances must be taken into account)
Once your needs are clear, a floor plan of the sauna is sketched so that the desired criteria are met. The bench design, the positions of the heater, doors and windows, and the size of the windows also affect the end result.
When sizing the benches, a good starting point is to allow a seat width of about 60 cmper person, so that everyone has comfortable space of their own. The recommended depth of a bench is at least 50-60 cm for comfortable bathing.
Some people deliberately build an even deeper bench, so that they can comfortably rest their feet with bent knees on the upper bench if they wish.
Explore Ehta's guide, where you'll find examples and floor plans of saunas of different sizes made for different needs.
👉 Sauna sizing – how to choose or build a sauna of the right size?
For more detailed planning, we recommend enlisting a professional. Ehta has many pre-designed, carefully considered models, but buildings are always designed individually as needed, based on the customer's requirements. The design service is free of charge.
Summary
- Don't make the sauna too small, so that the ventilation works and you get the best possible löyly experience.
- A protective wall behind the sauna heater improves air circulation, so your whole body gets warm even if the benches are slightly lower than the top of the heater.
- The height of the sauna should be 2.2-2.5 metres – the higher, the better.
- The recommended sauna bench height is one that leaves 100-120 cm of space above the benches. So bench height in a sauna is measured from the top down.
- When building an outdoor sauna, space must also be left for washing, unless the building has a separate shower room. A high ceiling also makes washing more pleasant, as the space lower down is then cooler.
- The final dimensions should also be chosen according to how the sauna will be used. The bigger the group using the sauna at once, the more important it is to consider not only bench space but also enough air space and good air circulation.
