Cedar Sauna 101: Why Your Sauna's Wood Type Matters

Not All Sauna Wood Is Created Equal

When most people shop for an outdoor sauna, they zero in on size, heater output, and price. Wood type? That often gets treated as a footnote. That's a mistake — and one that can cost you years off your sauna's life.

The wood is the sauna. It's what you touch every session, what you smell when the heat kicks in, what protects the structure through decades of rain, sun, and freeze-thaw cycles. Choosing the wrong wood type can mean sap bleeding onto your towels, benches that burn to the touch, or an outdoor sauna that starts rotting within a decade. Choosing the right one means a sauna that gets better with age.

If you're seriously comparing outdoor saunas, wood type deserves as much attention as any other spec on the list.

The Top Woods Used in Outdoor Saunas

Not every wood performs the same when exposed to heat, moisture, and the elements. Here's how the most common sauna woods stack up:

• Western Red Cedar: The most recognizable sauna wood. Reddish-brown in tone, strongly aromatic, and naturally rot-resistant. A premium choice that performs beautifully outdoors.
• Eastern White Cedar: Lighter honey color, subtler aroma, and equally rot-resistant. This is the wood LeisureCraft uses — sourced in Canada and chosen for its clean appearance and outstanding durability.
• Hemlock: An affordable alternative with a pale, neutral look. Lower aroma is appealing to some, but hemlock is less naturally rot-resistant and requires more upkeep outdoors over time.
• Nordic Spruce: Common in Scandinavian sauna traditions. Fine-grained and smooth, but it typically needs more treatment and maintenance when used in outdoor settings.
• Pine and Fir: Budget-friendly options, but they come with a significant drawback — knots in the wood can bleed sap when heated, staining towels and skin. Not recommended for sauna benches or interiors.

The differences aren't just cosmetic. Each wood has a unique density, moisture behavior, and chemical composition that determines how it handles the extreme conditions inside a heated sauna.

Why Cedar Is the Gold Standard for Outdoor Saunas

Cedar's reputation in the sauna world isn't marketing — it's chemistry. A few specific properties make it the top choice for outdoor installations year after year.

Natural rot resistance. Cedar contains a group of naturally occurring oils that make it highly resistant to rot, decay, and insect damage — without any added treatment. This is especially important for outdoor saunas that sit exposed to the elements year-round.

Handles moisture cycling. A sauna goes through dramatic humidity swings every single use — soaking in steam, then drying out. Woods that can't handle this cycle warp, crack, and split over time. Cedar's dimensional stability means it expands and contracts minimally, keeping joints tight and surfaces smooth even after years of use.

Stays comfortable at temperature. Cedar has a low thermal density, which means it doesn't hold heat the way denser woods do. In practical terms, your bench, walls, and headrests won't burn you — even in a sauna running at 180°F or higher. Heavier woods like oak or fir can become uncomfortable to touch at high temperatures.

Naturally antimicrobial. The same oils that resist rot also inhibit mold and mildew growth. In a moist environment like a sauna, that matters. You're not fighting biology every time you clean.

That aroma. More on this below — but the scent alone is a reason many people specifically seek out a cedar outdoor sauna.

Eastern White Cedar vs. Western Red Cedar

If you've been researching saunas, you've probably seen both types mentioned. Here's the honest breakdown: both are excellent. The core properties that make cedar ideal for saunas — rot resistance, moisture stability, low density — are shared by both varieties. The real differences are mostly visual and sensory.

• Eastern White Cedar has a lighter honey or cream tone that brightens the interior of a sauna. Its aroma is subtler — still cedar, but more understated. It's also slightly denser than Western Red, which some argue gives it a bit more longevity in structural applications.
• Western Red Cedar has that classic reddish-brown color and a stronger, more pronounced aroma. Many people associate this look and scent directly with the sauna experience itself.

LeisureCraft chose Eastern White Cedar for their entire lineup — including the Canadian Timber Luna Sauna and the Canadian Timber Harmony Sauna. The decision reflects both the clean aesthetic of the lighter wood and the ability to source it responsibly from Canadian forests. It's a considered choice, not a compromise.

Why Cheaper Woods Cost You More in the Long Run

A sauna built from hemlock or pine is going to carry a lower price tag. That's real. But the total cost of ownership tells a different story.

Outdoor saunas made from less rot-resistant woods may need significant maintenance or full replacement in 8–12 years. A quality cedar sauna, properly ventilated and occasionally treated on the exterior, can realistically last 20–25 years or more. Run the math:

• A cedar sauna at $7,000, lasting 20 years: $350 per year
• A pine sauna at $3,000, lasting 8 years: $375 per year

Cedar wins on lifetime cost — and that's before accounting for the avoided maintenance, replacement hassle, and the fact that you're not dealing with sap stains or warped benches along the way.

Beyond longevity, there's the comfort factor. Higher-density woods retain more heat in the material itself, making benches and walls uncomfortably hot to touch. Pine knots can quite literally drip resin when the sauna heats up — it's messy, it smells off, and it stains. These aren't hypothetical problems; they're common complaints from buyers who chose on price alone.

Caring for Your Cedar Sauna

One of cedar's most underrated qualities is how little it demands in maintenance — especially on the interior.

Inside the sauna: Cedar's natural oils handle most of the work. You don't need to apply sealant or stain to interior surfaces. What you should do is give the benches a light sanding every few months to keep the surface fresh and smooth. This also helps release the wood's natural oils and aroma.

Outside the sauna: Exterior cedar will naturally weather to a silvery gray if left untreated. Many owners love this look — it gives the sauna a rustic, organic feel that blends into a backyard or landscape beautifully. If you prefer to maintain the original warm tone, apply a UV-protective exterior wood stain once a year.

What to avoid: Never use paint or polyurethane on cedar sauna wood. These products seal the surface and trap moisture — the opposite of what you want. At sauna temperatures, they can also off-gas chemicals you don't want to breathe in an enclosed space. Stick to sauna-safe, exterior-rated stains if you treat the wood at all.

The single best thing you can do: Ventilate properly after every session. Leave the door slightly open, run the ventilation system, and let the interior dry out completely before closing up. This one habit extends the life of any sauna wood significantly.

The Sensory Experience — Why Cedar Smells So Good

The scent of a cedar sauna isn't an accident or a finishing product. It comes from naturally occurring aromatic compounds in the wood called thujaplicins — a group of chemicals that also happen to be responsible for cedar's antimicrobial and insect-resistant properties. The same thing that protects the wood is what fills your sauna with that distinctive, calming aroma.

Heat activates these oils. When your sauna reaches temperature, the warmth draws them to the surface of the wood, which is why a cedar sauna smells most pronounced during a session. It's a built-in sensory feature that you simply don't get with hemlock or spruce.

Over time, the intensity of the scent mellows as the surface oils naturally dissipate. A light sanding of the bench or wall surfaces can refresh the aroma by exposing fresh wood underneath. It's one of the small rituals that sauna enthusiasts appreciate about cedar — the sauna takes care of you, and you take care of it in return.

Many people who have used both cedar and non-cedar saunas say the aroma alone is reason enough to choose cedar. It adds a layer to the experience that makes each session feel complete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cedar the best wood for an outdoor sauna?

For outdoor installations, cedar — both Eastern White and Western Red varieties — is widely regarded as the best choice. Its natural rot resistance, ability to handle moisture cycling without warping, and comfort at high temperatures make it the most practical and durable option for year-round outdoor use.

Why do cedar saunas cost more than other options?

Cedar is a premium material that earns its price. It's naturally durable, aromatic, antimicrobial, and comfortable at sauna temperatures — properties you can't replicate with cheaper woods without adding chemical treatments. The higher upfront cost is typically offset by a significantly longer lifespan and lower maintenance requirements over the years.

Will my cedar sauna turn gray?

Yes — untreated exterior cedar will weather to a natural silvery gray over time. This is entirely cosmetic and has no effect on the wood's structural integrity or performance. If you prefer to preserve the original warm honey or reddish tone, apply a UV-protective exterior stain once a year. Many owners choose to let it gray naturally and love the look.

Can I paint my cedar sauna?

No. Paint and polyurethane are not appropriate for sauna wood. They prevent the wood from breathing, trap moisture, and can release harmful fumes when heated. If you want to treat the exterior wood, use only sauna-safe, exterior-rated wood stains that allow the wood to expand, contract, and breathe naturally.

Every LEXLETIX sauna is built from premium Eastern White Cedar by LeisureCraft in Canada. Browse our collection to see the difference quality wood makes.