While we are certainly believers that any good project is another excuse to buy new tools, we also like to keep things simple. And believe it or not, the list of tools that you need for your DIY sauna build is pretty short. With the experience gained from our own builds, we also have some good expertise on where it might be nice to spend the extra money to get the right tool for the job. 

Our first sauna build is a little bit different than the plans listed here, but taught a lot of lessons that carry over. It’s located at some off-grid property in the mountains of Washington State, which also brought its own unique challenges and opportunities, as well as different needs. All said and done, it’s pretty, blending in nicely with the forest landscape, and it performs exceptionally well, easily reaching over 200 degrees. 

The big decision: buy something off the shelf, have someone build it custom, or build your own sauna? If you’re looking into the DIY route, you probably already have the skills to make it happen, or at least have the patience and mindset to learn. So, why do it yourself? Simply put, you’re going to get way more bang for your buck. But beyond that, here are some pros and cons, as well as some thoughts on what exactly those skills are that you need to have or learn.