Barrel Sauna: A Great Choice (Even After 12 Years of Use)

When I showcased different sauna types, already then it became clear that a barrel sauna is one of the most popular ones.

And what’s not to love: barrels look cool, heat up quickly, and are often brought directly to your property (either as whole or as a kit), possibly sparing you from having to assemble or build anything.

Still, you might be wondering why get a barrel sauna instead of a more traditional model.

Do barrels offer some benefits that other outdoor saunas don’t, or are they actually inferior to other, more expensive saunas?

This is difficult to answer if you have to rely just on different features that sauna shops list; instead, what we all want to know is someone with real experience telling us how their barrel sauna has served them in practice after many years of use.

That kind of info is the most valuable, and that’s exactly what I’m offering you in this post!

I had a chance to see the cutest 12-year-old barrel sauna and interview the owner Maarit who loves to sauna frequently with her husband.

Let’s not only investigate everything she had to say but also dive deeper into the pros and cons of barrels as saunas.

Is a Barrel Sauna Worth It?

A barrel sauna can definitely be worth it as long as you know what you’re getting:

Pro: A barrel is always more compact than a traditional sauna of the same maximum width –> that’s why it requires less space and really does heat up quickly (20-30 min) even during colder seasons.

Maarit among many others confirms that you only have to fill the fire chamber once with wood to produce enough heat for the entire sauna session.

Con: For a tall person who wants to sit straight in a sauna instead of lying down, a barrel can be too claustrophobic.

Pro: Barrel saunas are more known for softer heat and steam than harsh heat –> that’s perfect as most people prefer milder heat anyway, and the best sauna temperature is a lot lower than some people think.

Con: Barrels typically have their benches on one level just like Maarit’s sauna featured here, unlike traditional models with three levels (two benches + a stool) –> you have less heat control as you can’t go sit on a higher or lower level.

Maarit told me she and her husband love to relax and lie down in their sauna, each on their own side, so if you’re like them, then having the benches at one level won’t be a con.

For them, their sauna is the perfect 2-person barrel sauna as there’s enough space for them both to lie down fully.

Why Some People Hate Barrel Saunas

Some people don’t like barrels as saunas because in addition to possible hunching and not having 2- or 3-tier bench options, their feet feel cold during wintertime even when the sauna is otherwise hot enough.

This is because in a barrel, your feet are on floor level while in a more traditionally shaped sauna you sit on a higher level, with your feet approximately on the same level as sauna rocks.

That’s considered far more ideal for more even heat distribution as well than the floor-level solution in barrels.

This is definitely something to think about if you know you mainly like to sit in a sauna instead of lying down.

If you prefer lying down, cold feet and somewhat uneven heat distribution won’t be an issue.

It’s good to acknowledge that heat distribution isn’t perfectly even in other sauna types either, especially when throwing water on the hot sauna rocks, and that’s totally normal.

The placement of the door, air vent(s), and the sauna heater itself all affect which spots in a sauna feel the hottest when you throw water (löyly) in addition to hot air always rising up while cooler air stays down.

How Long Does a Barrel Sauna Last?

Some sources claim barrel saunas last 15-20 years, but I as someone who has built an outdoor sauna myself don’t see why a properly built barrel with good quality materials and maintenance wouldn’t last much longer.

And considering that the barrel sauna featured here is already 12 years old, are we expected to believe that after 3+ years this sauna will suddenly be unusable? I doubt it.

Any wooden buildings last for several decades when built and maintained correctly.

That’s exactly where the problem lies: many (barrel) saunas are not constructed, built and/or placed correctly.

Heck, in the US many barrels don’t even have a roof, and sauna shops happily feature and sell their outdoor saunas without roofs!

And then people complain because their barrel saunas leak during the rain. It doesn’t take a Sherlock to figure out why.

So, the best barrel sauna should always have a roof cover? Yes, exactly. Asphalt shingles work great as do many other roofing methods.

Besides the missing roof, other common problems with some barrels are warping and molding.

Warping mostly happens with poor quality wood that should be reflected in the price: if you happen to find a really cheap barrel sauna kit, it’s likely you will see the staves warping, leading to gaps that you won’t be able to close even if you tighten the bands around the barrel.

Molding happens when the ventilation is poor, the sauna doesn’t dry properly after each use, and especially when the sauna is not placed ideally, which leads to a rotting floor.

This is equally true for barrels and all other outdoor saunas. I wrote about this (how to avoid mold forming) in greater detail when I presented my own sauna build.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do barrel saunas leak in the rain? Should I put a roof on my barrel sauna?

Without a roof they certainly do!

It’s not the barrel’s fault, though. The idea that you could put any wooden building outside without a roof, and realistically expect it NOT to leak, is insane.

When you google barrel saunas in Finnish (tynnyrisauna), these are the images you get, and rightfully so:

Every single sauna has a roof.

But when you do the same in English in the US, this is what you get:

None of them have a roof, which is unbelievable!

Barrels don’t have magical properties; they need roofs just like any other outdoor buildings to avoid water leaking in.

2. Do you need to insulate a barrel sauna?

No, you don’t. It’s the same with any outdoor sauna. I wrote about this in more detail when I discussed my own sauna build.

Non-insulated outdoor saunas are very common in Finland, too, where it’s often colder than in the US, for instance.

3. What do you put under a barrel sauna?

One of the best features of horizontally placed barrels is that the “foundation” is already included in the package.

A barrel obviously needs something to hold it in place, and it’s exactly this stand that also functions as a foundation.

Ideally you wouldn’t have dirt underneath the barrel stand but preferably blocks of concrete and gravel. Concrete slabs will also work.

When the sauna isn’t resting on the ground but is more like flowing in the air and lifted up, that translates to a lot brighter and longer future for your sauna.

The sauna featured in this post rests on a patio that is made of impregnated wood, which isn’t a terrible choice by any means, and I’ve seen this kind of solution used elsewhere too.

Even though it’s a viable option, it can make replacing old floor planks more difficult than if the sauna was even more lifted up from the ground.

But it depends on the build; above in Maarit’s sauna, it looks like replacing old floor boards would be easy.

4. Does a barrel sauna need a vent?

Every sauna needs good ventilation, and barrels are no exception.

You don’t necessarily need an additional vent, though, when you have a wood stove and rely on natural ventilation with the “chimney effect.”

A slatted floor further helps with ventilation as it allows fresh air to be pulled in effortlessly (obviously it’s great for letting the sauna dry after each use, too).

But if you go for an electric heater, then yes, your barrel sauna should have a ventilation system.

5. Can you put a barrel sauna indoors?

Technically yes, but it’s not the best option/shape for indoor use.

While barrels are space-saving outdoors, many actual indoor saunas require much less space than barrels.

Whichever sauna you choose, you also have to consider the heater type (whether a chimney is needed), ventilation, and how water exits the sauna.

6. Is it true that barrel saunas are not considered real saunas in Finland?

As someone with Finnish origin and several years of my life spent in Finland, I can confirm this is not true.

Some people don’t like barrels, mainly because they’re too small for their preferences, but barrel saunas are definitely a thing in Finland and widely sold (with roofs, always with roofs!).

They’re real saunas for sure, and (almost) always come with a wood-burning stove.

Final Thoughts

Barrels as saunas can be a somewhat heated topic with some people bashing them while sauna shops claim they are superior to other outdoor saunas.

I disagree with both views. Barrel saunas don’t deserve the hate they sometimes get, but it certainly doesn’t mean they are better than more traditionally shaped outdoor saunas.

Other outdoor saunas are often more expensive than barrels, and there’s a reason for this: barrels are simpler to construct, require less wood, and are therefore cheaper to make.

Simplicity doesn’t always mean superiority, and so it is with barrels too.

So, if you don’t love the shape of a barrel, are a taller person, and/or you can afford a more expensive sauna, a barrel isn’t necessarily the best choice. Or maybe you would prefer a vertical barrel that’s also called a cylinder sauna?

But if you’re anything like Maarit and her husband, the happy owners of the 12-year-old barrel sauna featured in this post, and like to lie down in pleasant heat and steam, a barrel can be an amazing choice.

And paired with a hot tub in your own backyard it’s quite a treat! 😍