FAQs
Answers to your frequently asked questions.
How to Order
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Whether you’re ready to order or simply looking for more information about our Signature saunas, commercial saunas or our bespoke service, please do get in touch and speak to a member of our team.
You can email info@heartwoodsaunas.com or call us on +44 (0)1654 701 101.
To request a call-back, send an email and let us know the contact number you wish to be called back on, and the best times for us to contact you.
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When you place an order for one of our outdoor saunas, we ask for a 10% payment of our estimate to book the build of your sauna into our workshop schedule.
As your order progresses up the workshop schedule, we will liaise with you to finalise the design of your sauna, and once this is confirmed, we will require a further 50% payment.
The remaining balance is payable on completion of the build once you and our team are happy that everything is complete.
Delivery and installation costs are due after the sauna is installed. For more information about payment, please get in touch.
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Our lead time changes all the time depending on our schedule.
Please get in touch to check how soon your sauna could be made and delivered.
General Questions
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A Signature Heartwood sauna starts from £55,000 (including VAT) while bespoke private or commercial projects are priced according to design and specifications.
We make all our outdoor saunas to the same high build quality, so the cost of a Heartwood sauna mainly depends on size and design.
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Yes, it is possible to take your sauna with you when you move house.
All of our outdoor saunas are made with high quality, durable materials and are designed to be lifted or moved as needed.
If you require assistance relocating your sauna, please feel free to contact us.
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No, the timber we use to build our saunas is not treated with any toxic chemicals and we don’t use any solvents when building our saunas. You can find out more about the wood we use in our saunas and the thermal modification process in this article.
Delivery & Installation
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Planning requirements for our signature and bespoke saunas depend on the size and design of your chosen model.
We advise all clients to review sauna dimensions and check with the local planning department, or seek advice from a planning consultant, as early as possible in the ordering process to ensure any planning requirements are met in advance of installation.
If you need any further information to support planning applications or would like advice on whether planning may be required for your chosen sauna, please feel free to get in touch.
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The delivery and installation of each of our saunas is overseen by the Heartwood team.
From the initial site visit through planning and design to delivery and installation, we work closely with you at every step to ensure everything is done correctly.
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The foundation required for your sauna depends on the sauna's size and on-site ground conditions.
We send through a detailed ground preparation and services plan outlining the foundation specification and any services needed (electric feed etc.) in good time for delivery for your local contractor to follow step-by-step when carrying out any site preparation.
Each of our outdoor saunas is built with a galvanised steel base. For the majority of installations, we would specify either a reinforced concrete base or alternatively pillar foundations in each corner for extra support.
The sauna is also raised up by 50-60mm to allow air to ventilate underneath.
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Our saunas are usually delivered to site on a flatbed trailer or lorry. The majority of our saunas are fully constructed in our workshop in mid-Wales, then transferred to their destination.
Once we arrive on site, the sauna is lifted into position using a large telehandler, HIAB or crane. A helicopter delivery may be required in some cases.
If your chosen site isn’t accessible to deliver a fully-built sauna by any means, then it may be necessary to set up a mobile workshop and build the sauna in situ.
Following a site visit, our team can assess access and delivery options.
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It's helpful if there is vehicle access close-by your chosen sauna location but it’s not essential. The sauna is usually delivered on a flatbed trailer or lorry and then lifted into position using a large telehandler, HIAB or crane. The sauna can be lifted over fences, walls, outbuildings and even houses with the right lifting equipment.
We always advise sending through some details, photos or videos of the site access and sauna location before ordering so we can suggest the best methods for installation and inform you if there may be any extra costs involved.
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Yes, if it isn’t possible to lift the sauna into the desired location fully built, we do offer an on-site build service.
This normally involves us setting up a mobile workshop on-site to build the entire sauna from scratch. This option can add to the costs quite significantly, so we would suggest getting in touch with our team to finalise a detailed quotation.
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Yes, we can ship our saunas to overseas locations.
We have experience delivering saunas to France, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy and the US. For more information, please speak to a member of the team.
Wood-Fired or Electric Heat Source?
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Deciding whether to opt for a wood-fired or an electric stove is often one of the first things to consider when it comes to the design and usability of your sauna.
While the final choice usually comes down to either a clear personal preference or is driven by obvious practical considerations, there are some key factors to consider that will likely influence the decision-making process.
In this article, we share some of the key distinctions between wood-fired and electric saunas. Please feel free to contact our team to discuss further.
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Specific heat-up times depend on the size of the sauna, but electric heated saunas do generally heat quicker as wood fires take a bit of time to build up.
As an example, heated by an electric stove, one of our Arbor V saunas would take about 45-55 minutes to reach 80°C on a cold winter’s day, while the wood-fired stove equivalent would take about 60-70 minutes to reach the same temperature.
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Our saunas are very well insulated to minimise the heat-up times and running costs. Running costs for electric and wood-fired stove saunas depend on the size of the sauna as well as the type of stove.
To work out the cost of running an electric sauna, the unit costs for electricity multiplied by the kW output of the stove would give an idea of the cost per kW hour.
It's worth noting, however, that once up to temperature, running costs are much lower as it runs on a thermostat and only needs to maintain a temperature.
The running costs of a wood-fired stove will depend on the price you pay for firewood. For example, to run a wood-fired Arbor V sauna at 80°C for 12 hours straight, it would take up to 3 apple crates of dry, seasoned firewood.
Bespoke Saunas
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Yes, absolutely. As we make each sauna from scratch, we can alter anything, be it the size or shape of the sauna, a glazing feature or the materials used. There are no limitations, and we can work together to devise a practical sauna that reflects your vision.
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Yes, we can design a sauna together from scratch. Our bespoke service gives you the freedom to create your ideal sauna while offering guidance and inspiration from our expert team.
Longevity
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The materials we select to build our saunas are extremely durable and rot-resistant. Aside from the materials used, longevity will depend on the sauna's location, maintenence and useage, but we expect all our saunas to last well in excess of fifteen years. Our first saunas were built over ten years ago, and are still going strong.
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We pass on the manufacturer’s 2 year warranty for every wood-burning stove, 4 year warranty for every electric stove, and 2 year warranty for UKU sauna control systems. We offer a manufacturer's warranty of 1 year on all electrical fittings and fixtures.
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Our saunas are hand built with the highest quality materials by skilled local craftspeople. They are also carefully engineered to work efficiently in a variety of climates, whereas barrel saunas can struggle in areas that experience less snowfall (snow is highly insulating). Our saunas feature specially designed robust glazing elements which offer a view into nature that barrel and kit saunas cannot, and each detail of the design is carefully considered to ensure an exceptional sauna experience.
You can read more about the differences between Heartwood Saunas and barrel or kit saunas here.
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Each sauna is made from the highest quality materials and crafted from FSC-certified timber, sourced from sustainably managed forests in Wales and the UK.
You can read more about the trees we use here.
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Yes, our saunas are built to withstand the harshest environments. Every sauna is built around a rigid galvanised steel base, thoroughly insulated and made using stainless steel fixings and fixtures to prevent corrosion.
Heartwood Sauna Care
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The benches, floor and backrests of the sauna are all oiled with osmo oil wood wax which makes them easy to clean, and helps them to stay clean for longer. We recommend regularly cleaning the sauna using a mild hand soap or our [Sauna Soap][1] diluted in a bucket of warm water to sponge down the back rests, benches, floor and door handles, working from top to bottom. The glass can also be cleaned with warm soapy water, then use a squeegee or newspaper to dry. There is no need to rinse after cleaning, and the sauna will naturally drain and dry out due to the one-way ventilation system. We strongly advise against using stronger soaps or harsh chemicals that could be inhaled when the sauna is next heated.
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The external timber on our saunas is coated in an osmo oil which acts as a breathable weather and UV protector. If you wish to maintain the warm natural colour of the external cladding and/or roof, we recommend reapplying osmo oil every 6-12 months depending on UV exposure, however, if you like the natural silvering effect of ageing timber, you can simply leave it be; it is still very durable without treatment.
Internally, the benches, floor and backrests of your sauna are all oiled with osmo oil wood wax which makes them easy to clean, and helps them to stay clean for longer. If your sauna is used very frequently (for example, if it is used commercially), you may wish to reapply this finish occasionally to keep the interior in top condition.