History and Use of the Sauna
The origins of the sauna have been lost in the mists of time (so to speak), but it is safe to say its history goes back at least 1000 years. We know that the nomadic peoples of Finland had a primitive type of sauna that was made by building a fire inside a tentlike structure. When the heat had built up and the fire had gone out, the people would enter the sauna to bathe. This was very similar to the American Indian sweat lodge.
From these beginnings, the smoke sauna evolved. These were small buildings with a fireplace. Smoke could exit through a small hole made in the roof but again, the fire had to die out before people could enter. These saunas were in use until the 1920s, when the modern style of sauna familiar to us came into use. Smoke saunas have seen a small revival in their country of origin, with many Finns considering these to provide the best sauna experience possible.
The 1930s saw the development of a different type of sauna stove which permitted rocks to be heated without having to be placed over or in the flames. With this development, the fire could continue to burn while the sauna was in use. The first models used wood as fuel, but this has largely been replaced by electric heaters.
Various Types of Saunas
There are many different styles, shapes and sizes of saunas. A sauna can be its own separate structure or can be installed inside of a home. A traditional sauna is a wooden structure, generally outdoors which is both useful and aesthetically pleasing.
Ingenious new designs of saunas have been introduced since they are so popular all over the world. Portable saunas which are folding saunas that you can use just about everywhere are one of the most unusual. They are just big enough that you can sit down in it. You place your head through a hole and your hands through slits. You can talk on the telephone or read while sitting in your portable sauna.
Another unusual design is the barrel sauna. This is a small cabin constructed using barrel making techniques and can hold six to eight people. Barrel saunas can be installed either inside or outside the house and can be heated with a wood or electric stove.
Infrared saunas have been used since the 1960s. The heating source in this type of sauna is an infrared heater. Unlike traditional heaters that heat the air of the sauna, infrared heaters heat objects and people but not the air. Infrared is a type of light and proponents of infrared saunas say that they have superior health benefits to traditional saunas.
Sauna Construction Styles
Almost every type of sauna is made of wood. The walls, ceilings, and floors and benches are all made from a wood such as cedar or hemlock. The only non-wood materials are the stove and the rocks that are heated on the stove.
Saunas provide dry heat at a temperature between 70 and 100 Celsius. Water can be thrown on the rocks to raise the temperature as desired and to generate steam.
The sauna can be heated with an electric or wood stove. Wood stoves are traditional in the countryside, but most urban saunas use an electric heater.
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