The best wood for a sauna is a low-resin, stable softwood or light hardwood that stays comfortable to sit on and handles heat and moisture. Cedar is the classic choice and the usual pick outdoors, hemlock is a clean and affordable option indoors, and aspen is a favorite for benches. Here is how they compare, where each one fits, and which woods the saunas we sell actually use.
What Makes a Good Sauna Wood
Low resin and sap: hot resin can drip or bleed from knots, so low-resin woods are preferred, especially where skin touches.
Stability: the wood should resist warping and cracking through repeated heating and cooling.
Rot resistance: important in humid saunas and outdoors.
Surface that stays comfortable: benches should not feel painfully hot to sit on.
Aroma: some people like cedar's scent, others prefer a neutral wood.
Untreated and unfinished: avoid varnish, lacquer or chemically treated lumber inside a hot room.
Sauna Wood Types Compared
| Wood | Aroma | Rot resistance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western red cedar | Strong, sweet | High | Walls, benches, outdoor saunas |
| Eastern white cedar | Mild | High | Walls, barrel saunas |
| Hemlock | Very light | Moderate | Indoor walls and benches, most infrared cabins |
| Aspen | Almost none | Lower | Benches, backrests |
| Nordic spruce or pine | Mild, resinous | Moderate | Walls and ceilings (pick low-knot boards) |
| Thermo-treated wood | Faint, toasted | High | Outdoor builds, heavy use |
Woods in the Saunas We Sell
If you're buying a ready-made sauna rather than building one, the maker has already chosen the wood. Here is what our current listings use (checked November 2026; the product page always shows the wood for each model).
| Sauna type | Typical wood | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor infrared cabins | Canadian hemlock; some models in red cedar | Dynamic infrared saunas are hemlock; the Sunray Sedona is red cedar |
| Outdoor barrel saunas | Cedar (Pacific cedar or white cedar); a few in pine | Golden Designs Arosa, Klosters and St. Moritz are Pacific cedar |
| Outdoor cabin saunas | Varies by model | Aleko cabins come in cedar or hemlock; check each listing for others |
Our barrel sauna buying guide covers barrel woods and wall thickness in more detail.
Cedar
Western red cedar is the traditional pick: aromatic, naturally resistant to decay and dimensionally stable, which is why it is common in outdoor builds. It costs more than most alternatives, and the scent is strong for some people; if cedar's smell bothers you, hemlock or aspen is a gentler choice. Eastern white cedar is lighter in color and aroma and usually has more knots. Cedar of one kind or another is the norm for outdoor barrels; browse our barrel saunas to see it in practice.
Hemlock vs Cedar
Hemlock vs cedar is the most common question. Hemlock is light in color, nearly scentless and typically cheaper, with a clean, even grain. Cedar resists rot better and smells stronger. For a dry, well-ventilated indoor sauna, hemlock is a good value, and most indoor infrared cabins we sell use it. For an outdoor sauna, cedar is the safer choice. Check each product page for the wood it actually uses.
Aspen and Other Bench Woods
Aspen is popular for benches and backrests because it has almost no scent and a smooth, pale surface. It is less rot resistant, so ventilate the sauna after use. Alder and basswood are used for similar reasons.
Spruce and Pine
Nordic spruce and pine are traditional wall and ceiling woods in Finnish-style saunas and turn up in some budget barrel saunas. They're cheaper than cedar, but pine in particular is resinous, so knots can bleed sap when hot. Choose clear, low-knot boards for walls and keep pine off benches and backrests.
Thermo-Treated Wood
Thermo-treated wood is regular lumber (often aspen, spruce or pine) heated in a controlled process to improve stability and rot resistance. It has a dark brown color and is a solid option outdoors, though it can be more brittle and pricier.
Woods to Avoid
Avoid pressure-treated lumber, plywood and anything with glue or finishes that can off-gas when hot. Also avoid resinous wood on benches, and dense woods that get uncomfortably hot, such as oak.
Indoor vs Outdoor
Indoors, moisture is easier to manage, so hemlock, spruce and aspen all work. Outdoors, choose cedar or thermo-treated wood, and plan for the exterior to weather to grey unless you treat the outside with a product the maker approves (never the inside of the hot room).
Caring for Sauna Wood
Sit on a towel, wipe benches after use and leave the door open to dry the room.
Infrared cabins: unplug and wipe with plain water and a soft, damp cloth. Dynamic's manuals rule out chemical cleaners because the wood can absorb them and release them when heated.
Traditional saunas: water and, if needed, a mild soap on benches, never harsh chemicals; see how to clean a sauna.
Lightly sand sweat stains on benches when needed.
Use stainless steel fasteners and no film finishes inside.
Planning the room itself? Read what size sauna you need and the typical sauna temperatures your wood will see.
