How to bequeath your barrel sauna to future generations?

An outdoor or barrel sauna, as some affectionately call it, is a wonderful place for relaxation and stress relief. To ensure its longevity, regular maintenance is essential, especially to protect the sauna from mold. Here are some key tips to keep your barrel sauna in good condition and mold-free.

After each use, clean the sauna thoroughly, removing debris and sweat marks, and cleaning the walls and benches to prevent dirt and mold accumulation. Regularly inspect the wooden surfaces for rot or damage and repair immediately to avoid major repairs. The wood surface may fade and become moldy over time, so apply wood protection to shield it from weather and maintain its appearance. The ventilation system needs regular checks for smooth operation. If your sauna has a heating device, ensure all parts are intact and properly connected. Address any issues promptly for safe sauna usage. Use special sauna care products and avoid regular household chemicals that can damage the sauna, turning it into an unusable space. Avoid using strong chemicals for cleaning as they can adversely affect the wood or linger in the air, harming human health.

Mold is the biggest enemy of a barrel sauna. It can not only ruin the sauna’s appearance but is also harmful to human health.
Here are some important points to consider when choosing the right protective agent against mold:

1. Type of treatment: consider whether you want to protect the exterior or interior of the sauna.
2. Type of surfaces: which surfaces do you want to protect – floor, ceiling, benches, or the entire sauna?
3. Is decorative treatment also planned?
4. Ease and convenience of the chosen agent’s application?
   Protective agents are specifically formulated for different treatment methods. It’s important to know what the agents contain, as they not only protect surfaces from negative effects but also eliminate health risks to people.

Impregnation agents are divided into two main groups based on their effect:

1. Oil- and wax-based materials for barrel sauna treatment:
   These agents tend to densify the wood structure and have an exceptional ability to penetrate deeply into the wood, leaving a thin layer on the surface. Oil-treated wood acquires good decorative properties and additional protection against dirt and water.
2. Water-soluble impregnation agents:
   Suitable for interior treatment, preserving the natural wood pattern.

Here are basic recommendations for wood treatment to maintain the sauna’s properties and appearance: the minimum frequency of applying the protective agent for barrel saunas is once a year. Before applying, remove old paint or varnish, sand the wood thoroughly, and clean the dust.

Keep the humidity around the treated sauna below 80%, while the air and surface temperature should not fall below +5°C. When choosing an impregnation agent, remember that different parts of the sauna have different temperature conditions, meaning the functional requirements of materials may vary. For example, floor impregnation should not make it slippery. Careful selection and proper use of the right impregnation agent help maintain the natural beauty of the wood for a long time and extend the life of the outdoor sauna. Important information can be found in the instructions of sauna care products, so read them carefully and make your choice!