NAVIGATION
Sauna Types
Sauna Designs
Sauna Trailers
Cost
Sauna SizesMobile saunas seem to epitomize good health, less stress, and freedom all in one room. As a guy who has fallen in love with my tiny house over the last 10 years and everything that the tiny life represents, the idea of a mobile sauna is extremely appealing to me.
Not only could I take my whole life on the road like I do with my tiny house on wheels, but I could have the freedom to take a room devoted to healing and health with me. Talk about luxury.
Hi, I’m Ryan
The Finns have got the right idea when it comes to relaxing. I remember on my travels being struck by how saunas play such an important role in their culture. Since that trip, I have been curious about mobile saunas to go along with my tiny home.
What Is A Mobile Sauna?
A mobile sauna is exactly what it sounds like: a sauna that is fully portable, pulled by a trailer, that can be experienced anywhere.
They are pretty idyllic, and allow you to enjoy the immense healing properties of saunaing from anywhere you want to travel. They are a brilliant addition to a smaller, simpler lifestyle.
Where Did Saunas Originate?
Spending lengths of time in a sauna is a very ancient practice. It remains a mystery as to when the first sauna was actually created and put into use. However, its believed that the practice originated somewhere in northern Europe.
The concept of saunas is thought to originate from ancient man-made caves that contained a fire burning underneath piles of rock. After the fire was extinguished and the smoke wafted out, the hot rocks would keep the cave dwelling warm for the entire night. Water was poured on top of the stones, and steam rose from the rock piles, warming those nestled in the cave.
The first electric saunas were invented by the Finnish and were then popularized in the United States between the 1930s and the 1960s. They really took off in the States in the 2000s when they were built into gyms and spas.
Sometime after, the mobile sauna followed suit and has taken over for those looking to lead a simpler, more relaxing lifestyle. They have been especially popular for millennials like me who are looking to escape traditional living while renting.
Sauna Inspiration From Finland
When people think about saunas, they often think of Finland. Why? Saunas are popular in other countries, but the Finnish have made the sauna part of their identity.
I don’t know who keeps track of these kinds of things, but the experts estimate that there are two million saunas in Finland supporting a population of 5.3 million people total. The Finnish have saunas in their backyards, as accessory dwellings on their personal property, and within their communities at local bathhouses.
It doesn’t matter the type of dwelling— the Finnish can always integrate saunas into their space. Saunas are found everywhere from city apartments to quaint cottages to cabins across acres of rural land.
Even the most important people in the country have also taken to the tradition. The prime minister and president each have their own private, high-end sauna. Huge companies and state institutions also have their own private saunas for employees and visiting guests.
I think we can learn a lot from Finland and its devotion to saunas, among other things. After all, Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world by the United Nations for five straight years in a row. They must be doing something right when it comes to pursuing happiness and health, so we might as well follow their lead!
What Are The Benefits Of Using A Sauna?
As the Finnish know best, saunas come with immense health benefits for your body as well as your mind. The sauna isn’t merely a nice way to kick back and relax at the end of a long day. The practice of using a sauna has deep and long-lasting benefits on your health and life.
Saunas Reduce Stress
Saunas reduce stress through heat therapy. The heat in the sauna helps us to relax and naturally regulates the level of cortisol in our bodies. Sauna bathing reduces the levels of cortisol in our blood and increases the production of serotonin, replacing heightened anxiety with our feel-good hormone.
Using A Sauna Relaxes Your Muscles
The heat from the sauna also kickstarts the healing process by causing your body temperature to rise, allowing your blood vessels to dilate, and increasing blood circulation. This speeds the body’s natural healing process, which is super helpful when you are wiped from a hard workout.
Sauna Use Can Improve Heart Health
In the high temperatures of a traditional or infrared sauna, skin heats up and core body temperature rises. In response to these increased heat levels, the blood vessels near the skin dilate and cardiac output and circulation increases, similar to what would happen in a workout, but all you have to do is sit there. This is incredibly helpful for the longevity of your heart health.
Saunas Flush Toxins From Your Body
Sitting in your own mobile sauna can cause a heavy sweat that reduces levels of lead, copper, zinc, nickel, mercury, and other chemicals that we soak up from the environment around us. Releasing toxins frequently is a great practice for long-term health benefits.
Using A Sauna Can Fight Disease
This helps boost your immune system and kill viruses in your body. Not only can saunas boost your immunity, but they can also alleviate congestion and sinus symptoms from allergies or a common cold.
Sauna Use Can Clear Your Skin
Using A Sauna Increases Quality Sleep
The slow, relaxing decline in endorphins is key in facilitating sleep. Spending time in the intense heat of a sauna can help you release endorphins in a healthy and natural way. It’s similar to the way good exercise in the evening helps with sleep, only this way, you don’t have to go for a run to break a sweat.
Types Of Saunas For Your Sauna On A Trailer
There are two basic types of saunas that you can hitch to your trailer and take on the road. Many saunas follow the traditional heating method where water is poured onto rocks to create that steamy, humid room you’re likely envisioning. However, this isn’t the only method that exists for heating a mobile sauna.
Traditional Steam Sauna On A Trailer
Traditional saunas, also known as Finnish saunas or steam saunas, are the most common type of sauna used. There are several different types heating methods used to warm up a traditional sauna, but the end result of steam is the same.
Traditional saunas have a single heating source that is warming up the air inside the sauna, and that warm air is what heats up your body. You are seated in a wood-lined room that is filled with rocks and heated via your chosen heating method. When the rocks become hot, you pour water over the stones to create steam.
This is the most common type of sauna because of the health benefits that come not only from the heat itself, but from the humidity that the steam creates. It’s super refreshing to feel surrounded by insulated hot steam.
Traditional Dry Sauna On A Trailer
The main difference from steam saunas is that dry saunas do not use water, making the humidity in dry saunas very low. Traditional dry saunas are usually wooden rooms filled with hot air. It’s pretty much the exact same thing as a steam sauna, but without the steam.
Infrared Mobile Sauna
The third type of sauna that gets attention these days is the infrared sauna. Infrared technology in saunas is a much more recent method than the traditional sauna, really only becoming popular in the last decade.
The thing that’s special about infrared saunas is that they use advanced infrared technology to heat the sauna and your body directly, instead of heating up the air and then letting the air heat your body.
To do this, infrared heat waves are transmitted by carbon heaters to warm the sauna. Unlike traditional saunas, the air in the structure is not heated, the sauna itself is heated. Infrared sauna cabins are usually made of special softwood that is highly heat resistant.
Different Heat Types For Your Mobile Sauna
Not only are there different types of saunas themselves, but you also have liberties when choosing a heating method for your personal mobile sauna. No one heating method is better than another, they just work differently.
Wood Fire Heat
Wood-heated saunas are the oldest type of sauna heating. It works by using burning wood to either create embers or heat stones. The wood burning method produces dry heat and a very low humidity. However, if you want to create a steam sauna, you can add water to the rocks to produce steam and increase the humidity in your sauna.
Electric Heat
Most spas resorts, wellness centers, and gyms use electric-heated saunas. The low humidity and dry heat that comes from electric heaters is the same type as the wood-burning method, but electric heaters are more efficient and accessible for large companies and personal sauna users.
Infrared Lamps
Infrared saunas do not use an external heating source, wooden or electric. These saunas specifically use lamps to generate electromagnetic radiation. This radiation heats the physical structure of the sauna as well as your body, instead of filling the room with hot air.
“We recommend the wood-burning stove set up, although there are other options. Wood-burning heaters are easy to use and also eliminate hard-to-find electrical connections that are required for operation.”
– Sigmar Sikk, BZB Cabins And Outdoors
Mobile Sauna Design Inspirations
There are many variations you can choose from when it comes to designing your mobile sauna in a fashion that works best for you.
If you’re going to invest a lot of money into your mobile sauna, you want the finished product to have all of the aspects you dream of, like a gorgeous glass window and luxurious wooden seats. You also want to make sure that the way you lay out the floorplan of your sauna aligns with your dreams.
Mobile Sauna Floorplans
Depending on what appeal you’re specifically searching for, there are a ton of options out there for anyone who wants to take their own miniature paradise with them on the road. Finding the right placement for your sauna windows, bench, and heater is a must.
Design Ideas For A Sauna On A Trailer
Designing your dream sauna is the fun part. I got a chance to talk with Sigmar Sikk from BZB Cabins and Outdoors about the numerous design options that are out there when buying or building your own mobile sauna.
As saunas become more and more popular for Americans, there are increasingly more designs available to create the perfect sauna for you.
“The biggest advantage to a mobile sauna unit is the capability to relocate it at will and necessity. It gives you the option to take it to vacation homes, or camping and lake retreats.”
– Sigmar Sikk, BZB Cabins And Outdoors
The Oval Sauna Design
This shape of sauna is a beloved favorite for those who want larger windows to look out from when enjoying their steamy sauna, as it’s much easier to add longer windows onto the trailer sides with the oval shape.
Example › Oval Sauna
Barrel Style Mobile Sauna
Example › Barrel Sauna
Igloo Mobile Sauna Design
Example › Igloo Sauna
Choosing The Right Trailer For Your Sauna On Wheels
Once you have a mobile sauna in mind that you really love, its time to start thinking about the trailer you’ll need. Most trailers that can mount a tiny house also work well to hold a mobile sauna as well.
First off, you’ll need to decide whether you want to mount your mobile sauna onto a flat trailer bed, or if you are wanting to design a sauna that is built into an enclosed trailer. If you want to mount your sauna to a flat trailer, you may have to purchase the sauna and the trailer separately. Some companies, like BZB, use custom trailers.
Flat Trailers Options For Mobile Sauna
- Flatbed Trailer
- Car Hauler
- Gooseneck Trailer
- Bumper Pull
- Deck Over Trailer
- Utility Trailer
If you’re building your sauna into an enclosed trailer, you won’t have the option of buying your sauna separately from your trailer. You will either be purchasing a converted sauna or building your own sauna into your enclosed trailer.
Enclosed Trailers Options For Mobile Sauna
- Enclosed Trailer
- Horse Trailer
- Cargo Trailer
- Fish House Trailer
- Teardrop Trailer
What Trailer Specifications To Look For
From there, you’ll need to decipher what kind of trailer chassis is right for the sauna you have in mind. Virtually any trailer type can work, as long as it can hold your mobile sauna. The first thing you’re going to want to ensure is that the trailer you choose can hold the weight of your sauna.
Most barrel and pod saunas weigh between 2,800-4,000 lbs. Make sure you check on the maximum weight limit before investing in a specific type of trailer.
You should also consider the design and style of your mobile sauna and the way that design will fit into each specific type of trailer.
If you’re using a barrel style mobile sauna, you may want a trailer with a lip on the side to hold the barrel base in place. If you are going with an igloo style sauna, you’ll likely want to invest in a flat trailer for your mobile sauna.
Another aspect you might want to look into before buying your trailer is the aesthetics of the trailer itself. Oftentimes, people focus on the design appeal of the sauna and choose the first trailer they find to support their sauna. They may end up disappointed that their trailer looks bulky or is without visual appeal.
What Style Of Trailer Is Best For Your Mobile Sauna?
There isn’t one unanimous opinion on which type of trailer is the best for a portable sauna. I think it’s tricky to say that one type reins supreme as the best type because every mobile sauna has a different weight, style, and layout. However, there are pros and cons to each type.
| Trailer Type | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Gooseneck Trailer | Better towing stabilization | Hard for rounded saunas |
| Deck Over Trailer | Can fit all sauna types | Tilts, hard for round saunas |
| Bumper Pull Trailer | Sturdy sides to hold round shape | Smaller, less space |
| Cargo Trailer | Sauna cannot detach | Cannot use trailer elsewhere |
For a much deeper analysis on selecting a trailer chassis, check out Sauna Build, From Start To Finnish by Glenn Auerbach. This read covers all the nitty gritty details of sauna trailer selection including the best recommended chassis options, weight dispersal, legal limits on trailer widths, surrounding decking, and more.
How Much Does A Mobile Sauna Cost?
Like anything, the overall cost of your mobile sauna will depend on the factors that apply to it. Your room count, the quality of wood, the heating source you choose, and the layout of your mobile sauna are all elements that will factor into the overall cost.
The cost of your sauna will also depend on whether you choose to buy or build your mobile sauna. If you build your sauna yourself, you can expect material costs and the cost of labor to affect your overall budget.
Material Cost To DIY Build Mobile Sauna
- $2,800: 8’x12′ shed structure with exterior door and window openings
- $2,200: Stove, window, aluminum side water tank, double heat shield, ash pan
- $2,400: Cedar, insulation, foil vapor, two windows, interior framing, Durock, stove components, windows
- $7,400: Total DIY Basic Sauna Cost
The cost of buying a mobile sauna is totally different. It will depend on the material your sauna is made out of, the size of the sauna you choose to buy, the company you buy from, and more.
Due to the fact that mobile saunas can be anything from a makeshift camper sauna to a high-end luxury sauna, the cost range is vast. One mobile sauna could cost anywhere from $2,000 to $25,000, depending on if you want one or two rooms and which features you want to include.
What Size Sauna Is Right For You?
Mobile saunas come in all shapes and sizes. The size of sauna that works best for your and your family will depend on the amount of people in your family, the amount of space you have, and how much weight you are able to pull on your trailer.
The typical traditional sauna is 6 feet by 5 feet, with upper and lower benches. This classic size can easily fit a family of four and is a good size to go with if you are looking for a medium sized room. Traditional saunas tend to be larger than infrared saunas because infrared saunas require you to sit nearer to the heaters.
One thing you should definitely keep in mind when choosing a sauna size is if you want the luxury of laying down in your mobile sauna. If you want to be able to lay down, you’ll need the length or width of your sauna to be more than your own height. 6 or 7 feet may be a safe bet.
If you are just planning to sit, you could more easily go with a tiny cubicle size sauna. A sauna can safely be as small as 3 feet by 3 feet and as large as 7 feet by 12 feet.
Mobile Sauna Designs For 1-4 People
Mobile Sauna Designs For 4-8 People
Lastly, keep in mind that the size you choose may affect other things. For example, the size of your mobile sauna could affect where you can park it on the go.
“Because of their size, they may take up to three parking spaces. We highly recommend checking with the local fire department for regulations.”
– Sigmar Sikk, BZB Cabins And Outdoors
Ways To Use A Mobile Sauna On Wheels
There are many different purposes you can give your sauna on a trailer. While some people merely dream of taking their mobile sauna on the road and enjoying the steam room with their family, others use their sauna on a trailer as a profitable side hustle.
Mobile Saunas For Personal Use
If you keep your mobile sauna on your own property, you’ll have constant access to heat therapy, a way to relax your muscles after a hard workout, or simply a place to relax after a hard day. Mobile saunas are also nice to have when guests come into town and need a place to unwind.
Mobile Saunas For Business Use
Turn your mobile sauna into something others can rent. You’ll be surprised at the amount of revenue you’re able to bring in from your mobile sauna side business.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saunas On A Trailer
Once your sauna is ready, you’ll want to know the ins and outs of how it can be used. I’m looking into getting my own mobile sauna to hitch onto my trailer, but there’s a lot I want to make sure I know before getting started.
Is It Safe To Use My Mobile Sauna Every Day?
Answer: It is not recommended. Use your sauna one to four times per week. Most spas and health facilities that offer sauna treatments recommend using the sauna three to four days per week for the best health benefits.
How Long Can I Spend In My Mobile Sauna?
Answer: Less than 20 minutes. Do not spend more than 20 minutes at a time in your mobile sauna, as this can actually damage your health. Professionals recommend that if it is your first time in a sauna, spend a maximum of 5 to 10 minutes inside. Give your body time to adjust to the intensity of the heat treatment.
When I’m In My Sauna, Should I Wipe Sweat?
Answer: No, don’t wipe sweat unless you have to. Sweat releases heat by evaporative cooling, which means heat is lost as the sweat moves from liquid on your body to gas in the air. Let your sweat evaporate on its own to experience the sauna’s full effects.
Can I Drink Water In My Sauna?
Answer: Definitely, always drink water in your sauna. It is actually super important to avoid dehydration while enjoying the benefits of your sauna. While using your sauna, fluids are rapidly leaving your body along with toxins, so it’s important to replenish fluids in your body.
How Do I Clean My Mobile Sauna?
Answer: Wipe and disinfect. After every use, you should wipe out your sauna with a towel. You want the sauna to be as dry as possible when you’re done using it to prevent mold.
Every once in a while, give your mobile sauna an even deeper clean. To do this, you can use rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or disinfectant cleaning spray. Another thing you should do on occasion is lift up your portable sauna to see if there is any water buildup underneath it.
Can I Take My Phone In My Mobile Sauna?
Answer: No, do not take your phone in the sauna. The extreme heat from inside the sauna can do permanent damage to the internal components of a cell phone.
Take your spa-day selfies and aesthetic pictures of your mobile sauna before stepping inside of it. If you’re looking to add music to your sauna experience, invest in a sauna speaker made to withstand the heat of a sauna.
Will Using A Sauna Make My Skin Age Faster?
Answer: No, in fact, infrared saunas can actually reduce signs of aging. The red light in an infrared sauna stimulates collagen and elastin production which actually helps your skin look healthier and younger. Saunas don’t use UV rays like tanning beds or the sun, so they don’t cause wrinkles.
After learning so much about mobile saunas, I am seriously considering attaching one to my trailer alongside my tiny home! Or maybe I’ll just take some time to visit Finland.
Your Turn!
- What design and style will you choose for your mobile sauna?
- How will you make best use of your mobile sauna?
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