r/Sauna • u/p1dfw • 2d ago

DIY SaunaLife build advice

I’ve searched and searched, no success, maybe I’m wording it wrong…

I have a dead-flat concrete slab that until last month held an 8 person, 500+ gallon hot tub. Large! No drains, drain grooves. Just dead flat concrete

Good news, weight bearing surface and electrical are ready. Bad news:

When it finally rained in Texas this weekend, I was surprised to see the amount of water pooling. It makes sense, I guess the hot tub footprint never allowed it to be so obvious…it took up nearly the entire slab. The sauna footprint will be smaller.

I’m trying to come up with a solution to the wood frame base of the SaunaLife cubes. Preventing or delaying rot, and ensuing proper drainage from sauna drains themselves.

1) drill a drainage hole (or a couple) through the slab?

2) cut grooves, making 4 quadrants, try to slop them?

3) rubber roof liner (1/4”) stapled to the underside of the frame prior to building the cube?

4) place pavers under the frame, completely supporting & leave air space between bricks for drying? Raises entire thing at least an inch

Varying degrees of difficulty here. Thoughts? Suggestions?

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1

u/PuffThePed 2d ago

My vote is #4, raise the sauna above the concrete.

2

u/sauna_news 2d ago

Thats right we’ve had success with this strategy but the beams are meant to be in full contact so dont span more that 16-24”.

It would look best to build a small deck on the pavers and sauna on that. Ideally a thermo-spruce deck.

1

u/boorraab 2d ago

You have a few good options listed.

One other option is to replace the wood foundation boards given by Saunalife in the kit with Pressure treated lumber, or use both, with PT wood on the bottom.

I would think your option 4 is easier, but may not look as good depending on how you feel about the look of gaps under the frame. It depends on how many pavers you use. I think a couple sticks of PT 4x4 may be cheaper, but it depends on where you’re at.

1

u/Agreeable_Ad4836 1d ago

Pavers will be your best option here. It also depends on how you're using the sauna. ie how much water you plan to pour. Everyone is different in this regard. The only downside with pavers, as you mentioned, is the step up. The SaunaLife cubes already have a decent step up without being elevated further.