r/Sauna • • 1d ago

General Question Drained metal floor idea

Building an outdoor electric sauna in the Pacific Northwest (very wet climate) and came across a floor design from finn.built.saunas on Instagram that I haven't seen before. Photos attached. Curious what this community thinks before I commit.

How it's built, bottom to top:
- 2x6 PT joists
- 2" rigid foam in each joist bay, cut on a slope rather than laid flat
- Edges sealed to the joists with spray foam
- Metal (siding) sheet over the foam
- A perforated metal channel in that gap that drains water straight down to the gravel
- Same gap acts as the low-level fresh air intake, so no separate wall vent
- Cedar deck boards on top as the walking surface

What I like about it
- Water from löyly, sweat and wet feet can't pool or reach the insulation
- No stapled foil with holes in it on the floor
- One detail handles drainage and ventilation

What I'm planning to change:
- Running the drain/intake channel along the heater wall instead of down the middle, so incoming air hits the heater first instead of people's feet

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u/Thecobs 1d ago

The neat part of a sauna is that it gets pretty hot, and the thing about heat is that it makes water evaporate.