When browsing infrared saunas, you’ll typically see models built with Western Red Cedar, but you’ll also come across models built with Hemlock or Basswood.
However, have you ever wondered what the difference is in using different wood apart from aesthetics?
As Sun Stream Saunas are one of the leading figures in the industry, we make it an onus to inform our customers about these differences and how they impact your experience.
This article aims to explain this distinction and also how wood characteristics play an important factor in helping to keep you safe from potential health risks when looking for an infrared sauna for sale Adelaide.
Ideal Wood Characteristics For Infrared Saunas
When shopping for an infrared sauna for sale Adelaide, there are three key properties in timber to look for: wood toxicity, weight, and strength.
- Wood Weight – Wood weight is primarily concerned with shipping, as the heavier the material, the more expensive it obviously is to transport. Additionally, this makes the assembly process harder as well, requiring extra manpower to properly install.
- Strength – Crushing strength is an indicator to test the timber’s strength, and is done by applying weight to the ends of the wood parallel to the grain.
Timber expands when heated, which can make it warp, swell, or even shrink. This process is called thermal expansion and is a fairly important factor as the timber in infrared saunas is constantly under pressure during usage.
- Toxicity – Wood toxicity is the most important one for clients as they aim to detoxify themselves, not add a slew of side effects to their health routine.
According to the Wood Database, certain wood species including Western Red Cedar may cause adverse reactions such as allergies, respiratory issues, and skin irritation to individuals. While timber is kiln-dried before manufacturing to burn away any allergens, some residuals may still emerge when heating and cooling the sauna.
Why Are Cedar Saunas Popular?
Infrared saunas are made with primarily three wood types: Basswood, Western Red Cedar, and Hemlock wood. We found that Western Red Cedar is the most commonly used timber for constructing infrared saunas.
Infrared sauna manufacturers primarily use Western Red Cedar because of its durability and resistance to decay for outdoor use. Red cedar is also gorgeous – it has a beautiful colour and strong, fragrant smell that elevates its already aesthetic appeal.
This makes it a great type of wood for hot tubs or outdoor furniture applications, but not so much for infrared saunas, given that it’s also a very soft and light material.
This timber is susceptible to dents, scratches, or scarring due to its soft nature and can easily be worked with both hand and machine tools. This workability and strength make Western Red Cedar a relatively inexpensive timber to manufacture.
A Great Alternative
Canadian Hemlock, on the other hand, offers the same benefits as Red Cedar but has very little tendency to warp or twist. This stability offers manufacturers a better way to build infrared saunas, and many are phasing out cedar in favour of this wood.
The strong smell of Western Red Cedar was also reported to cause severe allergic reactions in some individuals. Allergens contained in the wood can cause respiratory problems, eye, skin, nose, and throat irritation, and even asthma depending on your sensitivity.
This hazard not only affected consumers but extended to manufacturers as well. According to a dated study of Japanese woodworkers, about 24.7% of them developed bronchial asthma while handling Red Cedar.
This makes Hemlock wood become more and more of a popular alternative due to its hypoallergenic properties, opening them to users with sensitive skin, wood allergies, or sensitivity to strong odours.
Another great option is Basswood. While we found that this type of timber is the least allergenic wood out of the three mentioned, we also found that Basswood is very soft and doesn’t hold nails very well when compared to Red Cedar and Hemlock.
Browse Canadian Hemlock-Made Models With Sun Stream Saunas
If you’re after strength, durability, and the ability to reliably use it in outdoor applications, Western Red Cedar is the perfect timber when checking out an infrared sauna for sale Adelaide.
However, if you plan on using your sauna indoors and have notable sensitivities you would love to avoid, we suggest taking a look at models built with Hemlock wood, such as ours.
We make our Sun Stream models with non-toxic glue, lacquer, and 100% Canadian Hemlock– no plywood and particleboards that can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde when heated.
Sun Stream Saunas is committed to your overall health and wellness, and if you have any questions, concerns, or inquiries regarding our sauna models that will help you make an informed decision, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today for assistance.