Good sauna wood is soft, low in resin, stable in heat and comfortable to touch. Cedar, spruce, aspen, hemlock and thermally modified wood suit walls and ceilings; aspen, basswood and abachi suit benches. Here is how they compare.
The best sauna woods are soft, low in resin, stable when heated and dried, and comfortable to touch when hot. In North America the usual choices are western red cedar, Nordic spruce, aspen, hemlock and thermally modified wood for walls and ceilings, with aspen, basswood or abachi often used for benches. Cedar is the classic premium pick; aspen and basswood suit people who want little scent.
What sauna wood needs to do
Stay cool to the touch. Low-density woods hold less heat at the surface, so you can sit and lean on them.
Stay stable. The room swings from cold and dry to very hot and humid, so the wood must not warp or split.
Release little resin. Resin-rich wood weeps sticky sap that burns skin when hot.
Resist moisture and decay, especially near the floor and on benches.
Smell pleasant or neutral. Some people love the scent of cedar; others want no scent at all.
Heat-treated aspen, spruce or pine, darker and more stable
Walls, ceiling, benches, modern designs
Costs more; the colour darkens further with use
Wood for walls and ceiling
Walls and ceiling take most of the area, so they set the look, the smell and much of the cost. Cedar gives a warm colour and scent and copes well with moisture, which is why it is common in North American saunas and outdoor builds. Spruce is the traditional choice in Finland and gives a light, calm room. Thermally modified wood is popular in modern saunas for its darker colour and stability.
The ceiling gets the most heat. Use the same species as the walls or a more stable one there, and never skip the foil vapour barrier and air gap behind it; see how to build a home sauna.
Wood for benches
Benches touch skin, so comfort comes first. Aspen, basswood and abachi stay cooler to the touch than most woods and have little or no resin, which is why many sauna makers use them for benches even in a cedar room. Choose clear boards, round the edges and fix them from below so no screws touch skin.
Light, low-resin woods suit benches and guard rails close to the heater.
What to avoid
Resin-heavy pine with many knots, which weep hot sap.
Pressure-treated lumber, which contains preservatives you should not heat.
Plywood, MDF and particle board inside the hot room, because their glues are not made for sauna heat.
Painted or varnished surfaces, which turn sticky and can give off fumes.
Dark, dense hardwoods for benches, which get too hot to sit on.
Grade, thickness and finish
Buy clear or near-clear grades for anything you touch. Tongue-and-groove boards of about half to three-quarters of an inch are typical for walls and ceilings, and thicker boards for benches. Leave the inside of the sauna unfinished. If you want to protect the benches, use only a product sold for sauna interiors, and keep it off the walls near the heater.
Around the heater, keep the clearances in the heater manual. A heat shield or non-combustible panel may be required behind some heaters and wood stoves; the brand pages, such as Harvia or Kuuma, link to each maker's site, where the manuals are published.
Looking after sauna wood
Sit on towels to keep sweat off the benches.
Leave the door and vents open after use so the wood dries; good ventilation prevents mould.
Wipe benches with mild soap and water now and then, and lightly sand dark marks.
Replace a stained or cracked bench board rather than coating it.
Soft, low-resin, stable woods that stay comfortable to touch: western red cedar, Nordic spruce, aspen, hemlock and thermally modified wood for walls, and aspen, basswood or abachi for benches.
Is cedar good for a sauna?
Yes. Western red cedar is light, aromatic and naturally resistant to moisture, which makes it a classic sauna wood in North America. People sensitive to its scent or dust may prefer aspen or basswood.
Can you use pine in a sauna?
Only low-resin, high-grade boards with few knots. Resin-heavy pine weeps hot sap, so many builders choose spruce, cedar or aspen instead.
Should you seal or varnish sauna wood?
No varnish or paint inside the hot room. Leave the wood unfinished, or use only a product made for sauna interiors on benches.
Last checked November 8, 2026. Facts come from the brands' own sites and documents. How we check
