Bespoke outdoor sauna installation: Radley Green, Chelmsford, Essex

Our stunning outdoor bespoke sauna installation Radley Green, Chelmsford was designed for a client who had spent time sailing through the Finnish archipelago and hoped to recreate an authentic Finnish sauna experience next to the garden’s koi pond.  

Harmony of natural thermally modified woods 

The beautiful structure of the sauna blends into its surroundings in a natural way. The exterior walls are made of thermo pine, which is suitable for outdoor structures as it must endure changing weather conditions. The thermal modification increases the wood’s durability and stability, whilst giving pine an appealing golden colour. Pine has a rustic look created by its characteristic knots.  

Thermo pine is a great wood choice for outdoor and garden saunas.

Grey painted pine on the doors and around the windows accent the darkened glass surfaces that provide some privacy for the sauna users. The interior is cladded with the light to mid- brown thermo aspen.  

We always recommend applying paraffin oil throughout the interior walls and benching 1-2 a year to protect the timber and ensure its longevity.  

Unique scenery 

The large panoramic window offers the sauna bathers with a beautiful view of the garden and koi pond to enjoy in the midst of the steam. It also enables natural light to enter into the sauna, making the 4m x 3.6m room appear more open. Outdoor structures like this one incorporate the relaxing aspects of both the sauna and the natural surroundings. In sauna loving countries such as Finland and Estonia, saunas are often built by a lake offering a stress-free space to unwind in. Connection with the natural environment is considered an important aspect of an authentic sauna experience. 

The panoramic window opens a view to the beautiful garden with a koi carp pond. 

The bronzed glass wind screens at the sides of the relaxation area provide some shelter whilst bathers cool off and enjoy the scenery.  

Convenience and comfort 

An adjacent dressing room area allows our client and guests to easily change into fresh clothing after the sauna. Another convenient feature is a tap in the changing room for filling the sauna bucket with “löyly” water to be thrown onto the Narvi Velvet 9kW electric sauna heater.  

The sociable L-shaped benching seats 5 bathers or alternatively 4 bathers if laying down. LED-strip lighting on the backrests and bench lips creates a relaxing ambiance in the sauna. The exterior of this garden sauna is also well lit around the entrance door and the ceiling of the relaxation terrace, so the sauna can be enjoyed any time of the day, year-round.