Wood Fired Sauna Guest Instructions

Welcome! A wood-fired sauna is simple to maintain and part of the experience. The key is checking the fire every 20–30 minutes and keeping an eye on the thermometer (s) inside the sauna.

The other pro move to keeping the sauna hot is making sure the interior door is closed. There are magnets on the door to keep it closed tightly, but make sure guests know to not prop it open.

The changing room is intended to help serve as a staging area for guests. Only once guests are ready to go in should they open the door to the sauna, and etiquette is to enter the sauna quickly and to close the door quickly.

Follow these steps to keep the sauna hot during your session.

1. Make sure the fire stays hot and full with wood

See the instructions to start the fire

Ideal sauna temperature:
170–200°F

2. Check the Fire Every 25 Minutes or So

Once the sauna is hot and in the ideal temperature zone, keep the sauna hot by check the stove regularly.

1. Check the temperature in the sauna to see what the reading is

2. Then, open the stove door to check the fire.

3. If the fire is getting low, add 3-4 logs from the wood bin

4. If the temperature has dropped significantly, fill the firebox with wood and leave the stove door open so that the air can kickstart the fire. After the fire is rolling again (in ~5 minutes), close the firebox door

5. Close the door securely.

Small logs added regularly keep the temperature steady.

3. Watch the Thermometers

Inside the sauna there are two thermometers on the wall. There is one located near the firebox and there is one on the opposite wall under the window. There is typically a 20 degree difference between the two because the one closer to the firebox gets hotter.

One of the thermometers has an orange range highlighted so it’s easy to see where you’re trying to keep the temperature.

Use either thermometer as your guide, and here’s the guidance:

Below 170°F
Add 3-4 logs to the stove and leave the firebox door open so that the fire can get hot; close the firebox door once the fire is rolling.

170–200°F
Perfect sauna temperature but make sure to keep adding wood (add a couple pieces at a time) and keep the firebox door closed.

Above 200°F
Keep wood in the fire but keep the door to the stove shut so that it continues to burn slowly.

It is better to keep the fire going (full of wood) than to let it get too cool. It takes much longer to heat up than it does to cool down. You can cool down the sauna by opening the door and letting the heat escape.

4. Add Water to the Rocks (Optional)

For steam, you can pour small amounts of water onto the hot rocks.

Use the ladle and bucket provided.

This creates löyly (steam) and increases the heat feeling.

Always pour small amounts at a time.

5. Enjoy the Sauna

The routine is simple:

Check fire → Add a log → Check thermometer → Relax

With a quick check every 20–30 minutes, the sauna will stay hot for hours.

Enjoy your ATX Sauna experience 🔥