Outdoor Saunas for Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan

The Upper Midwest shares long winters and an old sauna tradition, but each state handles permits its own way. This page covers Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

A sauna tradition with deep roots here
Sauna came to this region with Finnish immigrants. MNopedia, from the Minnesota Historical Society, notes that Finnish settlers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries often built a sauna as the first structure on new rural land, living and bathing in it while they built their farms. The Barberg-Selvälä-Salmonson sauna in Cokato is the oldest savusauna, or smoke sauna, still standing in Minnesota (MNopedia, Barberg-Selvälä-Salmonson Sauna).

Long winters, from the Twin Cities to the U.P.
Winter here is long and cold, and it changes as you move across the region:
- Minneapolis-St. Paul: cold winters with steady snow.
- Madison, Wisconsin: much the same snow and cold as the Twin Cities.
- Marquette and the Upper Peninsula: heavy lake-effect snow and bitter Januarys.

In lake-effect country especially, keep the roof clear, shovel a path to the door, and set the sauna where drifting snow won't bury the entrance. Confirm with your building department what snow load applies at your address.

Delivery to a lake place
If your lake place is down a seasonal road or has a tight approach, tell us early.

Wood-burning, electric, or both. The wood-fired sauna is part of the tradition here, and electric is the easy choice in town. Electric or wood-burning heaters, and we can build with both wood and electric if you want both. Gas and propane heaters are available by request: call, text or message us to set it up. Our pods, cubes, 2 Person Barrel, XL Barrel, and Timberline list 175 to 230°F for the included heater.

- Wood-burning for a cabin, lake lot, or rural property where bringing power out is impractical. Check your local rules and ask us, and follow the stove instructions for clearances.
- Electric for a backyard where a licensed electrician can run a dedicated circuit.

Permits: check local rules first. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan each handle backyard structures their own way, and cities, towns, and counties add their own zoning and setback rules. Electrical work for a heater can need its own permit even when the structure does not.

A heated sauna may not be treated like a storage shed, and a shed exemption, where one exists, may not cover zoning, setbacks, HOA covenants, or electrical work. Check local rules with your city, town, or county before you order.