Infrared Sauna Buying Guide

Oceanic Infrared Sauna: A Complete Guide

Get ready to sit back in the calming oasis of the Oceanic Infrared Sauna, which comes as a free-standing timber cabin to use inside your home. This ready-to-go style is handmade to order in our UK factory, but if you can’t find the exact size you’re looking for we can modify an existing model to fit. Once you’ve chosen your sauna, it will be delivered flat-packed to your door, ready to be installed and enjoyed. 

What is an infrared sauna?

Our infrared sauna is powered by infrared radiation, which heats your body without needing to warm the air around you. The infrared output we use contains a mixture of short, medium and long-wave infrared known as ‘full spectrum’ and is similar to what you feel from the sun on a bright summer’s day.

The air inside an infrared sauna will still feel warm but hits a maximum temperature of 60°C, whereas a Finnish sauna can reach 110°C. A key bonus to infrared saunas is that they require much less power.

The sauna comes with a timber floor mat, benches, backrest, electric emitters, a digital control system, lighting and an accessory pack. 

How do you use it? 
As an infrared sauna doesn’t warm up the air, there is less heat-up time, so you can turn it on and start using it straight away. There’s no benefit to lying down or having multiple seating levels, so people usually sit upright with an emitter directly behind them or possibly to the side or front. This makes them really well suited to smaller spaces.

The health benefits

Sauna bathing has been used as a method of relaxation, stress relief, and increased wellbeing for many years. Research shows that infrared saunas in particular can be good for sports injuries, muscle pains, circulation and heart health. 

If you are intending to use a sauna for a health condition, we recommend you consult your GP first. Please also be mindful that there are some risks associated with using a sauna, so you should make sure to stay hydrated and avoid drinking alcohol. 

Not quite right for you? Choose a different product

We have lots of different styles of saunas and steam rooms. If you don’t think the Oceanic Infrared Sauna is the right choice, find something else to suit you: 

Oceanic Outdoor Sauna to use outside 
Oceanic Finnish Sauna for people who prefer a higher air temperature 
Oceanic Saunarium if you want to add a steam generator to your sauna
Oceanic Steam Room for a more humid experience 

Setting up your sauna 

All of our saunas come flat-packed with assembly instructions. Unless you’re a dab hand at DIY, we recommend you choose a local fitter or carpenter to install it. If you can’t find anyone local, we can recommend someone who is familiar with our products. 

The wall and ceiling panels are pre-constructed, but the benches, backrest and floor mats will need to be assembled before they go in. For a two-person sauna, it will typically take around one day to install; anything larger will take longer.

All of our domestic infrared saunas can be plugged into a 13amp socket. The electrical connection to the heater must be carried out by a qualified electrician. 

Handy hints:

Watch our Oceanic Infrared Sauna installation video. 

Read our installation manuals for the sauna cabin and heater. 

The installation checklist

Before you think about purchasing one of our saunas, you need to check that you can provide the following things: 

A level, washable floor, preferably stone, ceramic or concrete
A 25mm air gap all around the cabin to allow air to circulate
A suitable 13 amp power supply (domestic saunas only)
A minimum ceiling height of 2,200mm to include space for the control system. If you have a ceiling height between 2,000 and 2,200mm, we can supply a special kit so the control system can be installed at a lower height, i.e. on the outside wall of the sauna cabin. Customers with less than 2000mm would need to look at bespoke sauna kits.Space for the door of the cabin to open outward, from either a left or right hinge. In restricted areas it’s possible to assemble the sauna cabin from the inside.

Mix and match the bits you love

Now for the fun bit. We provide ready-to-go sauna parts in different sizes so that it’s super easy to build your dream sauna. Simply customise how you want it to look, from the room layout to the accessories, and we’ll sort the rest.  

Room panel layout 

Start by planning the layout for your sauna. The room layout is made up of a number of panels, which sit under the timber cladding. The standard wall panel size is 615mm wide x 1,895mm tall x 50mm thick. A half panel is 307mm wide x 1,895mm tall x 50mm thick. Choose from a wide range of predetermined sizes. For example, an IR-2020 is two full panels deep by two full panels wide. All the wall and ceiling panels are built in our factory and are fully insulated. 

See our full list of shapes and sizes. 

Timber cladding

There are two types of timber that can be used to line the inside and the outside areas on show. We fix the timber to the panel frame so that you can’t see the nails, giving it a smooth, clean finish. 

Scandinavian spruce

Spruce is an ideal material for saunas because it has low heat absorption and a low resin content. In the northern areas of Scandinavia where it’s cooler, the trees are pruned and thinned and they grow slowly to provide strong, straight timbers. The timber is kiln dried in the country of origin, then checked for quality before being assembled into a sauna cabin. We only purchase top-grade material that is free from dead knots, splits and shakes.  

Canadian hemlock

Western Canadian hemlock is another excellent timber for saunas. It doesn’t warp even when exposed to extreme conditions, it’s knot and resin free, very hard and strong and has an attractive straight grain. Hemlock ranges in colour from warm reds to browns, which combine to create a beautiful appearance. This timber is typically around twice the cost of Scandinavian spruce so it will affect the final price of your sauna. The frame of any glass or door panels will also be made from Hemlock if selected.

Bench kit

Our bench kits come with benches, backrests and floor mats. Benches can be open or filled in, but please note that we use more timber for the filled-in option so it’s more expensive.

Bench timber

You can choose from either spruce or knot-free abachi timber for the benches, backrests and floor mats. Abachi timber is less dense and cooler to the touch, so you don’t need a towel when you sit on it, but it is typically around twice the price of spruce.

Glass panel layout

Glass panels can be added to the sauna to let in more natural light, help you see in and make a small area feel more spacious. We can add in glass panels in three different ways:

Layout A - Timber on all sides with a glass door
Layout B - Front wall in glass with the rest in timber  
Layout C - Front and side wall in glass with the remaining rear and side wall in timber
Glass colour
You can choose two different types of glass, both cost the same. There is clear glass and a darker bronze-tinted glass, which helps to create a more private and atmospheric environment. 

Sauna heater

The Oceanic Infrared Sauna is supplied with full-spectrum infrared emitters that are wall mounted in timber covers, either vertically behind backrests or horizontally beneath bench level.

If you want to increase the humidity, we have a mini steam generator that can be fitted inside most of our infrared saunas as an optional extra. You can use the steam unit alongside the infrared emitters to create a saunarium. And you can add in some soothing aromatherapy, if you fancy it too. 

The controls

We supply a control system that plugs directly into a 13amp socket (except for commercial cabins, which must be hard wired). The control box typically sits on top of the cabin. If your space is below 2.2m, please request an extension kit for longer cables. The control system includes a keypad which typically fits to the front of a timber panel or can be located within 10m of the control box.

There are two keypads available: the standard Oval keypad or you can upgrade to our touchscreen OSX keypad. The Oval keypad allows you to digitally program the start time, working time and target temperature for the sauna. You can also add up to two lighting circuits. The keypad also displays diagnostic information, such as if the sauna overheats. The touchscreen OSX keypad has increased functionality, is simpler to use and includes a child-lock function.

Lighting

To brighten up your sauna, you can opt for a variety of lighting options, which include: 

Low-voltage downlights, which are provided as standard. These can either be controlled via an external control system or wired into a nearby wall switch
Linear LED lighting (warm white or colour change options), which sit behind the backrest
Wall lamp and shade
Fibre optic ceiling lighting with changing colours and twinkle effects
Chromatherapy wall light, which emits different colours for a calming and balancing ambience

Timber protection 

Saunas are a safe, relaxing space, which is why our saunas are typically made from untreated timber so as not to release any chemicals in the air. If you want to change the colour of the timber on the inside or out, you can use our specially manufactured sauna wax which won’t produce any toxins. We also have a bench protector to make it easier to clean. 

Speakers 

Want to add in a few more gadgets? If you fancy listening to some music while you kick back, we can provide bluetooth speakers or heat-proof IP-rated speakers that can be fitted into the ceiling panels. .

Commercial infrared saunas 

We can adapt our infrared saunas so they can be used by businesses. If you are a company looking for an infrared sauna, you can use our domestic versions with a more powerful commercial control system. It must be hardwired to the mains electricity supply rather than plugged into a 13amp socket.