With less unused space (imagine a circle inside a square), the barrel design lets the heater do its job faster and more efficiently. In a square sauna, the heat gets trapped at the ceiling. In a barrel sauna, the heat is pushed back down the curved sides and into the sauna as new heat rises from the heater.

Barrel saunas naturally shed water and, due to their structural integrity, can handle a substantial snow load. The polymer support cradles let you put the barrel on any flat surface, and the Thermowood is naturally resistant to water and insects.

Because there is less unused airspace to heat, less energy is required to heat the room. The thick staves are excellent insulators, and the exterior of the sauna will remain cool to the touch.

The ball-and-socket assembly of a barrel sauna lets the wood expand and contract within the steel bands, creating a tight seal that won’t shatter.