Eastern White Pine Verses Western Red Cedar
Are you building your own sauna and perhaps wondering which materials are best? You certainly want to ensure that your invested time and money aren’t wastes by not using the best of materials in its construction. There are several different types of woods that are used in the making of saunas, most notably the more traditional white pine used more by those in more Eastern cultures, and the popular red cedar used more by those in the Western cultures.
Since the Finnish have been building them and using them for centuries, to the point of quite literally having one private or public sauna for every home in the entire country, let us take a look first at what the Finnish prefer. Traditionally the Finnish prefer to use a white pine or a white spruce. These woods are white-toned, rather fine grained wood that have what are called, tight "living" knots. These woods are used because of their ability to withstand the heat and moisture generated by a sauna. Not to mention these woods also stay beautiful throughout the years as they only slightly darken with age. Having covered what the Finnish traditionally use, let's now take a look at what is preferred in the Western part of the world. Red cedar is very much preferred in America, in general as it is a beautiful wood, but not only for its beauty, but its perfect sauna suited qualities as well.
Cedar naturally withstands the effects of the heat and the moisture
created within a sauna. Cedar also is a lightweight wood, aiding in
construction and longevity, as well as having that very distinct aroma
that many people find refreshing.
In the end when we take a look at Eastern white pine verses western red cedar, the essence of what the woods are used for are the same. Both woods are naturally resistant to the heat and moisture that saunas generate. Both are beautiful woods that are strong and capable of remaining beautiful for years to come. All that truly is the difference between these woods is whether or not you wish to be truly traditional, or if you simply wish to choose the wood you use based solely on what you like the best. Whatever your choice, your sauna will be a staple of your home for years to come.
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We
will discuss the differences between these two primary materials that
are used in sauna construction. Essentially Eastern white pine verses
Western red cedar. For the Finnish, who have long been known to be the
"masters" of the sauna, using particular woods is necessary when
building ones own sauna. 