Sauna bathing has had years of increase in the US market. Still, education on the authentic Finnish sauna experience is needed across the country. Nordic Sauna aims to do just that by providing information and high-quality sauna solutions tailored to all kinds of needs.
Nordic Sauna was founded in 1963 in Southern California and is currently owned and operated by the Temme family. The Temme family has a passion for health-related lifestyle products and has been importing wellness-related items to the United States market since the early sixties. Nowadays the company offers a full service to commercial and residential projects, large and small. In addition to Finnish saunas, Nordic Sauna have expanded to loungers, salt rooms & walls, steam baths, Turkish hammam, cold plunge/pools, ice fountains and snow showers/rooms. The few latter also fit the Finnish sauna experience excellently, as Finns love to cool off by swimming in the cold lake or rolling in the snow in between sauna sessions.
Nordic Sauna offers complete bath & sauna experiences
“In addition to not just saunas, the market is also seeing more and more interest in additional home health related items that tie to the sauna bathing experience. People are seeking comprehensive entireties, and Finnish sauna is no exception,” says Logan Ross, director of operations at Nordic Sauna.
Nordic Sauna provides a full-service design team to select the appropriate sauna location, sauna design, selection of sauna wood type, needed supplies, outfitting, sauna installation and regular maintenance. The staff is highly knowledgeable and experienced. They are happy to pass this knowledge on so you can enjoy a perfect sauna. “We like to take the time to understand each customer’s needs so we can custom tailor a sauna experience that each individual will enjoy. This is truly what sets us apart from any other company!” Ross states.
Promoting the Finnish sauna as a part of healthy lifestyle
According to Ross, the future of the Finnish sauna in the US is positive. More people are starting to create a space for the Finnish style of sauna experience. Many are starting to create wellness areas outside their home as the backyard/outdoor sauna market is thriving right now. Some areas are seeing more mobile saunas and sauna pop up events occur throughout the USA.
“The biggest benefit of experiencing the authentic Finnish sauna is the scientifically proven health benefits. In such a fast space society throughout the world it’s much needed for individuals to take time and renew themselves. This is also what the Americans need,” Ross says. Nordic Sauna uses this as their guideline. Instead of selling just a sauna, they promote the whole experience and lifestyle around it.
Need for sauna education in the USA
“Americans need education on how the Finnish sauna is not just a heated room with wooden benches and a heater. We need to keep continuing the education on sauna as a multi-sensory thermal bathing experience versus just a heated room where you force yourself to sit for a certain duration.”
According to Ross, both the buyers and designers, architects, and builders need to be educated on the right kind of a Finnish sauna experience. In the US, often the sauna is placed in an area within the home or commercial facility without the understanding about the proper construction or sauna bathing as a comprehensive experience. In addition, the elements used might be of substandard quality or installed incorrectly. “It is especially important to be able to go into a local showroom and see and experience the different types of sauna heaters, bench configurations, lighting solutions and so on. Go in and smell and feel the different woods you can select from. It’s a very personal thing and often owners leave these decisions up to others. Really throughout the whole design process the owner should be taking the lead,” Ross encourages.
Nordic Sauna’s tips for creating an authentic Finnish sauna experience:
- Get to know the basics of a real Finnish sauna. Study this book, websites or ask a qualified person or company for information. To reach the benefits of the Finnish sauna, it is important to know the difference between fake and authentic.
- It is better to look for entireties instead of just buying a heater or wooden benches separately. Building an authentic Finnish sauna takes the entire bathing process into consideration.
- Pay regard to having a proper ventilation and sewerage. It should be easy to breathe in the Finnish sauna, and excess water should not stay on the floors.
- Remember to acquire sauna accessories to really create that memorable sauna experience. Bucket and ladle are necessary for throwing water on the heater’s stones. Bench covers protect the benches and make sauna bathing more pleasant. Sauna scents bring you closer to the Finnish nature and help you to relax.
- It’s not just about going in and out of the sauna—feel free to combine sauna with any of your favorite activities. Yoga, beauty treatments, and breathing exercises can be done inside the sauna. Taking a cold shower, eating tasty food and just laying down to relax are great before and after sauna activities.
