For saunas in commercial establishments such as hotels, leisure centres and health clubs, almost continuous operation is the norm. Under such rigorous conditions, it is inevitable that, at some stage, the sauna will require upgrading or refurbishing. Cost effective specialist methods of installation can now allow a new interior to be completed without disturbing exterior finishes, and keeping disturbance and loss of revenue to a minimum. Pam Sadler, director at Viking Saunas and Steam Rooms, explains:

“When a commercial sauna becomes old, worn and tired, it appears unattractive to customers. Benching can become unsafe and the timber cladding charred. In extreme cases, the timber around the heater can become so scorched and brittle that the potential for fire becomes a very real possibility.

Completely replacing the sauna is normally considered to be the only option, but is it really needed?

Very often, the basic framework of the sauna, the door, heater and lighting are still perfectly serviceable and don’t need replacing. Also, the exterior façade of the sauna may combine with other elements of décor such as wall panelling and suspended ceilings. Under these circumstances a complete replacement would cause unnecessary additional cost and disruption.

 We introduced our sauna refurbishment programme back in 1993. Dunfermline District Council had two eleven year old solid log saunas in one of its leisure centres, both of which were in a very bad state and virtually unusable.

However, the councils’ available funds would not cover the cost of complete replacements. We found the actual structure of the cabins was sound, so suggested lining out the walls and ceiling with kiln dried Spruce cladding and fitting new solid open benches.

Because we design and manufacture saunas here in the UK in our own factory, we have the flexibility and ability to be able to refurbish at a realistic and affordable cost. Dunfermline District Council was absolutely delighted with the end result, the speed at which the work was carried out without the need for closure, and the overall cost, which was less than the price of a single replacement unit. 

Full interior refurbishment, which can be carried out on either solid log or panel saunas, first involves discarding existing benches, support frames and other fixtures that are to be replaced. New kiln-dried Spruce or Hemlock, whatever the preference, is then applied to the internal walls and ceilings. Benches and fixtures are fitted using timber that has to be able to withstand extreme temperatures and very low humidity, without shrinking, warping, cracking or shedding excessive amounts of resin. We prefer to use timber that has low heat conductivity, so is cool against the skin, and a surface free from knots that could become hot enough to burn the skin.

We also use the opportunity to advise, where we see fit, on upgrading to a safer and more efficient concealed heater system. Where full refurbishment isn’t necessary, we can simply re-style and replace the benching layout to make better use of the available space.

As specialists in both new saunas and refurbishment, we have observed that the call for refurbishment rather than replacement is increasing year by year. This is driven mainly by the realisation that a new look facility can be readily achieved with minimum disruption and a considerable saving in outlay.
Environmental issues also play a big part. Our refurbishment programme reduces timber usage thus helping to preserve valuable resources, and the timber we do use is from sustainable sources. The improved insulation to the sauna also means that energy consumption is reduced – a major factor in the face of rising energy costs.

Basically, by refurbishing, we create a brand new sauna interior that is structurally stronger and better insulated than the original unit with no disturbance to exterior finishes.”