Reviewed by the Palmako UK content team with insights from our garden building experts.
Imagine you step out into your backyard and instead of a dead space, you see your brand new sauna waiting for you. Your garden had an instant facelift. It looks great, and now so do you as you melt away the day’s stress in the peace of your own home.
This doesn’t have to be in your imagination. Modern outdoor sauna designs allow you to dream big and create the outdoor space you’ve always wanted. We’ll get you started with our outdoor sauna ideas. Feel free to join in the fun.
Quick Overview
Explore different outdoor sauna ideas from woodland retreats to city cabins, turning your backyard into a sanctuary. Whether it’s a traditional sauna, or a modern alternative like infrared, these design ideas will inspire you to create your dream sauna experience - good for your well-being all year round.
Table of Contents
- Woodland Hideaway
- Lakeside Luxury
- Country Wellness Hub
- Urban Oasis
- All Seasons Sanctuary
- Compact City Chic
- Cottage Companion
- Outdoor Sauna - The perfect backyard complement
- Frequently Asked Questions
Woodland Hideaway
Palmako Sanna S (4.1 m2)
Dusk approaches as you start down the garden path. The air is cool and rich with the scent of pine and jasmine. In the garden below, your sauna glows like a lantern. You can smell the wood burning inside. As you walk over the wooden bridge, you watch the fish happily swimming about in the pond, and you can almost feel the heat coming out of the sauna, drawing you closer.
Even if you only have a small space, you can make this backyard sauna a reality. Choose a high-quality Nordic spruce sauna cabin that blends unobtrusively into the environment. As a freestanding sauna with large windows, it gives you a view of the surroundings, bringing together relaxation and nature.
Lakeside Luxury
Palmako Anette (3.0+1.5m2)
Can you picture yourself unwinding by the water’s edge? The still waters lap gently against the rocks as you settle into the bliss of your sauna cabin. Outside is fresh air, inside the unbelievable feeling of well-being that floods your soul.
This oval sauna design, made from sustainable materials and sitting on a gravel foundation, doesn’t overwhelm the natural beauty of your environment. It only enhances the traditional sauna experience. The combination of sauna and nature provides undeniable health benefits beyond just well-being. Think muscle recovery, elimination of toxins, stress relief, and mental health benefits. Its modern sauna meets age-old simplicity.
⚒️ Ready to build? In, How to build an outdoor sauna we tell you everything you need to know, from foundations to ventilation, to heater choice.
Country Wellness Hub
Palmako Sanna XL (12.8m2)
At the edge of your back garden sits your new daily routine: You enter your sauna house, wrapped in thick fluffy towels and sink into the warm benches. The infrared heater melts away the daily stress as you contemplate life. When you’re done, you jump into the cold pool and then make your way to the couch, where you enjoy looking at the garden.
Infrared saunas are the perfect solution for stressed-out family members to enjoy the peace and quiet together. The clean lines of this modern timber sauna blend perfectly with nature, providing everything you need for well-being.
💡 Energy saving tip: Use solar power for your infrared heaters, eliminating high energy bills, and if you want to delve further into sauna costs, How Much Does A Sauna Cost to Run in the UK? will provide the answers.
Urban Oasis
Palmako Compact Barrel Sauna
Picture snapping your laptop shut and walking a few steps to your back garden, where your new sauna is calling your name. You put the day behind you as you step into the sauna - ready to work up a sweat without going to the gym.
You watch the pool glisten in the sun, from inside the comfort of your new hideout and think about how good the cold water is going to feel after a long sauna session. Suddenly, you’re more energised than you’ve been all day, and you find new inspiration for tomorrow’s tasks.
This compact barrel sauna mounted on a timber foundation is simple to install and takes up hardly any room. Put it on paving or your pool deck. Hide it behind trees, surround it with bushes, and place it near your firepit. The ideas are endless.
❗The main point: It's a highly sustainable design for urban landscapes. It heats up faster, distributes heat more evenly around the sauna, and the support cradles allow it to sit on any surface. [1]
All Seasons Sanctuary
Palmako Sanna S+ (4.1+5.9 m2)
Inside, you’re basking in the warm glow of the sauna while lanterns flicker outside. The rain provides a constant rap on the roof, bringing smells of lavender and greenery into the interior. The windows steam up, leaving you in a private cocoon full of warmth, and nothing but time to explore your thoughts. Most people would welcome a scene like this.
Saunas are not only for summer or winter, but can be used all year round. If you’re willing to make your way into the garden during the rain or cold, then nothing can stop you from indulging in this sanctuary at home.
This cabin with a canopy provides the perfect way to enjoy hot summer days and cooler ones.
Compact City Chic
Palmako Sanna M (6.8m2)
Think sleek, clean lines, and stylish chic in the middle of the bustling city. As apartment blocks tower around you, you’re oblivious to the noise and fuss. For all you know, you could be in the middle of nowhere. You’ve turned your small city garden into the perfect getaway by adding a timber sauna, garden loungers, and bamboo plants.
Your backyard just became a showcase for simple Scandinavian design, combined with the luxury of a home sauna.
Designer Emma Pocock recently told House and Garden UK that they’re seeing a desire from clients to create a wellness space in city homes and apartments - supporting the fact that sauna culture has come to the concrete jungle. Sound good? Turn this scenario from make-believe into a reality - 👉 Check out the Palmako sauna range
Cottage Companion
Palmako Anita M (1.3+0.7m2)
With the sound of birds chirping and children playing in the garden, you walk a few steps from your quaint stone-walled cottage towards your newly installed sauna. Inside is the promise of solitude and rest, and outside is a warm cup of tea yearning for your attention. Old school charm remains undisturbed while you soak in every bit of sauna warmth, and then sip your tea on the terrace.
A barrel sauna with a full glass wall is just the right structure for a traditional country garden. Measuring just 2.2 x 2.5m, the high-quality Nordic spruce construction, elegant design, and wooden base don’t interfere with the aesthetics, giving you the best of both worlds.
Expert tip: Enhance your cottage-style sauna setting with natural textures and soft touches — think woven baskets for towels, stone paving underfoot, and a few pots of lavender or rosemary for a gentle fragrance.
Outdoor Sauna - The perfect backyard complement
Thank you for joining us as we imagined the best outdoor sauna ideas. But you should know that it isn’t just a novel idea that’s better left to daydreaming. Whether you crave a woodland retreat, an urban oasis, or something else entirely, there’s no better time than the present to make it happen.
Palmako offers the kind of timeless Nordic designs and quality that can help you transform your backyard and turn it into a cherished relaxation space for years to come. Our timber sauna experts are on hand to turn your ideas into reality. They will help you choose a design that suits your garden, and talk you through the entire process of purchasing your sauna from start to finish. Make the call whenever you’re ready.
You might also like: Buyer’s Guide to the Best Outdoor Sauna: UK 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What type of heater do I need to create a traditional sauna experience?
A traditional sauna (also known as a Finnish sauna) uses a wood burning stove with special sauna hot stones, to create both heat and steam (similar to a steam room). For a dry heat experience, you can skip pouring water over the hot stones, and just burn wood.
2. What are the benefits of a barrel sauna over a square sauna?
Barrel saunas hold a number of benefits, such as energy efficiency and even heat distribution. The barrel sauna has 23% less space to heat because there are no high corners. The curved walls ensure the heat flows evenly around the sauna. Barrel saunas with ball-and-socket profiles adjust better to extreme temperature changes, increasing the longevity of the sauna.
3. On what type of surface can I place my outdoor sauna?
An outdoor sauna should be placed on a secure and flat surface. You may need to create this by placing down concrete slabs, gravel or decking before installing your sauna. Uneven surfaces will lead to warped walls, potential leaks, and heat loss.
4. Will I need to comply with building regulations to install an electric sauna heater?
Yes, you will need to comply with building regulations that govern the installation of electricity. Your electric sauna heater requires roughly 220-volt or 240-volt to operate. A professional electrician can tell you what you need before you install your sauna.
5. Will I need planning permission to install a sauna in my back garden?
In the majority of cases you do not need planning permission if your sauna falls under permitted development rights. Even so you will need to comply with the minimum standards: It should not take up more than 50% of your property, should be at the rear elevation, and if less than 2m from the boundary wall, it cannot be higher than 2.5 metres. Check with the local authority if you are on designated land, or a conservation area.
6. Is a sauna the same as a steam room?
A sauna and a steam room are similar; however, a sauna is commonly known for dry heat, with added moisture coming from sauna stones as an optional extra. In a steam room, a steam generator keeps the environment moist but at a lower temperature than a sauna. A sauna is commonly made from timber, while a steam room is made from tiles, glass, and stone.
References
1. https://gardenhouse24.co.uk
