Cedar decided almost everything in this room. We sorted clear vertical-grain western red cedar for knots and pitch before a single board went up, then ran it across walls, ceiling, and benching over insulated framing with a continuous foil vapor barrier. The floor is flagstone set on a waterproofed substrate, and a stone mosaic panel wraps the heater wall.
Restraint carried the design. A wall-mounted Harvia electric heater keeps the footprint clear where bathers move, the controller sits outside the hot room, and no metal fastener lands where skin does. Benching steps in two tiers so heat can be chosen rather than endured.
Six now sit across both tiers, the dedicated circuit and clearances cleared inspection under our California license, and the room finished in 6 weeks, warranty-backed for a year.
Detail work is where a small room earns its money. LED strips tuck into the reveal at every bench nose and step, so the light grazes the wood downward and never meets the eye. Cedar sconces are slatted, shielded, and mounted above head height. Backrests were slatted for airflow and the headrests shaped and sanded by hand.
Airflow followed the same logic. A low intake sits near the heater and a high outlet on the opposite wall, which moves warmth across the benches rather than letting it pool at the ceiling, and a duckboard step keeps bare feet off cool stone on the way in.
Handover included a test-fired heater, balanced ventilation, a documented punch list, and the daily photo record that ran through the whole build.
