Barrel vs Luna vs cube vs cabin vs A-frame: choosing an outdoor sauna style

All five styles are wood saunas built for the backyard. What changes is the shape, and the shape decides how many people fit, how much glass you get, how the roof handles snow, how tall the sauna stands and what it costs.

The five styles side by side

Starting prices are in CAD before tax for the smallest common size, and include the heater, sauna stones, and a bucket and ladle. See outdoor sauna prices in the GTA for every size.

Heat-up: size and glass matter more than shape

Heater makers size heaters by the room’s air volume plus extra for glass and stone. So the questions that decide warm-up are how much air, how much glass and how big a heater.

• Barrels start with an advantage: a cylinder holds about 21% less air than a box of the same width, height and length.
• Lunas and cubes often have full glass fronts. By HUUM’s rule, a 6 × 7 ft glass wall adds about 140 cu ft to the heating load, which can mean a heater one or two sizes bigger.
• Cabins and A-frames can carry extra air in a peaked ceiling. A flat interior ceiling keeps the volume down. HUUM, for example, recommends a room height of 79–91 in for its DROP heater.

Our heater size guide shows the math.

Each style in brief

Barrel

The classic round sauna. The curved top sheds snow, the footprint is compact for the seats, and barrels come in the widest range of lengths. Longer barrels can include a change room. Keep in mind that headroom is highest in the centre, and barrel staves are usually solid wood without added insulation. See barrel saunas.

Luna

A modern shape with large rounded corners and, usually, a glass front, so you get a view from the bench. The near-flat roof holds snow, so plan to brush it off after heavy storms, and let the glass guide your heater size. See Luna saunas.

Cube

Crisp, square lines and usually a glass front. Straight walls make full use of the floor space. Like the Luna, a flat roof holds snow and a glass front needs a bigger heater. Cubes start higher than barrels, Lunas and cabins. See cube saunas.

Cabin

A small house with a gable or single-slope roof, a glass door and windows. The pitched roof sheds snow, and the smallest cabin has one of our lowest starting prices. A peaked interior adds air volume unless the ceiling inside is flat. See cabin saunas.

A-frame

A tall, steep Nordic gable with a recessed glass front. The roof sheds snow and the look makes a statement. Height is the thing to check: zoning limits how tall a backyard structure can be. In Toronto’s residential zones, for example, an ancillary structure can be up to 4.0 m tall, or 2.5 m if it’s within 1.8 m of the house. A-frames come in fewer sizes and have the highest starting prices of the five styles. See A-frame saunas.

Five questions that narrow it down

1. How many people, how often? Two people a few nights a week is a different sauna from family gatherings every weekend. Buy for your usual group, not the biggest party.
2. Where will it go? Measure the spot, the path to it and the distance to your lot lines and house. Zoning sets minimum setbacks and maximum heights.
3. View or privacy? A glass front brings in the garden and the light, but neighbours can see in, and you’ll need a bigger heater. A barrel or cabin with a smaller window feels more enclosed.
4. Electric or wood? Every style can take either. A wood stove adds a chimney through the roof, and some makers sell chimney kits made for barrels. Our wood vs electric guide compares the two.
5. What’s the full budget? Add sales tax, delivery and assembly, the base, and wiring or a chimney to the sauna’s price before you compare styles.

Quick picks

• Lowest starting price: a small Luna ($6,695) or barrel ($6,795), then a small cabin ($7,395).
• Bigger groups: a 10 ft barrel, or an 8 × 8 ft Luna or cabin.
• Least roof care in snow: barrel, cabin or A-frame.
• A view from the bench: Luna, cube or A-frame. Size the heater for the glass.
• A low height limit or a spot near the house: check your zoning before you pick an A-frame. Our site prep guide covers setbacks and heights.

Next steps

• Browse all outdoor saunas by style and size.
• Plan the spot, base and delivery route with our site prep guide.
• Request a quote. We’ll confirm the seating, what’s included, the heater and the delivery details in writing. You pay nothing until you approve your quote.