Cedar or Hemlock?
This is an important question once you have made the
decision that an infrared sauna is for you and your
loved ones' health and wellness.
Cedar is the gold standard wood for all saunas. You
want to make sure that the wood is clear cedar, no knots
(knots are what causes splitting and cracking of the
wood). Most of the best cedar comes from Western Canada.
Check to see if the model uses clear red cedar. Cedar
is very resistant to mold and bacteria growth. Cedar
requires virtually no maintenance. A good maintenance
policy is to sit on a towel and have a towel at your
feet to catch your sweat. Then wash towels regularly
and the sauna will look always look brand new. Check
to see the warranty; many cedar models will have a lifetime
warranty against splitting and cracking.
The only trouble with quality cedar is that it costs
up to four times what hemlock or other woods used in
sauna applications costs per board foot, but it adds
nothing to the efficacy of the sauna. Many non-cedar
sauans will use hemlock. Hemlock was once used in flour
and sugar barrels as it exudes no toxins or chemicals.
Hemlock has no scent, some people find the cedar scent
not to their liking although with no knots (the source
of most scent) the cedar scent in cedar saunas is far
from over powering.
Hemlock is susceptible to mold and mildew growth with
regular exposure to moisture (same with all less expensive
woods). Hemlock does require some maintenance if you
were to sweat directly onto your unit, it would need
to be sprayed after each use with a fifty/fifty mixture
of water and hydrogen peroxide. Again, if you were to
sit on a towel and have a towel at your feet your unit
would look like new for a very long time. Many hemlock
units come with a three year warranty against splitting
and cracking.
In the final analysis it really comes down to personal
preference. Cedar units cost one thousand dollars more
than their hemlock counterparts. The important thing
to remember is that choosing cedar or hemlock in no
way compromises the performance or efficacy of your
sauna and the cost of operation is the same for either
unit (less than $10 per month if used daily).
For
more information, click here to read what Life State
Solutions offers in saunas.
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