Sauna Wood Color Options: Choosing the Right Look

Sauna Wood Color Options: Choosing the Right Look

The wood species you choose for your sauna determines its color, scent, feel, and how it ages over time. Most people start by thinking about color because that is what you see every time you walk in. But the color you see in a catalog photo is just the starting point - sauna wood changes with heat and age in ways that are worth understanding before you commit.

The Most Common Sauna Wood Species and Their Colors

Western Red Cedar

Cedar is the most popular sauna wood in North America, and for good reason. Fresh cedar ranges from warm honey to reddish-brown, with natural color variation between boards that gives the sauna a rich, layered look. Over time and heat exposure, cedar deepens to a warm golden-brown.

Cedar also has the most distinct scent of any sauna wood - that classic woodsy aroma that most people associate with saunas. If you want your sauna to look and smell like a traditional sauna, cedar is the default choice.

Most of our outdoor saunas and barrel saunas use western red cedar for both its appearance and its natural resistance to moisture and decay.

Canadian Hemlock

Hemlock is lighter than cedar, ranging from creamy white to pale tan with a subtle pinkish undertone. It has a more uniform color than cedar, with less board-to-board variation. This gives hemlock saunas a clean, modern, Scandinavian-inspired look.

Over time, hemlock darkens slightly to a warm gold, but it never gets as rich or reddish as cedar. The scent is very mild - almost neutral - which some people prefer, especially those who find cedar too strong.

Nordic Spruce (White Spruce)

Spruce is the traditional wood used in Finnish saunas. It is pale, almost white when new, with tight grain and a very clean, light appearance. Finnish sauna purists love it because it looks authentic to the tradition.

Spruce darkens to a light golden color over years of use. It has a mild, pleasant scent when heated - not as strong as cedar, but noticeable. Thermally modified spruce (heat-treated) starts darker, in a medium brown, and is more moisture resistant than untreated spruce.

Aspen

Aspen is the lightest-colored common sauna wood. It starts nearly white with very subtle grain, giving saunas an extremely clean, bright interior. It is popular in European saunas and increasingly in modern-style home saunas.

Aspen stays relatively light over time compared to other species. It has virtually no scent, which makes it a good choice for people sensitive to wood aromas. It is also hypoallergenic, which matters for some users.

Thermowood (Heat-Treated)

Thermowood is not a species - it is a treatment process applied to spruce, pine, or other woods. The wood is heated to over 400 degrees in a special kiln, which changes its color to a rich, consistent medium to dark brown. The treatment also makes the wood more dimensionally stable and resistant to moisture.

If you want a darker, more dramatic sauna interior without staining, thermowood delivers that look naturally. It is increasingly popular for contemporary sauna designs.

How Sauna Wood Changes Color Over Time

Every sauna wood species darkens with use. The combination of heat, humidity, UV exposure (for outdoor saunas), and natural oxidation gradually shifts the color warmer and deeper. This is normal and expected.

General aging patterns:

• Cedar: Honey/reddish when new, deepens to rich golden-brown
• Hemlock: Pale cream when new, warms to light gold
• Spruce: Near-white when new, develops light golden tone
• Aspen: White when new, stays relatively light with slight yellowing
• Thermowood: Medium-dark brown when new, may darken slightly but stays consistent

The areas that receive the most heat (near the heater, upper walls, ceiling) will darken faster than lower walls and floor areas. This creates a natural gradient that most people find attractive.

Can You Stain or Finish Sauna Wood?

Interior sauna wood should generally be left unfinished. Standard paints, stains, and polyurethane coatings release toxic fumes when heated to sauna temperatures. This is not a case where you want to experiment.

There are a few exceptions:

• Sauna-specific sealers (like paraffin-based treatments) can be applied to benches to protect against body oils and make cleaning easier. These are formulated specifically for high-heat environments.
• Exterior wood on outdoor saunas can and should be treated with UV-protectant wood stain or oil to slow weathering. This does not affect the interior.

Mixing Wood Species

Some saunas use one wood for the walls and ceiling and a different wood for the benches. This creates a two-tone look that can be very appealing. Common combinations include cedar walls with aspen benches (warm backdrop with bright seating) or hemlock walls with cedar bench accents.

Bottom Line

Your sauna's wood color comes down to personal preference and the overall look you want. Cedar gives you the classic warm, aromatic sauna feel. Hemlock and spruce offer a lighter, more modern aesthetic. Aspen is the brightest and most neutral. Thermowood provides a rich dark tone without staining. All of these species perform well in sauna conditions - the color choice is really about what makes you happy when you walk in the door.

Explore our outdoor saunas and indoor saunas to see these wood options in real products.