TH7 Noosa
Sauna · Steam · Infrared · Commercial
Gentle, radiant warmth.
Infrared rooms designed and built into homes and wellness facilities, with the emitters, timber and light resolved together.
What it is
A different kind of heat.
An infrared sauna uses emitters, usually set into the walls and behind the backrests, that radiate warmth directly onto the people in the room. The air stays far cooler than in a traditional sauna, and the room is ready quickly.
Many people enjoy it for exactly that: a long, gentle session without the intensity of a hot Finnish sauna. Others want both, which is what a hybrid sauna offers.
Compared with traditional
What changes, and what doesn’t.
- 01
How it warms you
Infrared emitters radiate warmth directly onto you and the surfaces around you. A traditional sauna heats stones and the air.
- 02
Air temperature
Infrared rooms are usually set somewhere around 40–65 °C, well below a traditional sauna, though the warmth from the emitters makes them feel hotter than that.
- 03
Warm-up
Emitters reach full output quickly, so an infrared room is ready sooner than a traditional sauna, which needs time to heat its stones and air.
- 04
No löyly
There are no stones to throw water on, and water must never reach the emitters. If you want steam bursts, consider a traditional or hybrid sauna.
Design
Placement makes the room.
An infrared room is only as good as the position of its emitters. We plan them around the benches and how people sit, guard them behind timber, and keep wiring and controls neat and serviceable.
What we design
Six things an infrared room needs.
- 01
Emitter selection
Emitter types differ in output, surface temperature and how they are mounted. We choose them for the room and how it will be used.
- 02
Placement and seating
Emitters work best positioned for how people sit, following each maker’s rules. For its VitaMy radiators, for example, Harvia recommends the 350 W model behind the back, no closer than 4 cm and stopping at neck height, and front radiators at least 50 cm from the body with the top edge below eye level.
- 03
Contact protection
Emitter surfaces get warm. Slatted timber guards and backrests keep them comfortable to lean against.
- 04
Timber, glass and light
Clear cedar and other stable sauna timbers line the room; glass fronts and concealed lighting are designed in from the start.
- 05
Controls and power
A control matched to the emitters, and a dedicated supply designed and installed by a licensed electrician.
- 06
Room or cabin
An infrared room can be built into the house, like a custom sauna, or supplied as a freestanding cabin.
Projects
Infrared sauna projects
Questions
Common questions
What is the difference between an infrared sauna and a traditional sauna?
A traditional sauna heats stones and air, and you can throw water on the stones for löyly. An infrared sauna uses emitters that warm you and the room’s surfaces directly, at a lower air temperature, with no stones or steam.
Traditional, infrared and hybrid comparedHow hot does an infrared sauna get?
It depends on the emitters and the control. As a guide, infrared rooms are commonly set between about 40 °C and 65 °C air temperature, well below a traditional sauna.
Can you add infrared to a traditional sauna?
Sometimes. That is a hybrid sauna: a stone heater and infrared emitters in one room. It needs emitters rated for a hot room, careful placement and a compatible control.
Hybrid saunasWhat about near, mid and far infrared?
These describe bands of infrared wavelength, and the names are used inconsistently across the industry. We choose emitters on their rating, placement rules and fit with the room rather than on band labels.
Further reading
- Traditional, infrared or hybrid sauna? How they differHow traditional, infrared and hybrid saunas heat, how hot they run, how they feel, and what each means for room design, power, maintenance and retrofits.
- Infrared and hybrid sauna care: emitters, timber, heater and controlsHow to clean and look after an infrared room or a hybrid sauna, from emitters and benches to stones, controls and sensors, based on manufacturer manuals.
- Sauna controls explained: sensors, safety, timers and remote startHow sauna controls work - built-in or separate units, sensor placement, overheat cut-outs, time limits, remote start, power units and commercial features.
Thinking about infrared?
Tell us about the space and who will use it. We will explain the options, including whether a hybrid room would suit you better.