Steam & Oak Barrel Sauna 1.8m

NEW: First UK barrel sauna available with gas heat — Steam & Oak × FinSteam

Pick "+ FinSteam Aurora 81 R11S Gas Heater" at checkout and your barrel ships with engineered ventilation built for gas + a bundled FinSteam Aurora 81 R11S gas heater package — ready to light on a UK propane bottle the day it lands. Steam & Oak is the only UK retailer offering this. No electrician, no chimney, no fire to tend. Hot in 15 minutes, turn a dial. The Aurora 81 is the only CE-marked electricity-free sauna gas heater on the European market (FinSteam's stated claim) and the heater that powers the FinSteam NOIR Signature packages.

Why gas changes the equation

What "gas-ready" means — engineered vents built into the cabin

The gas variant ships with wooden louvre vents at the FinSteam-specified sizes built into the cabin: intake ≥350 cm² low next to the heater (drawing fresh air directly from outside), exhaust ≥250 cm² high in the opposite corner (discharged directly to outside). FinSteam explicitly exclude plastic disc / twist valves — the gas variant doesn't ship with those. The vent configuration and the FinSteam heater are certified together under EU Gas Appliance Regulation 2016/426. Pick the electric variant instead and the sauna ships with the standard vent set for an electric heater — pick the heater at checkout and the build matches.

What's in the gas variant package

• The barrel shell + alder bench + 8mm tempered glass — same build as the electric variants of this model.
• Engineered gas-ready ventilation built in (wooden louvres, FinSteam-spec sizes).
• FinSteam Aurora 81 R11S gas heater — 8.1 kW, EU Type-Examination Certificate, AENOR-tested under Reg 2016/426. ODS oxygen-depletion auto-shutoff + flame monitoring. Configuration includes Orbis 11 stone cage + Halo safety rail + Njord heat shield as standard.
• UK propane regulator + 1.2 m CE-marked gas hose (I3P 37 mbar, 27 mm clip-on for standard Calor 13 kg propane bottles).
• 40 kg pre-washed FinSteam sauna stones, sized for the cage.

The Aurora 81 R11S retails standalone for £2,295 — the gas variant bundles it with the engineered cabin build at a single price (£5,890 inc VAT). Zero warranty returns on the FinSteam heater in the last 12 months. More on the Aurora 81.

What you'll need to source locally

• A standard UK 13 kg Calor propane bottle — bought locally (BBQ / camping / petrol-station retailers). The included regulator + hose connects to one.
• A Gas Safe registered engineer for the gas connection on a fixed install (most outdoor saunas are). Required by UK regulation for fixed gas connections.

Steam & Oak Barrel Sauna 1.8m — pick your heater at checkout

The choice (heater options)

• ★ + FinSteam Aurora 81 R11S Gas Heater (UK first) — the new gas option. See full details above.
• Shell only — buy the cabin, source your own heater.
• + Electric Harvia PC70 6.8kW — sized for the interior, single-phase ~25A circuit.
• + Electric Harvia PC90 9kW — for faster heat-up.

Wood-fired isn't available on the 1.8m size — the ~4.5m³ interior is too small for our supplier's stocked wood-fired stove. For wood-fired, see the 2.4m and larger models.

The 1.8m barrel sauna is our compact entry point — classic Finnish curved-wall design built for 2-person daily use, stretching to 3-4 for occasional shared sessions. The barrel form drives even heat convection (no hot pockets), sheds rain naturally, and packs proper sauna ritual into a footprint that fits even tight UK gardens.

Running cost + warm-up (the question buyers ask first)

Configured with the FinSteam Aurora 81 R11S gas heater, running cost is approximately £0.50-£0.80 per 60-90 minute session (0.6 kg/h propane at full output, throttled when up to temperature). Warm-up: 15-20 minutes from cold to 70-75°C.

Configured with a Harvia 6.8kW electric heater, this sauna runs at £1.75–£2.25 per 90-minute session at 30p/kWh. Warm-up takes around 30 minutes. Configured with a 9kW Harvia, those numbers move to about £2.50–£3.25 per session with faster recovery between löyly throws.

Why a 1.8m barrel for UK gardens

The compact barrel sits in the sweet spot where most buyers actually live: 2-person solo or couples for daily use, with stretch to 3-4 for occasional shared sessions. Simple install — three pallets, two-person carry, level base anywhere there's a clear gate and 2m × 2.5m of footprint.

Build + finish

• Walls: 44mm Scandinavian spruce, kiln-dried to 14% moisture (heat-stable, weather-resistant)
• Benches: Alder, single-level (alder = lowest thermal conductivity of any common sauna wood — benches don't burn at 90°C)
• Door + windows: 8mm tempered glass (safety + thermal-shock spec)
• Roof: Bitumen shingles
• Heater: Choose FinSteam Aurora 81 R11S gas, Harvia 6.8kW or 9kW electric at checkout — or shell-only if you have your own heater

What's included

Sauna shell, base beams, wooden panels (pre-cut + numbered), stainless steel tension bands, alder benches with backrests, 8mm tempered glass door, ventilation valve + grill (vent type matches selected heater), stainless steel floor drainage grid, bitumen roof shingles, fastener kit + assembly manual. Selected heater + stones included with the gas/Harvia variants (shell-only variant ships without a heater for buyers using their own). Comes with 24-month warranty.

Delivery & site preparation

• Standard delivery: Free standard UK delivery on all SKUs
• Estimated transit: 5 days to 2 weeks
• Packaging: 3 pallets, 2.4 × 1.2 × 1.0 m each — flat-packed kit for compact transport
• Site preparation: Outdoor saunas need a stable, level base ready before delivery (slabs on sub-base, concrete pad, or engineered deck)
• Access route: measure gates, turns, doorways for 1.2 m wide pallet delivery
• Electrical (Harvia variants): dedicated 32A single-phase or 16A 3-phase supply, fitted by qualified electrician
• Gas (FinSteam variant): standard UK 13 kg Calor propane bottle, sourced locally. Gas Safe registered engineer required for fixed gas connection. No mains supply needed.
• Installation: Self-assembly Lego-style kit — typically 2 people, 4-6 hours over 1–2 days, standard cordless drill + jigsaw all you need

Specifications

• Capacity: 2-4 person (2-person daily use, 3-4 person occasional shared)
• Use: Outdoor only
• External dimensions (L × W × H): 1.85 m × 1.85 m × 2.0 m
• Sauna room depth: 1.75 m
• Anteroom: None
• Wall thickness: 44mm Scandinavian spruce, kiln-dried 14% moisture
• Door + window: 8mm tempered glass
• Bench config: Alder, single-level
• Packaged weight: ~650 kg total
• Warranty: 24-month warranty
• Manufacturer: Czyste Pole sp. z o.o. (Polish-built Steam & Oak commission)

💡 Not sure which configuration? Read our complete UK Sauna Buying Guide — gas vs electric vs wood-fired, indoor vs outdoor, real running costs, install requirements. Written by founder Sarb Gill.

Want more interior space + a porch? See the Outdoor Barrel Sauna 2.4m with Porch or 3m with Anteroom. Prefer the modern cube look? See the 1.8m Cube Sauna at the same capacity.