--- title: WHY CEDAR - Cedar Barrel Saunas description: Experience the timeless beauty and durability of cedar wood in our saunas. Explore our cedar sauna options for a luxurious and natural experience. canonical_url: https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/cedar.html language: en-US notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/cedar.html. markdown-tokens: 2353 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/cedar.html. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. Grade A cedar is used for all of Northern Lights’ saunas. It’s sustainable with that beautiful fragrant smell, and impervious to rot with a high insulation value – cedar is a great choice for hot tubs and water applications. Grade A cedar is used for all of our wooden saunas. It’s sustainable with that beautiful fragrant smell, and impervious to rot with a high insulation value – cedar is a great choice for saunas, hot tubs, and water applications. Cedar has long been the premier choice for building boats and canoes and of course, wooden hot tubs, for so many reasons: Cedar’s natural oils give it natural protection against rot and decay. A cedar sauna will last upwards of 20 or more years and requires minimal maintenance! Its fibrous structure is full of micro air pockets which give it one of the highest insulation values of any common wood. Lastly, but definitely not least – we harvest only sustainable cedar from forests that adhere to the strictest reforestation practices. This ensures our forest stay healthy and the supply of cedar will be available for generations! There are many types and grades of cedar. Northern Lights uses both Western Red Cedar and Yellow Cedar to build our wooden hot tubs and saunas – and both are really great options! ![cedar comparison](https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/images/2023/04/04/cedar-comparison.jpg) **WESTERN RED CEDAR** Western Red Cedar is known for its aromatic smell and deeper reddish colors as it’s name implies. It is a lighter wood and more fibrous making it a great wood for insulation. **ALASKAN YELLOW CEDAR** Yellow cedar grows at higher elevations, and has much tighter growth rings – which makes it a much harder and stronger wood. Yellow Cedar will hold up better to wear and tear than western red cedar, but has similar insulation properties. **Both varieties of cedar are known for their straight grain pattern, which gives them dimensional stability against warping and twisting – making them VERY durable, and a great material to build your wooden hot tub.** As with almost everything, cedar comes in many grades – however, Northern Lights ONLY uses Grade A or #2 or better to build our wooden saunas. This grade is simply the best, and defined by its absence of any knots as well as a tight ring pattern. **DURABILITY** Knots in wood cause warpage, and will result in water leaks over time. This higher grade of cedar also has a tighter ring pattern as it is harvested from older trees. A tight ring pattern will define the durability of the cedar. **BUYER BEWARE** Not all wooden tubs are built from the same grade, so be sure to ask when shopping for your new tub. Some competitor’s cedar tubs are even built in China, so buyer beware. Market demands greatly affect the wholesale pricing and availability of cedar. As such, cedar has become one of the most sought-after woods internationally. Choosing your wood is a matter of preference and design. The uniform color of yellow cedar is prized by architects looking for a more modern design, whereas the more rustic/random color patterns of western red cedar have always been a popular choice for outdoor projects. The choice is yours! Either way, you can’t go wrong with a cedar hot tub as the perfect addition when creating your own oasis. Whether you’re looking for a cedar barrel sauna, or looking to buit your own DIY sauna room – with over 25 years in business,we ensure that Northern Lights cedar saunas are of the top level quality and craftsmanship in the world. Our cedar saunas can be found all over the world, and we have warehouses in both North America as well as Europe in order to provide our customer with the best service possible. When we say we know cedar tubs and saunas, we mean it - learn more about us, or our other brands. ![Reliable craftsmanship](https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/images/2023/04/05/cradftsmanship-mb.jpg) Whether you’re looking for a cedar barrel sauna, or looking to build your own DIY sauna room – with over 25 years in business,we ensure that Northern Lights cedar saunas are of the top level quality and craftsmanship in the world. Our cedar saunas can be found all over the world, and we have warehouses in both North America as well as Europe in order to provide our customer with the best service possible. When we say we know cedar tubs and saunas, we mean it - learn more about us, or our other brands. KEVIN DOYLE, TORONTO CANADA “YOU’RE PAYING FOR QUALITY” I started to research barrel saunas for almost a year. I loved your product, but in the end made the mistake of cheaping out and buying a Costco barrel sauna for $1500 less. We got it delivered and started to assemble it, both my wife and I were not impressed. Needless to say thank God for Costco's great return policy! After 1/2 a day of assembling, we realized we made a BIG mistake and packed it up and shipped it back. But you know the rest of the story and we are now proud owner's of a Northern Lights Barrels Sauna! My only advise to someone looking for a sauna is "you pay for what you get!" STEVEN CHAN “SUCH A GREAT PRESENT” I just converted my spare closet into a sauna room. The carbon fibre infrared sauna panel works great. We had a small room, and used 4 panels. I put in a nice little cedar bench to give it some sauna flavour. My wife loves it too. It was a great Xmas present and we will get lots of use. STEVEN HILT, MI “HIGHLY RECOMMEND” Great service guys! Dieter your engineer was particularly helpful! I recommend you to every sauna owner. FRED SIMPSON, CA “TOP CLASS PRODUCT” I don't often write reviews but in this case Northern Lights Cedar Saunas deserves one! The product is top class, but the sales and service are just as impressive. These guys know what they are doing! I Recommend! AUBREY HILTON, SYDNEY AUSTRALIA “PERFECTLY SHIPPED TO AUSTRALIA” Hi Northern Lights it's Aubrey from Australia. We bought our barrel sauna a year ago and you shipped it to the other side of the world. It arrived perfectly, and went together in a day. I was so impressed with the product that my husband and I just placed an order for one of your wooden hot tubs. We can't wait until it arrives, and will be sending you pictures of both as we have a great location that over looks the sea! The owner Dan has always been helpful, and the products are of great quality with a lot of attention to detail. LORI S “A TRUE SHOW PIECE” We have had your barrel sauna for 5 years now, and I just want to say want an awesome product you make! We have the wood fired stove and the sauna is at our lake. I can't tell you how many times we have had the neighbours over with their towels in hand. It is a true show piece. WARREN BRADY, NH “REALLY PLEASED” We are really pleased with your service. Everything is working AAAAAAOK. Have recommended your company to all our friends who have saunas. JOHN TIED, NY “CAN’T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT MY SAUNA” Thanks for the all the help and the great product. I use the sauna daily and can't imaging life without. JENS VICK “EASY TO COMPLETE DIY SAUNA KIT” We just completed installing one of your DIY sauna kits in a 6' x 7' location in our basement. My wife is from Finland and for years has wanted a sauna in our home. I must say I was a little reluctant as I am not the best with a hammer. However, we had the sauna room completed in 2 days including wiring. Your company was a pleasure to work with and I rate you highly! ![Image](https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/images/2026/02/04/ventana-spa-terrace-9040.jpg) ### Need more info? Let us help! **Looking for the perfect cedar sauna for your home?** We’re here to help you find exactly what you need, from handcrafted cedar barrel saunas to outdoor saunas that promote relaxation and wellness. Whether you have questions about our products, installation, or need help with an order, our team is ready to assist. Fill out the form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible to guide you toward a healthier lifestyle with the natural benefits of wood saunas. [![Affirm Logo](https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/images/2023/07/18/affirm-promotion.png)](https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/sauna-financing.html) ![Accredited BBB](https://cedarbarrelsaunas.com/images/2023/06/26/accredited.png)