How To Build Your Very Own Portable Infrared Sauna (on the cheap)
Welcome to the DIY near infrared sauna guide. In this course, you will learn the how to build your very own DIY sauna tent following these step by step plans. Your heat lamp sauna tent will warm you efficiently, and effectively detox you just like larger more expensive saunas. By the end of this guide, you'll have your very own inexpensive infrared sauna in your own home, to use anytime you'd like. (for pennies on the dollar)
What Customers Are Saying
"I've wanted to put one together for over a year and never moved on it with the uncertainty and DIY nature of other video. With your course I was up and running in less than a week. I'll get into something more permanent down the road but until then I'm starting or ending my day with a sauna session instead of dreaming about it. Great for both my body and mind especially with the winter coming on strong here in Michigan."
"Bought all the parts based on your guide and was up and running in an hour, just like you said. I'm glad I didn't get sucked into a more expensive solution that I really can't afford right now. Thank you!"
"Woohoo, I got all of the supplies and built my DIY sauna last night. It is looking like a great set-up, I got everything very secure, and the lights are so nice and warm. I cannot wait to actually try it out tonight. Thank you so much for all the effort you put into this, Matt. Your guide is super informative and well-put together. Very much worth the $9.99 spent."
"The information within this Guide is invaluable! I am new to building a sauna and am very thankful I found you on you tube before going ahead and doing it. It is wonderful that you are able and willing tto add content if needed, THANK YOU!"
"As I put in the previous comment on sauna accessories. I very very much appreciated these sauna video live class. Got all information I wanted and now can justify spending a little money to get myself in a better health position. Winter is coming in Canada and this will be one of my Happy Places. Thanks again"
DIY Sauna Course Curriculum
- A Portable Home Sauna Anyone Can Build With Parts From Amazon Under $250 (with no tools or experience) (0:13)
- I Built This While Staying In An AirBNB During Covid (if I can do it there, anyone can have this in their home) (2:15)
- Why A DIY Sauna? (3:18)
- You Know I Hate "near infrared saunas" (so why make this?) (5:45)
- Not Everything Is About Money & Selling You Sh**! (5:01)
- Who This Is Not For (1:33)
- A DIY Sauna Is Not A Replacement For A Low EMF - Low VOC Wooden Sauna (3:46)
- This DIY Sauna Guide Is Perfect For You If... (2:05)
- Full Disclosure: This DIY Sauna Costs Money To Build (here's the total costs involved) (2:25)
- Only Buy This If You Value Your... (1:17)
- DIY Sauna Parts Overview (6:35)
- Metal Tent Frames (NOT PVC!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
- DIY Sauna Master Parts List (the old list went out of stock on Amazon & that vendor raised prices)
- Which Clamp Lights To Get (3:12)
- The Best Bulbs For Your DIY Lamp Sauna (4:16)
- A Note On Extension Cords (15 amp MAX Wattage) (2:31)
- Stool & Chair Options (2:23)
- Tent Sizes & Options (this is a MUST-WATCH) (4:08)
- Where To Place Your Sauna (2:04)
- Step 1 - Unboxing Parts - Assembling Sauna Tent Frame (3:09)
- Step 2 - Adding Your Tent Enclosure (and overhead support bars) (5:56)
- Safety Note - Mounting Your Heat Lamps Securely (4:55)
- Step 3 - Adding Your Core Front Lights For The Basic Build (3:23)
- Second Example Of Secure Mounting Of Core Lamps (2:42)
- Step 4 - Mounting Upper And Rear Lights (same procedure, replicated) (3:43)
- The Optimal Heat Lamp Layout (differs from Dr. Wilson diamond design) (2:55)
- Step 5 - Routing Your Extension Cords For Upper & Rear Lights (6:34)
- Remember To Add Your Sweat Drip Pan (helps a lot!) (3:25)
- How To Fix The Clamp If It Falls Off The Heat Lamp (0:35)
- Turning On Your DIY Sauna For The First Time (1:46)
- Preheating Your DIY NIR Sauna (1:01)
- Towel Recommendations For Minimal Cleaning (2:19)
- Getting In For The First Time (and what to expect) (5:28)
- How Long Until You Should Be Sweating (1:51)
- Adjusting Your Lighting Locations & Aiming Your NIR Bulbs For Optimal Performance (2:26)
- How Long To Stay In Your Sauna Session (1:38)
- Hydration Recommendations (1:29)
- Protecting Your Eyes From NIR Bulbs (1:55)
You're still reading? Just buy it, you'll be glad you did.
How The DIY Tent Sauna Is Helping
Infrared Sauna Users:
Most of the feedback from customers using this course to build their very own tent sauna has been excellent. Many report that they have been putting off building an indoor infrared sauna for themselves, because they couldn't figure out how to get a sauna enclosure or heater mounting system going after a couple months of playing around on pinterest.
DIY Portable Steam Sauna VS Infrared Sauna Tent
Many who set out to build a diy portable steam sauna, decided against it and went with infrared instead for two main reasons: 1) infrared is easier to handle without water/moisture, and 2) the sauna tent isn't filled with condensation when you get done, so you don't have to mop up all the water with a towel after every session.
Can A Homemade Infrared Sauna Really Work As Good As A Gym/FIR Sauna?
Customers are reporting temperatures reaching over 140 degrees Farehneight in their near infrared portable tent saunas they built using this course. Some opt for a more insulated design, which allows for even hotter temperatures. While others prefer more openness/airflow, and use it successfully at lower temperatures between 125 - 135 F.
It is important to note, that the temperature range in an infrared sauna, is not the same as a traditional dry electric or steam sauna. Those require 175 F - 200 F in order to heat the air up enough to give you a good sweat. Infrared saunas only need to be about 125 F for you to start sweating well, and around 133 F - 138 F is an optimal temperature range for long durations sessions like a sweat lodge ceremony.
2 Person Portable Saunas & ADA Wheelchair Compliant Models
We are working on a large cabin design, that will allow you to wheel a chair and transfer bench inside side by side for healthcare facilities. It won't be perfect, but for those with limited transportation, it will be an effective inexpensive solution you can get anywhere in the country.
The two person portable sauna will also be the same, just a smaller tent size for the enclosure. Up to 6 people cab fit in a large cabin style, if you're looking to mimic a sweat lodge.
Is The DIY Near Infrared Sauna The Best Option For Those In Apartments Or Travel Occupations?
A portable infrared sauna with a carrying case, would be easier to travel with. But for most folks either tight on cash, or currently living in a small space like I was, the NIR tent sauna is one of the best options for the money.
Below is info about me, a glimpse of my health detox story, and a few other miscellaneous items...
About Me & Why This DIY Sauna "Thing"
Even Became A Project
Have you been needing a sauna in your own home, either for personal health or athletic recovery reasons... but just haven't been able to find space or money for one?
If that's you, you're in the right place. My name is Matt Justice, and back in 2017 I was living in a tiny 500sq ft apartment I nick-named "The Treehouse." I moved there to reduce expenses, start a new business, and experience minimalism to develop better focus and achieve my business goals quicker.
This came to a pretty quick halt all at once around May of 2017, and after battling chronic sinus infections for years, I miraculously discovered that my mercury amalgam fillings had been irritating my sinus cavities for decades.
Next thing I know, I'm in a dentists chair having them removed, thinking I was almost out of the woods.
Little did I know, this was just the beginning. I would later find out, that 22 years of microscopic metals leaching from the fillings in my teeth, had to be detoxed from my body.
Why am I telling you all of this?
Because this is a subject that's near and dear to my heart, and this story is the only reason I went through the effort to bring you this DIY sauna guide. This prior health experience, absolutely wrecked my life. I wasted thousands $$,$$$.$$ of dollars on detox supplements, functional medicine doctors, even months and months researching saunas because I couldn't figure out what would give me the most benefit in my small space.
If someone could have given me a cheap, easy to put together, and portable solution I could try in less than a week to see if saunas would help me it would have shaved a year off of my recovery.
So that's what this is about. My goal is to save you time, money, frustration, and most of all... skip wasting months researching crazy stuff like I did, and just try a sauna solution in your home to see the health benefits for yourself firsthand.
And for Pete's sake, at least try this thing before you spend $3,000.00 dollars on a "near infrared sauna" in today's 2020 marketplace. You can achieve the same thing with this, for less than $250, in under 1 hour taking your time.
At the end of the day, there are people out there that need the healing benefits of an infrared sauna like I did. This thing isn't perfect, but not everyone has space, extra money, time, etc... to buy a big heavy wooden sauna.
If you are:
- short on funds
- having health troubles and wondering if saunas will help you
- reluctant to spend thousands on a wooden sauna like I use (I honestly didn't know if it would help me or not)
- don't have a lot of space (I was in a small apartment, not much room)
- would like to have the healing benefits of infrared heat therapy on the cheap
- have something in your own home, instead of driving across town renting sessions at a spa like I did
...then this is for you.
Frequently Asked DIY Sauna Questions:
I get a ton of questions on portable saunas, heat lamp saunas, nir/fir saunas, etc... from YouTube and blog comments. Here are a few commonly asked related questions all in one place.
Can You Build Your Own Sauna?
A lot of people see my sauna reviews online, and often ask if they can just build their own sauna. Sure, but for most people it isn't worth the hassle to frame out a room, order a sauna kit, etc... For those in small spaces like apartments or renting and likely going to move again soon, I created this DIY portable sauna guide to help in the meantime.
How Do You Make A Dry Sauna At Home?
There are a couple good ways, but all but two require a wood shop and lots of tools. I could show you how to build a homemade wooden sauna, but most people wouldn't be able to replicate it without extensive cost and labor. In this guide, we're using a sauna tent to form an enclosure, adding NIR heat lamp bulbs to create dry heat, and trying it all together in a small portable package that's inexpensive, and easy to assemble with little to no tools.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Dry Sauna In Your House?
You can spend anywhere from $1,000 - $15,000 on a wooden style sauna room. For most people, a DIY portable infrared sauna can be built for under $300 dollars. If your budget is higher and you're looking for something done for you, check out my favorites on CertifiedSaunas.com.
What Materials Can Be Used In A Sauna?
Any organic low voc materials are the best choice. When trying to build a budget DIY sauna tent, we don't always have that luxury however. We do the best we can for the budget at hand, so that everyone can get the healing benefits of a sauna in their own home. We deploy some hacks in the course that talk about how to vent off gassing materials to keep you safe.
Do You Offer Homemade DIY Sauna Plans?
This is my version of do it yourself sauna plans. Rather than put together a static book for $19.95 like they do in Home Depot that never gets updated, I wanted it to be video format so you can visually see exactly how to do it. This is a living course, and will be updated all the time with new improvements at no extra charge to you.
How To Build A Cheap Sauna? I Can't Afford One Of Your Stand Up Wooden Far Infrared Saunas Right Now...
When we started doing infrared sauna reviews, the very first idea I had was to build a Dr. Wilson style design NIR heat lamp sauna in my shower. It was cheap, basically 4 heat lamps on a stick, with me sitting on a stool in my shower. Trouble was, even with a Mylar curtain to hold in the heat, it never really generated any higher temps to get the detox sweat that's needed. The sauna tent in this course is much MUCH more effective, and is only a couple hundred dollars to make from scratch.
Is The DIY Sauna Tent Better Than A Sauna Blanket?
I don't have a lot of experiences with sauna blankets. But the ones I have tried, it wasn't really for me. I think the manufacturers do a great job with what they have to work with, but the user experience and the amount I sweat is lacking compared to the DIY heat lamp. It gets hotter, it's more comfortable, and is less than half the overall cost even if you factor in buying books or a course like this for a couple bucks.
What's The Best Inexpensive Portable Sauna Tent? Preferably Infrared??
So this is probably the most commonly asked question I have ever gotten. Trouble is, there is no cheap portable infrared sauna tent that checks all the boxes and still works well. Some have high EMF, some are built with rubber and off gas a ton of VOC's, and some just flat out don't work very well at all. The build quality is questionable on some brands, and the prices just seem to be going up and up, with some portable infrared saunas costing over $1,000 now. Crazy. So that's why I never added any portable saunas to The Certified Sauna List. But this DIY sauna will give folks another option, hopefully that will help.
How To Build Your Own Sauna
The How To Build Your Own Sauna book has been removed for now, and replaced with this course. The videos and interactive comment system within the course, allow me to quickly add a new video for you if something comes up for your unique situation that can easily be improved upon. This was the main drawback to having YouTube Playlists for tutorial guide... you can never edit or update the videos, only add new ones. Then no one can find the right videos, because the playlist is no longer in order. Now, we have a place inside the course where you can comment on anything you want, get the help you need from myself or other members, and it's much smoother and easier for you to follow along without any hassles.