Not all saunas are built with safe materials. In this video, I break down what to look out for—like adhesives, MDF, and sketchy components that can off-gas harmful chemicals when heated. If you plan on using a sauna for years, this is the stuff you need to know before bringing one into your home.
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Transcript
Supplies in most saunas are fairly decent overall, but the materials you really need to watch out for are adhesives and certain non-wooden components, because they off-gas when heated. You end up breathing this directly, and it’s essentially poison for your lungs.
One major issue I’ve noticed involves older-style ceramic infrared heaters. These often have a metal grate in front that’s lined with felt. Sometimes manufacturers use adhesives like a 3M spray glue to attach this felt. When placed directly in front of the heater, the glue gets heated well beyond its intended curing temperature. It doesn’t exactly melt, but it off-gasses as it overheats, becoming unsafe.
People often worry about wood glue in saunas, but generally, wood glues—like Titebond II—are food-safe and pose minimal risk. If they’re safe enough for incidental ingestion, they’re generally safe in your sauna. In fact, most sauna walls include wood strips glued together. Unless you see nails or filled holes, glue is involved. But here’s the key difference: once wood glue cures, its melting point is typically far above sauna operating temperatures, so it won’t off-gas during use.
The problematic adhesives are double-sided tapes or spray adhesives, especially those used for felt attachments or certain accessory mounts that heat excessively and produce noticeable odors. Materials like MDF or anything containing formaldehyde are also major concerns because their fumes can cause significant health issues over prolonged exposure. If you’re planning on using your sauna regularly over the next decade, it’s best to avoid breathing these toxic substances.
If you found today’s video helpful, or you’re looking for more detailed sauna resources, visit CertifiedSaunas.com. On the homepage, we offer recommended sauna brands, models, reviews, and step-by-step installation tutorials. We aim to make your research process simple, saving you from watching hours of YouTube videos.
Additionally, we discuss helpful accessories in these episodes—things like sauna hats, electrolyte supplements, or additional heating solutions for colder spaces like basements or garages. You’ll find all these resources linked clearly on the site.
Also, consider joining our Certified Sauna Community Facebook group. It’s a supportive community with thousands of knowledgeable members offering great advice daily. I’m also active there, answering questions and learning something new every day.
Finally, many people have asked about purchasing sauna towels, hats, supplements, and minerals. We now have a convenient Amazon store with everything neatly organized in one place, making shopping easy for you.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video.