Löyly, Air Quality & The Science Behind a True Finnish Sauna

In a genuine Finnish sauna, heat is only part of the experience. The defining element is löyly — the soft, enveloping steam created when water meets hot stones.

However, achieving authentic löyly requires more than a heater and timber walls. It requires careful control of air quality, material selection and thermal balance.

Because inside a sauna, your body enters an intensified physiological state.

---

What Happens to the Body Inside a Sauna?

Clinical research shows that sauna bathing:

• Increases heart rate and circulation

• Promotes vasodilation (widening of blood vessels)

• Stimulates sweating and thermoregulation

• Encourages deep nasal and oral breathing

• Opens pores across the entire body

Studies from Finnish and cardiovascular research groups have linked regular sauna use with improved cardiovascular health, stress reduction and enhanced recovery when used correctly.

In this state, the body becomes highly receptive to its environment.

You are breathing heated air deeply through your nose and mouth.
Your lungs are exposed to vapour.
Your skin absorbs heat through open pores.

This is precisely why material choice matters.

---

Why Non-Toxic Materials Are Essential

At temperatures between 80–100°C, materials behave differently than they do at room temperature.

Low-grade adhesives, treated timbers, solvent-based finishes and synthetic sealants can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when heated. While these may meet basic building standards, they are not designed for repeated high-temperature exposure in enclosed environments.

Authentic Finnish sauna tradition avoids this risk by relying on:

• Untreated, natural timber

• Low-chemical construction methods

• Breathable assemblies

• Balanced ventilation

The sauna should feel clean, not chemically sharp. The air should feel soft, not dry or synthetic.

When löyly rises, it should carry warmth — not unwanted emissions.

---

Designed for Health, Performance & Sustainability

At Building with Frames, we engineer our saunas to respect both tradition and modern building science.

We prioritise:

• Sustainably sourced structural timber

• Low-VOC and low-toxin construction methods

• Natural or recycled insulation systems

• Minimal steel content (typically under 3%)

• Balanced internal volumes for proper heat circulation

Our goal is simple: create an environment where the body can fully relax into the healing effects of heat and steam — without compromising air quality.

---

Authentic Löyly Requires Intelligent Design

Creating soft, balanced löyly depends on:

• Correct stone mass and heater specification

• Proper ventilation strategy

• Controlled humidity

• Accurate internal geometry

When these elements align, the steam feels enveloping and restorative rather than aggressive or suffocating.

This is not accidental. It is engineered.

---

A Sustainable Finnish Sauna, Built for Modern Living

Our saunas combine:

• Scandinavian design principles

• Precision offsite manufacturing in Cornwall

• Low-carbon timber construction

• Materials chosen for performance at high temperature

The result is more than a garden building. It is a carefully designed wellness environment capable of producing authentic Finnish löyly — using materials that respect your health and the planet.