Cedar vs. Hemlock Sauna: Which Wood Should You Choose?
Discover how cedar's rich aroma and natural oils stack up against hemlock's smooth finish to find your perfect sauna wood.
Choose cedar for outdoor barrel saunas, heat-heavy sessions, and aroma-forward experiences; choose hemlock for a neutral scent, a cleaner look, and commercial or sensitivity-driven applications. Cedar's natural oils resist moisture with less ventilation dependence, while hemlock's pale, odorless surface suits users with fragrance sensitivities or respiratory conditions.
- Density Decides Bench Feel: Cedar's lower density keeps bench surfaces touchable past 180 degrees F, while hemlock's greater density means benches warm up slower but resist denting better over daily use.
- Cedar's natural oils produce the classic sauna scent and resist moisture on their own; hemlock is nearly odorless, which makes it the practical pick for anyone with fragrance sensitivities or respiratory concerns.
- Ventilation Matters More Than Species: Neither wood needs sealing or finishing, and leaving the door slightly ajar after each session does more for the long-term life of the interior than the species decision itself.
- Grade Gaps Inside Cedar: Within cedar alone, the grade decision is substantial: vertical grain clear cedar bench boards run several times the cost of select tight knot profiles, so prioritize clear grade on surfaces you actually touch.
- Cedar belongs in outdoor builds and traditional setups where scent and moisture resistance matter most; hemlock is the stronger specification for shared spaces, pale interiors, or scent-sensitive users.
Where to start
Finnmark 4 Person FD-6 Traditional-Infrared Hybrid Barrel Sauna
SaunaLife 8 EE8G 6 Person Traditional Outdoor Barrel Sauna - Spacious, Ergonomic Design w/ Glass Wall
Two Good Woods, One Clear Decision
Cedar and hemlock both show up on shortlists for sauna interiors, and for good reason. Each holds up well in high heat, each has a long track record in traditional sauna building, and each is available in the profiles and grades you need for walls, benches, and trim. But they are not interchangeable. The choice between them touches on how the wood feels under your hands, how it smells, how it behaves over years of wet-dry cycling, and what it costs. Getting that choice right before you order boards saves you from regretting it once the room is built.
What Cedar Actually Is in a Sauna Context
The cedar used for sauna interiors in North America is almost always western red cedar, not the aromatic eastern red cedar you find in closet liners. Western red cedar is a softwood with a naturally low density, which matters in a sauna because low-density wood absorbs heat slowly. The bench surface stays touchable even when the air temperature is climbing past 180 °F. Its cellular structure also contains natural oils that resist moisture penetration and discourage mold growth, which is why cedar has been a default choice for outdoor applications long before it became popular in saunas.
The grain on vertical-grain, clear-grade western red cedar is tight and consistent, with very few knots to create hot spots or rough patches on a bench surface. Select tight knot cedar is a step down in grade but still performs well structurally, and the knot character gives it a warmer, more rustic appearance that some people genuinely prefer. ProSaunas carries both grades in bench profiles, with vertical grain clear cedar in a 2x4 S4SEE configuration priced at $14.82 per linear foot and the select tight knot version of the same profile at $4.68. That price gap is real and significant, and it often drives the grade decision more than aesthetics do.
The aroma is the other thing cedar is known for. Those natural oils produce the familiar warm, slightly spicy scent that most people associate with saunas. For many users, that smell is part of the experience. Over time the scent mellows as the oils release, but even aged cedar retains a mild fragrance. If you are sensitive to strong wood scents or simply prefer a neutral environment, that characteristic becomes a reason to look at hemlock instead.
What Hemlock Brings to the Interior
Western hemlock is a harder, denser wood than cedar. It is still classified as a softwood botanically, but it sits noticeably closer to the hardwood end of the softwood density range. In practice that means benches take slightly longer to warm up, but they also feel more substantial underfoot and are more resistant to denting and surface wear. In a family sauna that sees daily use and the occasional dropped ladle, that extra durability adds up.
Hemlock is almost odorless. The wood produces no significant volatile oils, so there is no scent to speak of once it is dry. This is genuinely useful for people with chemical sensitivities, fragrance allergies, or respiratory conditions that make the cedar aroma uncomfortable. It is also the preferred wood in many commercial and public sauna installations, where the operator cannot control who is sensitive to what. ProSaunas offers hemlock in a vertical grain, clear, smooth-four-sides profile in a 1x4 format specifically for bench work.
Hemlock is also lighter in color than cedar. Where cedar runs from pinkish-amber to deep reddish-brown, hemlock is a pale, almost cream-colored wood with a subtle straight grain. That lighter tone keeps a sauna interior feeling airy, and it pairs well with natural light coming through a glass wall. Color shifts with heat and humidity over time, but hemlock stays comparatively light throughout its life.
How Each Wood Handles Heat and Moisture
Both species are used successfully in traditional saunas around the world, so neither one fails in the heat. The distinction is in the details. Cedar's natural oils give it an inherent edge in moisture resistance. It is less prone to warping through the wet-dry cycles of daily sauna use, and it handles occasional splashing from the ladle bucket without swelling noticeably. That resilience is part of why cedar dominates outdoor barrel saunas, where the wood also has to contend with rain and seasonal temperature swings.
Hemlock handles moisture well too, but it relies more on good ventilation and drainage design than on the wood's own chemistry. In a properly ventilated indoor sauna with a functional drainage setup, hemlock performs reliably for many years. Where it tends to struggle is in situations with poor airflow or prolonged exposure to standing water. The SaunaLife EE8G, for example, uses Thermo-Aspen rather than untreated hemlock for its interior, partly because thermal modification increases dimensional stability in high-humidity environments. That same logic applies here: raw hemlock in a poorly ventilated space is more vulnerable than raw cedar in the same conditions.
Heat conduction is where hemlock's density becomes a double-edged characteristic. Denser wood takes in heat more readily, which means the bench surface can reach uncomfortably high temperatures faster in a very hot session. Cedar's lower density acts as a mild insulator, keeping surface temperatures more comfortable for bare skin. In a sauna routinely running at 185 °F to 190 °F, that difference is noticeable. If you tend to run your sessions extremely hot, cedar benches are more forgiving.
Where Thermally Modified Wood Fits In
Before settling on raw cedar or raw hemlock, it is worth understanding why thermally modified wood has grown in popularity for sauna interiors. The thermal modification process heats wood to very high temperatures in a controlled, low-oxygen environment. This breaks down the sugars and resins that bacteria and mold feed on, increases dimensional stability, and produces a wood that moves far less with humidity changes than untreated stock. ProSaunas offers an extensive range of Thermo-Aspen in wall panel and bench profiles, and the SaunaLife EE8G specifically calls out Thermo-Aspen for its interior seating.
Thermo-Aspen is not the same decision as cedar versus hemlock, but it reframes the comparison. If your main concerns are moisture stability and low maintenance, thermally modified wood addresses both more directly than either raw species. If you want the specific look, feel, or fragrance of natural cedar or the neutral tone of hemlock, modified wood is a different product with a different character. Many builders choose raw cedar or hemlock for walls and modified wood for benches, where moisture contact is highest and stability matters most.
Comparing the Cost Across Grades and Profiles
The price difference between cedar and hemlock varies by grade and profile, but across the ProSaunas lineup the pattern is consistent: clear vertical-grain cedar commands a meaningful premium over comparable hemlock profiles. The 1x4 vertical grain clear hemlock bench board comes in below the vertical grain clear cedar equivalent. Cedar's pricing also spreads widely by grade. The vertical grain clear cedar 1x4 bench profile carries a price per linear foot of $7.48, while the 1x6 in the same grade runs $14.16. The select tight knot cedar 1x4 at $2.64 is the most accessible entry point in the cedar range.
For a full sauna interior, walls and benches combined, the grade decision on cedar can shift the material cost significantly. A builder choosing vertical grain clear cedar throughout a six-person barrel sauna will spend considerably more on lumber than one using select tight knot for the walls and a mid-grade hemlock for bench slats. Neither choice is wrong; the question is whether the upgrade is visible and meaningful once the room is in use. On a bench surface you will see and feel the difference in grain consistency. On a wall behind your shoulder in a dim sauna, probably not.
| Profile | Grade / Species | Use | Price (per lin. ft.) |
|---|---|---|---|
 ProSaunas CEDAR 1/2X4 VG T&G V2E |
Vertical Grain, Clear, Cedar | Wall cladding | $6.15 |
 ProSaunas CEDAR 1X4 STK T&G V2E |
Select Tight Knot, Cedar | Wall cladding | $2.64 |
 ProSaunas CEDAR 1X4 VG S4SEE |
Vertical Grain, Clear, Cedar | Bench | $7.48 |
 ProSaunas CEDAR 1X6 VG S4SEE |
Vertical Grain, Clear, Cedar | Bench | $14.16 |
 ProSaunas CEDAR 2X4 STK S4SEE |
Select Tight Knot, Cedar | Bench | $4.68 |
 ProSaunas CEDAR 2X4 VG S4SEE |
Vertical Grain, Clear, Cedar | Bench | $14.82 |
Hemlock's pricing advantage is most meaningful in the bench profiles, where you are ordering significant linear footage and the cost compounds quickly. For wall paneling, the thinner tongue-and-groove cedar profiles bring the per-board-foot cost down enough that the gap narrows. Running the numbers for your specific room dimensions before committing to a grade is worth the half hour it takes.
Matching the Wood to Your Situation
Cedar makes the most sense if the traditional sauna experience is what you are building toward. The scent, the warm color, and the natural moisture resistance all contribute to a room that feels intentional and characterful. It is also the natural partner for an outdoor installation. If you are building around a barrel sauna setup, where the exterior wood and interior wood are often the same species, cedar keeps the whole structure cohesive. You can browse sauna wood profiles to compare grades and dimensions before settling on a board spec.
Hemlock is the better call when scent sensitivity is on the table, when you are building a shared or commercial space, or when you want a pale, neutral interior that reads more like a contemporary spa than a traditional Finnish cabin. Its durability also makes it a sensible choice for high-traffic applications where the benches will take regular wear. The lower purchase cost means that on a large build, the savings on lumber can be redirected toward a higher-quality heater or better door hardware, both of which affect the experience more than most users expect.
A mixed approach is common and worth considering. Using select tight knot cedar on walls where the grain detail is less visible, then stepping up to vertical grain clear cedar or hemlock for bench boards where your skin makes contact, gives you the aesthetic ceiling where it counts and keeps the overall material budget reasonable. This kind of split specification is exactly what the ProSaunas product range is set up for, with dedicated bench, wall, structural, and trim profiles available in each species.
Wood Choice Inside a Barrel Sauna
Most pre-built barrel saunas already make the species decision for you. The Golden Designs Arosa and Klosters barrel saunas use Pacific Premium Cedar construction throughout, which sets the interior tone from the start. If you are building a custom interior for an existing structure, or retrofitting bench boards after purchase, matching the interior wood to the exterior species keeps the room visually unified. Swapping in hemlock benches inside a cedar barrel is not structurally problematic, but the color contrast between the aged exterior cedar and pale hemlock bench boards can look jarring once both woods settle into their mature tones.
For anyone sourcing lumber independently for a full custom build or a barrel sauna interior refresh, the ProSaunas range covers both species across enough profiles that you can spec a complete room without mixing suppliers. Wall panels, bench boards, structural support timber, and trim moulding are all available in cedar and thermo-modified alternatives, which simplifies ordering and ensures consistent quality across every element of the interior.
Long-Term Maintenance for Both Species
Neither cedar nor hemlock requires sealing or finishing in a sauna interior. Applying any kind of stain, oil, or varnish inside a sauna is actually counterproductive: sealants trap moisture in the wood rather than allowing it to breathe, and many finishes off-gas in high heat in ways that are unpleasant at best. Both species should be left raw and allowed to age naturally.
What both woods do need is proper airflow between sessions. Leaving the sauna door slightly ajar after use, or running a ventilation fan for a period after the heater shuts down, allows residual moisture to escape before it can penetrate the wood grain. This single habit extends the life of a cedar or hemlock interior more than almost any other maintenance step. Benches should be wiped down after use, and any standing water around the drain area should be removed promptly.
Over many years of use, cedar develops a silvery-gray patina in areas with the most moisture exposure, particularly the bench tops. Hemlock darkens slightly and develops more of a golden tone with heat and time. Both aging processes are natural and, to most people who live with a sauna, genuinely attractive. If you prefer the original color, light sanding with fine-grit paper can refresh a bench surface without harming the wood's performance.
The Honest Bottom Line
Cedar is the more forgiving choice outdoors and in traditional setups, and the scent argument is real. If you are building a private sauna for personal use and you want the full sensory package, it is hard to argue against cedar. Hemlock is quieter in every sense: no scent, lighter color, harder surface, and a lower purchase price. It is not a compromise wood. In the right context it is actually the better specification.
The grade decision within cedar matters as much as the cedar-versus-hemlock decision itself. Spending on vertical grain clear cedar for bench boards is worth it. Spending the same premium on wall panels in a dimly lit sauna is harder to justify. Think in terms of which surfaces you will actually see and touch, and allocate accordingly. If you are still working through the full scope of your build, the range of available traditional saunas alongside the wood inventory gives a useful reference for how experienced builders have specified complete interiors across different budgets and goals.
More sauna wood worth a look
Golden Designs Klosters 6 Person Barrel Traditional Sauna (GDI-B006-01)
Golden Designs Arosa 4 Person Barrel Traditional Sauna (GDI-B004-01)
Frequently asked questions
Is cedar or hemlock better suited for a first-time home sauna build?▾
Cedar is the more forgiving choice for a first build, particularly in an outdoor barrel sauna. Its natural oils give it built-in moisture resistance, so minor ventilation oversights are less likely to cause warping or mold. Hemlock performs well too, but it depends more on getting the drainage and airflow right from day one.
Are there any safety concerns with either wood at high sauna temperatures?▾
Neither wood poses a safety concern at typical sauna operating temperatures, which for traditional stoves generally land in the 170 to 185 degree Fahrenheit range, with some units capable of reaching 190 degrees Fahrenheit. The practical difference is that hemlock, being denser, can transfer heat to bare skin more quickly than cedar at those upper temperatures, so cedar benches tend to feel more comfortable during very hot sessions.
What does the price difference between cedar and hemlock actually look like?▾
The gap can be substantial depending on grade. Clear vertical-grain western red cedar in a 2x4 bench profile runs around 14.82 per linear foot, while select tight knot cedar in the same profile drops to about 4.68 per linear foot. Hemlock is generally positioned as a cost-effective alternative to clear cedar, which makes it attractive for larger interiors where board footage adds up fast.
How difficult is it to set up a cedar barrel sauna, and what electrical work is needed?▾
Most cedar barrel saunas are designed for relatively quick outdoor assembly. The Finnmark FD-6, for instance, is rated for assembly in under one hour. Electrical requirements depend on the heating mode: the infrared side of the FD-6 runs on standard 120 V, while the optional traditional steam heater requires a 240 V supply. The Golden Designs Arosa and Klosters models both need 240 V dedicated circuits for their stoves, so a licensed electrician is essential before first use.
What are the ongoing costs of owning a cedar or hemlock sauna?▾
The main running costs are electricity for the heater and occasional wood treatment or sealing if the interior starts to dry out or show surface wear. Hemlock may need slightly more attention to ventilation-related maintenance since it lacks cedar's natural oil content. Neither wood requires finishing products during normal use, but periodic inspection of bench surfaces and wall boards for cracks or warping keeps the sauna performing well long term.
How do I maintain cedar versus hemlock benches over the years?▾
Cedar benches are relatively low maintenance. The natural oils help resist moisture, and light sanding can refresh the surface if it becomes rough or discolored over time. Hemlock benches benefit from consistent airflow after each session to prevent moisture from sitting in the grain. Both woods should be kept free of soaps, oils, and cleaning chemicals, which can be absorbed into the surface and then released as vapor during your next session.
How do I figure out the right sauna size for cedar or hemlock construction?▾
The wood species does not directly determine size, but it is worth factoring bench depth and ceiling height into your capacity planning. A 4-person sauna like the Golden Designs Arosa is built for four occupants with a 6.0 kW stove standard, while stepping up to the SaunaLife EE8G gives you a 7 foot 7 inch diameter barrel with room for six people. Matching heater output to interior volume is more important than the wood choice when sizing correctly.
What is the most common mistake people make when choosing between cedar and hemlock?▾
Choosing based on looks alone and ignoring the ventilation requirements of the wood they pick. Hemlock in a beautiful, well-lit interior with a glass wall looks great, but if the drainage design is poor or airflow is restricted, the wood can degrade faster than cedar would in the same conditions. The better approach is to settle on your ventilation and drainage setup first, then choose the wood that suits that environment rather than the other way around.
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