The 6 person sauna: what fits a family, and what it takes to install one

A 6 person sauna is a small construction project. None of the 22 saunas we sell for five or more people runs from an ordinary wall outlet, the outdoor models need a level base, and the heaviest weighs 1,600 lb assembled. Prices run from $6,599 to $23,099.

This guide starts with size, because a "6 person" label tells you less than you'd expect. After that come the wiring, where each type can go, and the choice of heat, with every model's published dimensions in one table. To browse instead, everything here is in our 5+ person sauna collection.

What "6 person" means on a spec sheet

A sauna's capacity is the number of adults its benches seat, and manufacturers count tightly. The six-person infrared cabins get to six with benches on two levels. The Monaco's assembly order lists a lower bench heater panel, a middle-level bench heater panel, and separate large and small benches.

The interior dimensions show how close that is. Inside, the Golden Designs Reserve 6 measures 68″ wide by 50″ deep, about 23.6 square feet of floor. Split six ways, that's 3.9 square feet each. The inside of our smallest one-person sauna, the Dynamic Sicily, is 5.3 square feet. Here is every large model whose maker publishes the interior, tightest first:

Calculated from the manufacturer's published interior width and depth. The other fifteen large models do not publish interior dimensions.

For a family of four, the tight count barely matters: a six-person cabin gives four people room to sit back. Six adults who'll use it together every week should look at the bottom of that table, at the Osla, the Toledo or an eight-person cabin. For the sizes below this, our 2-person vs 4-person guide compares them.

Every 5 to 8 person sauna we sell, measured

All are Golden Designs models except the Monaco Elite, which is sold under Golden Designs' Dynamic brand. Dimensions, heater counts and electrical service are the manufacturer's published specifications. Power: every 120V and 240V circuit listed is dedicated; the 240V stove circuit is listed at 40 amps, and "120V outlet" is a 15 amp outlet for the lights and music. *Roof overhang adds 6″ to the depth of the Monaco cabins and the 16-panel six-seater, 4.5″ to the Reserve 6, 4″ to the Kaarina and Kaskinen, and 1.5″ to the two flat-roof models; the standard Vorarlberg and Gargellen figures already include it. Footprint is outside width times depth, without the overhang. †Indoors, or outdoors inside a structure with a waterproof roof, per the warranty. Several traditional and hybrid manuals put the stove circuit at 30 or 40 amps depending on your local code. Prices update live from each product page.

The electrical service each one needs

Our smaller infrared saunas plug into a standard 120V outlet on its own dedicated circuit. That stops at five people. The manufacturer's requirements for the large models fall into three groups.

Indoors or outdoors, and what it sits on

Where a large sauna can go depends on its heat type, and the warranty enforces it.

• The infrared cabins are indoor only. Their warranty reads: "Placing your sauna outdoors will VOID this warranty."
• The indoor traditional cabins (Engelberg, Kuusamo and Osla) and the Toledo hybrid can go indoors, or outdoors inside a structure with a waterproof roof. Their manuals ask for a level floor that tolerates water, such as concrete or tile.
• The Klosters barrel, the Kaarina and Kaskinen barns and the Vorarlberg and Gargellen cabins are built for outdoors, and the Bergen and Karlstad can go either way.

For the outdoor models, the manuals are specific about the base:

The base also has to carry the weight. Assembled weights run from 450 lb for the Engelberg to 1,600 lb for the Kaskinen, and the manuals ask for a surface that "can support the weight of the sauna and its occupants." On a slab that's easy. On an upper floor or an older deck, have someone qualified check it before the sauna arrives. Our barrel, cabin or barn guide compares the outdoor shapes.

Infrared, traditional or hybrid for a group

The infrared cabins heat with carbon panels and run cooler. Those that publish a range list 118 to 132°F as ideal and 140°F as the most they reach. The manual's warm-up guide, starting from a room above 70°F, is about 20 minutes to reach 100°F, 25 to 30 minutes to reach around 115 to 120°F, and 35 to 40 minutes to reach around 125 to 130°F. The low-EMF guide explains the panel tiers.

The traditional models heat the air with an 8 kW stove and stones, to an ideal of 170 to 185°F on most of them (the Osla lists 170 to 190°F and the Kuusamo 175 to 190°F). Each comes with a bucket and scoop for pouring water on the stones. Our indoor traditional sauna guide covers what that heat needs in a house.

Hybrids put both systems in one cabin: an 8 kW stove plus full-spectrum infrared emitters. In a family, that can mean a gentle infrared session on a weeknight and the stove when everyone's home. The hybrid sauna guide goes through who they suit.

Delivery and assembly

These arrive by freight in several boxes: five for the Monaco, six for the Engelberg and Osla, and eight to ten for the eight-person cabins and most outdoor models, with shipping weights up to 1,830 lb. The infrared cabins arrive as finished panels, which the manual says were "completely assembled and tested prior to packaging."

Bigger saunas need a bigger crew. The manuals call for two adults on the infrared cabins (three is ideal on the Monaco), three on the Klosters, Vorarlberg and Gargellen, and four recommended for the Kaarina and Kaskinen barns. Our freight delivery guide covers delivery day and inspecting the boxes.

Which large sauna to choose

Six good starting points, depending on what matters most to you. Prices shown are the current price on each product page.

To compare them side by side, see the 5+ person collection, or browse by heat: traditional, hybrid or barrel.

The warranty, by heat type

Golden Designs makes all of these (it also owns the Dynamic brand), and the written warranty depends on the heat type.

• On the infrared cabins, the wood, structure, heating elements and electronics are covered "for a period of 1 to 5 years from the original date of purchase," for indoor use only.
• On the traditional and hybrid models, a Limited Lifetime Warranty covers the sauna room against defects in material and workmanship. The stove is excluded, "as it is covered by its own manufacturer warranty."

Both cover parts but not labor, apply to the original purchaser at the original site of installation, and end on owner transfer or relocation. For service, Golden Designs tells owners to contact their authorized dealer, which for a sauna bought here means calling us. The full text is on every product page and on our Golden Designs warranty page.

Send us your measurements, a photo of the spot and what's spare in your electrical panel, and we'll tell you which of these will work.