Bathroom with Sauna
Toronto.

About This Project

The brief for this project was clear: a bathroom that functions at a luxury level and includes a fully integrated sauna. Not a prefab unit dropped into a corner, but a proper custom build where the sauna and the bathroom feel like they were designed together from the start. That is what we built.

Material selection was the first serious conversation. Tile that looks good in a bathroom does not automatically perform in a sauna. The sauna interior runs at sustained high heat with significant temperature cycling and any tile that is not specified correctly will crack, lift, or cause the adhesive to fail within a few seasons. We worked through the material options with the client and landed on porcelain and marble selections that handle the thermal environment and carry a consistent aesthetic between the two spaces. The sauna does not feel like a different room done by a different contractor.

Waterproofing was applied throughout the bathroom wet areas using the Wedi Pro certified system. The transitions between the bathroom floor, shower zone, and sauna threshold received particular attention. These junction points are where water finds its way into the structure in poorly executed installations. A continuous membrane across all of them is non-negotiable if you want the warranty to mean anything.

The sauna itself was built as part of the renovation from the ground up. Bench positioning, door placement, the relationship between the sauna entry and the shower, and the tile work carried through to the interior all of it was planned before anything was built. The result is a space that functions like a private wellness suite. The homeowners use it every day.

This project carries the 10-year water leakage warranty on the bathroom wet areas. Everything is documented and on file.