Nootka Saunas Barrel Sauna
Nootka 8ft Barrel Sauna
Nootka rates its 8 ft western red cedar barrel for four people and fits a 9 kW heater that needs a 50-amp breaker. Skip the circuit with the Harvia M3 wood stove, or buy the bare shell from $7,950.
- Western Red Cedar
- Wood-Fired
- Electric
Where it’s made
According to the maker:
- Built in Squamish, British Columbia
- Materials Western red cedar milled locally in British Columbia
- Imported parts Harvia M3 wood stove on the wood-fired version, Finnish brand
$7,950–$11,649CAD
from $1,988 a seat
19% below the median for outdoor saunas.
We may earn a commission when you buy through this link, and you pay the same price. Price as recorded in our catalogue on Oct 10, 2026.
Good to know: Nootka's own builders deliver and assemble in the Sea to Sky and the Lower Mainland, and everywhere else gets a flat-packed crate by carrier.
- seats
- 4
- heater
- 9kW
- per seat
- $1,988
Before you order
This page gathers what Nootka Saunas publishes about the 8 ft barrel, checked Oct 10, 2026, and adds up what it costs to install. Our verdict on it runs in Nootka Saunas review: which barrel or Cube should you buy?.
Who should buy the 8 ft barrel?
The 8 ft barrel suits up to four people who want a cedar sauna built in BC and priced in one place, heater and all. Nootka builds it in Squamish from western red cedar milled nearby, and its 9 kW electric heater brings the room up to temperature in 10 to 15 minutes, Nootka says.
If you'd heat with wood, look at the 10 ft instead, because the Harvia stove takes enough floor that Nootka rates a wood-fired 8 ft for two. Buyers in Ontario will find LeisureCraft's Harmony and True North's barrel built in their own province.
What does it take to install?
Plan a level spot about 2 by 2.4 m (6 ft 7 in by 7 ft 10 in) of gravel, decking or pavers, since the barrel stands on its own feet and needs no concrete. The 9 kW heater is hardwired at 240V on a 50-amp breaker, or 40 amps for Nootka's 7.5 kW option, and a licensed electrician makes the connection. Around Vancouver and along the Sea to Sky, Nootka's crew puts the barrel up in five or six hours. Everywhere else it arrives as one crate, and Nootka suggests two people and a weekend to build it.
What does the 8 ft barrel cost all in?
| Cost | Amount | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $7,950–$11,649 | The regular price at Nootka, recorded Oct 10, 2026. |
| 9 kW heater with touchscreen | $950 | Nootka's own heater, CSA certified |
| Harvia M3 wood stove, instead | $1,400 | You install the stove and its chimney |
| Black metal roof | $899 | Nootka says it speeds heat-up by about 20% |
| 240V circuit and permit | Electrician's quote | A 50-amp breaker for the 9 kW heater |
| Freight outside BC | Quoted at checkout | One crate for the 8 ft |
By our math, the 8 ft barrel with Nootka's 9 kW heater comes to $8,900 before freight, the electrician and tax. Nootka takes a 15% deposit to hold a build slot and the rest before the sauna ships.
This guide draws on Nootka's configurator, FAQ, warranty page and heater installation guide, read Oct 10, 2026.
By the numbers
Price in context
Where it sits among the 24 outdoor saunas we list
At $7,950, the Nootka 8ft Barrel Sauna starts 19% below the median for outdoor saunas. The cheapest is the SaunaSpa Barrel Sauna Classic at $4,399, and the dearest the Bramari Mökki Sauna at $25,258.
What it costs to run
Electricity for a 9 kW heater
- Per session
- 84¢
- Per month
- $18
- Per year
- $219
60 minutes of heater time a session, warm-up included, at 15.6¢ a kWh in CAD, with the heater cycling as it holds temperature. The three rates are Montréal’s, Toronto’s and Calgary’s, from Hydro-Québec’s 2025 comparison. Work it out for your own numbers.
How hot it gets
A traditional room heats the air itself
104°F50°C
122°F60°C
140°F70°C
158°F80°C
176°F90°C
194°F100°C
212°F110°C
230°F
The Nootka 8ft Barrel Sauna is a traditional sauna. Its heater warms the air to about 80–100°C (176–212°F), and sessions run 15 to 20 minutes. An infrared cabin runs at 45–60°C.
What to know before you buy
Western Red Cedar; electric (240V, hardwired) or wood-fired. These decide whether it suits your space and your electrical panel.
- Western Red CedarWestern Red Cedar is the high-end sauna wood, and it resists rot and insects naturally. It's aromatic and conducts heat poorly, so benches stay cool enough to sit on at 90°C (194°F).
- Wood-FiredA log stove heats the room, so the sauna runs fully off-grid and the crackling fire becomes part of the ritual. Fans of wood heat call its löyly the softest. Plan for a chimney and about 45–60 min of heat-up.
- ElectricAn electric heater holds a steady temperature on its thermostat and needs no chimney. Many models add app or timer control.
Specifications
From Nootka Saunas’s own listing, checked when the page was written.
| Brand | Nootka Saunas |
|---|---|
| Model | Nootka 8ft Barrel Sauna |
| Type | Barrel Sauna |
| Seats | 4 |
| Heater | 9 kW |
| Heat | Wood-Fired, Electric |
| Wood | Western Red Cedar |
| Materials | Western Red Cedar; electric (240V, hardwired) or wood-fired |
| Where it's built | Built in Squamish, British Columbia |
| List price | $7,950–$11,649 CAD |
| Price per seat | from $1,988 |
| Where to buy | Nootka |
| Price recorded | Oct 10, 2026 |
How it compares
We'd weigh the 8 ft barrel against these 4 models from our catalogue.
- Nootka 10ft Barrel Sauna
$9,350–$13,049
Nootka's 10 ft barrel seats eight on the same heater for about $1,400 more
- LeisureCraft Canadian Timber Harmony Barrel Sauna CTC22W
$7,509
LeisureCraft builds the Harmony in Ontario from Ontario white cedar and sells it through dealers
- Copperwood 8ft Round Barrel Sauna
$7,750–$12,365
Copperwood's 8 ft barrel from Spruce Grove, Alberta, starts a little lower and takes a Homecraft heater
- True North Barrel Sauna
$5,500
True North's barrel kit from Owen Sound costs less if you'll build it yourself
| Product | |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $7,950–$11,649 | $9,350–$13,049 | $7,509 | $7,750–$12,365 | $5,500 |
| Seats | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | n/a |
| Heater | 9 kW | 9 kW | n/a | 7.5 kW | n/a |
| Heat | Wood-Fired, Electric | Wood-Fired, Electric | Wood-Fired, Electric | Wood-Fired, Electric | Wood-Fired |
| Material | Western Red Cedar | Western Red Cedar | Eastern White Cedar | Western Red Cedar | Western Red Cedar |
| Links | Buy | See it | See it | See it | See it |
Before you buy
- What electrical does the Nootka 8 ft barrel sauna need?
- The electric Nootka 8 ft barrel needs a hardwired 240V circuit on a 50-amp breaker for the 9 kW heater, or 40 amps for the 7.5 kW option, and a licensed electrician connects it. The wood-fired version needs no circuit.
- How long does the Nootka 8 ft barrel take to heat up?
- Nootka says its 8 ft barrel reaches temperature in 10 to 15 minutes with the 9 kW electric heater and in 30 to 45 minutes with the Harvia M3 wood stove.
- How many people fit in the Nootka 8 ft barrel sauna?
- Nootka rates the 8 ft barrel for four people with the electric heater and for two with the wood stove, which takes up part of the floor.
- Does Nootka assemble the barrel sauna?
- Yes, in Greater Vancouver and along the Sea to Sky Highway, where Nootka's builders put the 8 ft barrel up on site. Everywhere else it ships as a crate, and Nootka suggests two people and a weekend to assemble it.
Nootka Saunas Barrel Sauna
Buy the Nootka 8ft Barrel Sauna
$7,950–$11,649
Buy at NootkaWe may earn a commission when you buy through this link, and you pay the same price.
Where we’ve written about it
Outdoor Saunas
Nootka Saunas review: which barrel or Cube should you buy?
Nootka builds three saunas in Squamish from BC cedar. The 8 ft electric barrel suits most buyers, and we'd take the 10 ft if you want a wood stove.
9 min read
Outdoor Saunas
LeisureCraft sauna review: which Ontario-built model fits your yard?
LeisureCraft builds its saunas in Melancthon, Ontario, and its Canadian Timber line uses cedar from Ontario mills. The Georgian cabin is our pick for a group.
9 min read
Outdoor Saunas
True North Saunas review: is the cheapest Canadian cedar barrel worth it?
True North builds its kits in Owen Sound, Ontario, and its barrel is the cheapest Canadian cedar barrel we've found. You'll pick it up at a freight depot and put it together yourself.
8 min read
