Oakland · Sauna Builder Services
Steam Saunas
Fully sealed tiled steam rooms and steam showers at 110 to 120 degrees and saturated humidity, built waterproof from the substrate up.
Steam is a different build entirely
A steam room runs cooler than a sauna, around 110 to 120 degrees, at close to a hundred percent humidity. It is a wet room in the truest sense, and that changes everything about how it is built. Wood paneling and a vapor barrier are replaced by a fully waterproofed substrate, tile or stone, a sloped floor to a drain and a sloped ceiling so condensate runs to the wall instead of dripping on your head.
The heat comes from a steam generator sitting outside the room, usually in a closet, a basement or a vanity, feeding steam through a head near the floor. Sizing it is not guesswork. Cubic volume matters, but so does the material on the walls, because stone and glass pull far more heat out of a room than tile over cement board does.
Most of our steam work in Oakland is a steam shower rather than a standalone room, and that is usually the sensible answer. It uses space you already have and shares the drain and the supply. If you want dry heat instead, the traditional sauna route is a very different project.
Why waterproofing is the whole job
A steam room that leaks does not announce itself. It soaks the framing behind the tile for two years and then shows up as a stain on a ceiling below. In the East Bay's older housing stock, where a bathroom often sits directly over a living space with original framing, that is an expensive discovery. We build the waterproofing as a continuous system and test it before any tile is set.
- Continuous waterproof membrane on floor, walls and ceiling, with every corner and penetration detailed.
- Flood test before tile, so a failure is found while it is still cheap to fix.
- Ceilings sloped at least two degrees so condensate runs to the wall rather than dripping.
- Generators sized against wall material, not just volume, because stone and glass change the load badly.
- Steam heads placed low and away from where anyone stands or sits.
- Doors and glass sealed top to bottom, which is where most retrofit steam showers fail.
Reasons to build a steam room
Steam suits some households far better than dry heat. These are the cases where we recommend it.
Dry heat bothers your breathing
Plenty of people find 190 degree dry air harsh. Warm saturated air at 115 feels much gentler, and for anyone whose interest is loosening up rather than sweating hard, steam is the better fit.
You are already remodeling a bathroom
Adding steam during a bath remodel is a fraction of the cost of retrofitting it later, because the waterproofing, the drain and the wiring are already being touched. If your walls are open, decide now.
Space is tight
A steam shower needs no extra footprint at all. In a Rockridge bungalow with one bathroom and no spare room, that is often the only realistic way to get heat therapy into the house.
You want it to double as a shower
One enclosure, two uses, and no separate room sitting cold six days a week. This is the most common configuration we install.
You want lower running temperatures
Steam generators cycle rather than holding a large mass hot, and sessions are shorter. For households worried about running costs, the numbers are usually friendlier than a large traditional room.
How we build a steam room
Survey, sizing and generator siting
We measure the enclosure, note every wall material, and size the generator against that rather than volume alone. Then we find a home for it within the pipe run limit, which is usually a vanity, a closet or the basement below.
Waterproof, slope and rough-in
Substrate goes in, then a continuous membrane across floor, walls and ceiling with corners and penetrations detailed. The floor slopes to the drain and the ceiling slopes to a wall. Steam, water and power lines are roughed in and the assembly is flood tested.
Tile, glass and commission
Tile or stone goes on, the enclosure is glazed and sealed top to bottom, and the generator is connected and run up. We test the temperature rise, check for leaks under real conditions, and set the controls with you.
Steam room details
The decisions that separate a steam room that lasts from one that ruins a ceiling.
Steam generators
Sized in kilowatts against volume and wall material. We fit Mr Steam, Thermasol and Steamist, with auto-drain and descaling on anything we install, because Oakland water leaves scale.
Waterproofing systems
Sheet or liquid membrane over cement board, with pre-formed corners and sealed penetrations. This is a system, not a product, and mixing brands mid-assembly is how failures start.
Sloped ceilings
At least a two degree fall so condensate runs to a wall. A flat steam ceiling drips cold water on people, which is the single most common complaint about retrofit steam showers.
Seating and benches
Tiled or solid-surface benches built into the enclosure, sloped slightly so water runs off, at a height you can actually sit at for twenty minutes.
Steam showers
The combined approach: one enclosure that works as a daily shower and as a steam room. Needs a fully sealed door and a transom, since a standard shower enclosure leaks steam everywhere.
Controls, lighting and extras
Digital controls with preheat schedules, chromotherapy lighting, aroma pumps for eucalyptus oil, and sealed speakers. All specified for constant saturated humidity, which ordinary bathroom fittings are not.
What a steam room costs
Steam showers in Oakland generally run eight to twenty-two thousand dollars, and standalone tiled steam rooms go higher. What drives it:
- Tile or stone selection, which is frequently the largest single line.
- Enclosure size, because generator capacity scales with it.
- Wall material, since stone and large glass panels demand a bigger generator.
- Whether waterproofing is new work or a tear-out of a failed previous install.
- Glass, with frameless sealed enclosures costing well above framed.
- Where the generator can sit, since a long pipe run or a difficult location adds work.
If you are torn between wet and dry, we will price both honestly. A great many clients end up with a steam shower indoors and a barrel sauna in the yard, which covers both experiences for less than one large indoor build. See what we build to order or browse our full range of sauna and spa work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a steam room and a sauna?
A sauna is dry heat at 170 to 200 degrees with low humidity, built in wood with a vapor barrier. A steam room is wet heat at 110 to 120 degrees at saturated humidity, built in tile or stone with continuous waterproofing. They feel completely different and they are different construction projects with almost nothing in common behind the surface.
Can I turn my existing shower into a steam shower?
Sometimes, and the answer depends on what is behind the tile. A steam shower needs full waterproofing on walls and ceiling, a sloped ceiling, and a sealed enclosure top to bottom. If your shower was built as an ordinary shower, that usually means taking it back to the studs. We open a small area and tell you honestly before quoting.
Where does the steam generator go?
Outside the enclosure, within the manufacturer's maximum pipe run, which is typically twenty-five to sixty feet. A vanity cabinet, a linen closet, an attic space or the basement directly below all work. It needs power, a water supply and a drain, and it needs to stay accessible for service.
How much does a steam shower add to a water bill?
Less than most people expect. A twenty minute session uses roughly one to two gallons, which is a fraction of a normal shower. Electricity is the larger cost, and it is still modest, since the generator only draws hard during warm-up and then cycles.
See all FAQs on our FAQ page.
Planning steam saunas in Oakland?
Tell us about your space and we will send you a free written estimate. No pressure and no obligation. Fill in the form or call us and we will help you work out what fits your room, your panel and your budget.
Or call us now: 510-462-6097