How to Paint a Cedar Sauna

Taking a steam in a sauna is an activity that goes back centuries. Some people find it relaxing and a way to purify the body by sweating out impurities. Installing a sauna at home allows you to enjoy this experience at your leisure. Saunas are often constructed of cedar because it is heat resistant, is durable and has a pleasant smell. If you want to paint your cedar sauna, you can paint the exterior, but do not paint the interior as the wood needs to breathe. Not only can interior paint make the surface extremely hot, but also it can release toxic chemicals into the air.


Place drop cloths on the ground and over any plants around the sauna to protect them.


Coat the wood with water-repellent preservative that contains 1 percent or less of wax if the wood on the sauna is new and untreated. If you are repainting an existing sauna, skip this step.


Place blue painters tape around the trim to protect it while you paint the walls.


Examine the boards on the walls for signs of damage and sand any rough spots you find until they're smooth. If you're repainting an older sauna, wash the walls with a mild detergent, then peel away any paint that's flaking or chipping and sand the edges smooth with a rotary tool using sanding accessories.


Paint the walls with a coat of primer. Begin by painting along the outer edges with smooth, even strokes. This process is known as "cutting in." Then paint the cedar boards with long, smooth strokes, going with the direction of the wood. Cover an area of the boards about 3 feet long at a time before moving on to the next section. Allow the primer to dry. If you're repainting an older sauna the same color as before, you need to add primer only to areas where you removed old, flaking paint. Apply primer to the entire structure if you are repainting it a different color.


Add a second coat of primer to the walls and allow it to dry.


Paint the walls with the desired topcoat, using the same technique you used to apply the primer. Allow the paint to dry.


Examine the walls and touch up any areas that need it.


Remove the painter's tape from the trim. Apply new painters tape to the walls along the edges of the trim.


Apply primer to the trim and allow it to dry. When priming or painting the trim, keep checking the bottom edges to see if the primer or paint is running down and beading up. If it is, wipe the excess paint away with the paintbrush.


Apply a second coat of primer to the trim and allow it to dry.


Paint the trim the desired color and allow it to dry. Touch up any spots that need it.


Remove the painters tape from around the walls around the trim.