Glass wall brings space to sauna rooms

The sauna’s lounging and washing areas are easily created with the thoughtful use of glass materials to create a sense of space and spaciousness. Glass is the best and most cost-effective material for creating a fresh, spacious and light feeling. A steam room enclosed by a wooden door can feel like a cramped sweatbox if the sense of space is not created even with visual elements such as windows or a glass door.

The sauna and washroom are given a sense of space by allowing a glass wall to provide a visual connection between these spaces. If the ceiling panels in the sauna and washroom were installed at the same level and in the same direction, the panels would appear to continue from the washroom to the sauna. With such visual solutions, the sauna and the washroom can be created as one unified space.

In a family with children, a glass wall can improve not only the aesthetic aspects of the sauna room, but also the safety, as parents can supervise children in the washroom while they take a bath. Glass is an easy-to-clean material and a glass wall and door care package is also available through Sun Sauna.

The hinges used in Sun Sauna’s glass walls are always adjustable in their centre point and have been proven to be durable and functional in use. The aluminium strip used in glass walls is designed for a rubber seal so there is no need for silicone sealants that change colour over time.

Many uses for glass walls in the sauna

The most common use for a full-height glass wall in wet rooms is as a partition between the sauna and the washroom. In this case, it is also consistent that the door is made of glass, without wooden frames. A glass wall can also be used between the washroom and the dressing room, in which case it is advisable to use satin glass. The satin glass is sought so that the glass is essentially translucent rather than transparent.

A single full-height glass element can also be used as a shower screen, for example, when the shower and toilet are next to each other. Usually the walls use the same hinge as the door, so that it can be swung to the side for cleaning. Fused glass works better as a partition material and as a space divider than clear glass.

Half glass wall or full-height glass wall

A half-glass wall is usually constructed with glazing at the top and brickwork and tiling at the bottom. The semi-glass wall is best suited to spaces where showers are close to the wall. Water splashing from the shower can cause limescale deposits to build up on the wall surface if the glass is not regularly washed with a descaling detergent. In addition, the unglazed surfaces of a half-glass wall can be used to conceal structures that are not intended to be visible in the washroom.

A full glass wall can be safely installed in a room where the showers are far enough away from the sauna door wall. In this case, glass calcification will not be a problem for the maintenance of the sauna. When designing the glass wall, it is worth taking into account the view from the washroom to the steam room. The cladding on the sides of the panels and other structural requirements of the sauna room should be considered at the design stage, so that there are no surprises in the implementation of a full-height glass wall and the end result looks neat and tidy.

Glass wall colour options

The shade of the glass wall is chosen at the same time as the panel, laude and tile choices. Clear glass does not restrict the use of other colours and glass materials, but with a light and well-lit washroom it can create a slightly cool atmosphere. Tinted glass, such as smoked and bronze glass, will give a slightly warmer feel, with the choice between these being made on the basis of tile colour. Smoked glass goes well with grey and black tiles and bronze with sand tones.

Transparent glass is usually chosen for the glass wall of the sauna. Again, for other glass in the room, such as the glass wall between the dressing room and the washroom or the frameless glass door, the shade is usually sought after. The shade of the glass and the view it creates is best seen when looking from the sauna room to the washroom, i.e. from the dimly lit to the more brightly lit area.

Many shade options are available for the glass wall:

• Bronze
• Smoke grey
• Clear
• Green
• Wanted (satin)
• Bronze, etched (satin bronze)
• Smoke grey, etched (satin smoke grey)

Cost of glass walls

The cost of a glass wall depends on the number of panes, size, colour and number of hinges (usually 2 or 3). A basic half-glass wall with a side glass height of around 1 100 mm costs around €700-900 for one side glass and €900-1 100 for two side glasses. Full glass walls are around 20-25% more expensive.

Glass walls and doors are only a few hundred euros more expensive to buy than wooden framed doors and tiled walls. The cost of installing glass panels is considerably lower when you take into account the labour and materials required for bricklaying, tiling, insulation, moulding and other installation work. On average, glass walls and doors are installed in two to three hours.

Bring a sense of space and light to your sauna – choose glass. Ask us for a quote and get an exact cost estimate for your sauna glass walls and doors.