Compact 6x8
The Kota: Our Compact 6x8 Outdoor Sauna
A premium backyard sauna without the oversized footprint.
The Kota is our compact 6x8 outdoor sauna, made for homeowners who want a true Finnish-style sauna without giving up a large part of the backyard.
5.0 · 52 Google reviews
- Standard footprint
- 6 x 8 ft
- Typical investment
- $20,000 to $30,000
- Typical capacity
- 4 to 6 people
- Construction
- Shop-built or built on site
- Heater
- Electric or wood-burning
Kota overview
The Kota is where most homeowners should start if they want a dedicated hot room and do not need a changing room or a larger building.
At 6x8 there is room for proper two-tier benches, a heater with a real mass of stones and a viewing window, in a building compact enough to work in most residential backyards.
We can deliver the Kota as a finished sauna, or build it on site when backyard access is limited.
What is included
Standard Kota features.
Structure
- 6 x 8 ft footprint
- 2x4 framed exterior walls
- 2x6 roof framing
- 2x6 floor system
- Mineral wool insulation
- Sauna-rated foil vapor barrier
- Insulated for year-round Minnesota use
- Treated structural skid base
- Cedar deck-style hot-room floor
Exterior
- LP SmartSide vertical panel siding
- Finished LP trim package
- Black corrugated metal roof
- Cedar soffits
- Cedar exterior accents
- Exterior light fixture
- Your choice of exterior color
Interior
- Vertical STK cedar wall cladding
- STK cedar ceiling
- Clear cedar benches
- Clear cedar backrests
- Two-tier bench system
- Under-bench LED lighting
- Finished cedar trim
Doors and glass
- Douglas fir glass entry door
- Insulated tempered viewing window
- Standard window about 1 x 5 ft
- Larger viewing windows available
Heat
The Kota heater.
A standard Kota uses a premium electric sauna heater sized to the room, most often from IKI, paired with a sauna controller.
Wood-burning setups are also available, depending on where the sauna is going and what you prefer.
Common options
- IKI Pillar
- IKI Corner
- Wood-burning IKI heater
Floor plan
A typical Kota layout.
Typical Kota layout
- Upper and lower benches
- L-shaped bench option
- Heater near the entry
- Glass entry door
- Viewing window on the tall wall
The floor plan shows a typical Kota configuration. Door placement, windows, benches and heater location can all be changed.
Schematic layouts, not to scale beyond the overall footprint.
Customization
Built from a proven starting point. Customized for your property.
Kota, Tuli and Superior are starting points, not rigid packages. We can change:
- Overall layout
- Bench orientation
- Door placement
- Window size
- Window location
- Heater
- Interior wood
- Exterior siding
- Roof material
- Lighting
- Porch
- Changing room
- Shower
- Interior accessories
The model gives you a starting footprint and a general investment range, and still lets us design around your property and how you plan to use the sauna.
Kota options
- Larger 2 x 5 ft viewing window
- 4 x 5 ft viewing window
- L-shaped benches
- IKI Pillar heater
- IKI Corner heater
- Wood-burning IKI heater
- Clear cedar interior
- Thermally modified wood
- Cedar siding
- LP board and batten
- LP lap siding
- Metal siding
- Hardie siding
- Standing-seam metal roofing
- Full cedar soffits
- Additional exterior lighting
- Custom glass
- Porch or deck additions
Where a Kota goes
We have delivered Kotas to lots in Minneapolis and Edina, where the back yard is the only yard and every foot counts. They also suit a cabin where the sauna is for a few people most nights, and a spot beside a garage or patio where a larger building would crowd the house.
A small room heats quickly and holds its heat, which is the point of building one this size. The full-glass door keeps a 6x8 room from feeling closed in.
Turnkey projects
From empty backyard to finished sauna.
We can take responsibility for the whole project, so you are not left coordinating several contractors. Depending on the job, we handle:
- Sauna design
- Floor-plan development
- Material selections
- Construction
- Site preparation
- Gravel pads
- Concrete piers
- Pavers and slabs
- Electrical coordination
- Electrical hookup
- Delivery
- Placement
- On-site construction
Jaden is great to work with, he was patient while we made our decisions and then constructed the sauna we asked for in just 3 weeks. He helped get the ground ready and helped us find an electrician. This was as close to turn key as it gets. We are 💯 satisfied and highly recommend.
From our customers
Jaden was fantastic to work with! He was great with communication and quick with the build and delivery. If you want a high quality sauna at a reasonable price, I highly recommend you work with Jaden.
Matt W. · Google review
When we would steer you to a different model
- If you want a changing room or a covered porch under the same roof, the 8x12 Tuli has the length for one.
- If a bigger group will use it together most nights, the Tuli gives everyone room to stretch out.
- If the sauna is meant to be the centerpiece of a lake property, with a lounge room and space for a crowd, look at the Superior.
FAQ
Kota questions
Is a 6x8 sauna big enough?
For most households, yes. The Kota is a 6x8 outdoor sauna with two tiers of cedar benches, and it typically seats four to six. A small room heats quickly and stays hot. If you want a changing room or porch under the same roof, the 8x12 Tuli is the next step up.
How much does a Kota sauna cost?
Typical Kota projects run $20,000 to $30,000. Where yours lands depends on the heater, windows, finishes, site preparation, electrical and delivery. After a site visit we send an itemized proposal so you can see each part of the cost.
Will a Kota fit in a city backyard?
That is what it is for. We have delivered Kotas to city lots in Minneapolis and Edina. If a finished building cannot get to the spot, we can build it on site. Check with your city about any rules for accessory buildings on your lot.
Can you handle the pad and the electrical for a Kota?
Yes. We can install the gravel pad, concrete piers, pavers or a slab, trench for power, hook up the sauna and place it. You can also prepare the base yourself. Either way, site work is quoted separately from the sauna so you can see what each part costs.
What moves a project up or down in its range: pricing. The whole path from first call to first fire: our process.
Compare the models
Kota, Tuli or Superior.
| Feature | Kota | Tuli | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard size | 6 x 8 ft | 8 x 12 ft | 8 x 16 ft |
| Best for | Dedicated backyard sauna | Flexible sauna, porch or changing options | Full sauna retreat |
| Typical capacity | 4 to 6 | 6 to 8+ | 8+ |
| Changing room | Usually no | Optional | Typically yes |
| Porch | Optional | Optional, common | Optional |
| Electric heater | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wood heater | Available | Available | Available |
| Custom glass | Available | Available | Available |
| Site prep available | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electrical available | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site construction | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Typical investment | $20k to $30k | $30k to $40k | $50k to $60k+ |
None of the three fits? See custom builds. For what moves a project up or down in its range, see pricing.
Kota
Small footprint. Full sauna experience.
The Kota gives you everything that matters in a proper sauna and leaves out the space you do not need. Typical projects run $20,000 to $30,000 depending on heater selection, windows, finishes, site preparation, electrical and delivery.