Comparing cedar vs hemlock sauna options gets easier when the sauna itself stays the same. Here is how the wood changes the look, scent, and price of your cabin, using two matching Daily Saunas models as the starting point.
The short answer
Choose red cedar for rich natural color and a distinctive wood aroma. Choose hemlock if you prefer a milder scent and a lower price. In our matching two-person models, cedar costs $500 more, while heating features, maximum temperature, warm-up time, dimensions, weight, and power stay the same.
Cedar vs hemlock sauna: what changes?
The useful question is what you want to notice each time you open the door. Cedar's recognizable aroma and richer color? Or a lighter wood palette and a more understated scent?
The table below mixes general wood background with facts about our lineup. The wood references describe western red cedar and western hemlock; our product pages set the specifications of our cabins.
| What you are comparing | Red cedar | Hemlock |
|---|---|---|
| Typical color | Pinkish or reddish brown to dark brown | Nearly white to pale brown |
| Scent in our cabins | Distinctive cedar aroma | Naturally mild scent |
| Surface | Moderately soft wood that sands smooth | Fairly even texture that sands smooth |
| Everyday care | Bench towel, damp cloth, drying after use | The same simple habits |
| Where our models go | Indoor and outdoor | Indoor |
| Matching two-person model | 2-Person Red Light + Full Spectrum Cedar | 2-Person Red Light + Full Spectrum Hemlock |
| Price for that model | $7,499 | $6,999 |
Color and texture: naturally:wood, western red cedar and western hemlock. Care: Harvia.
Is cedar worth the extra $500?
The clearest Canadian hemlock vs red cedar comparison in our range is the 2-Person Red Light + Full Spectrum pair. The Hemlock model has a natural Canadian hemlock cabin and costs $6,999. The Cedar model has a premium Canadian red cedar cabin and costs $7,499. Both are on our 2-person red light saunas page.
Everything except the wood is the same:
| Specification | Both models |
|---|---|
| Heat and light | Full Spectrum + red light |
| Maximum temperature | 149°F |
| Warm-up time | 25–30 minutes |
| Power | 110V · 2,100W |
| Electrician | Electrician Required |
| Width × depth × height | 47.2″ × 41.3″ × 74.8″ |
| Weight | 397 lb |
| Location | Indoor |
That makes the decision simple. The $500 buys the cedar cabin, with its rich natural color and distinctive aroma. Both versions give you the same equipment and the same space.
When the upgrade makes sense
Choose cedar when its look and aroma are part of what you want from owning a sauna. You will see the cabin every day and spend time inside it, so a material you enjoy can be worth paying for even when the equipment matches.
Choose hemlock when you like its mild scent or would rather keep the $500. You keep the same maximum temperature, warm-up time, and full spectrum and red light features.
Compare within this pair first. A larger cedar cabin or a combination sauna changes more than the wood, so its price does not tell you what the wood alone costs.
Which wood looks better in your home?
Red cedar: a richer palette
A red cedar sauna suits you if you want the cabin to stand out as a wood feature. naturally:wood describes western red cedar heartwood as pinkish or reddish brown to dark chocolate brown, with lighter, straw-colored sapwood. That range is why cedar reads as a palette of warm tones rather than one color. naturally:wood.
Look at it next to your flooring, walls, and furniture. A richer cabin can stand out against a light wall or blend into a room that already has warm wood tones.
Hemlock: a lighter palette
For western hemlock, naturally:wood describes pale brown heartwood and nearly white to pale brown sapwood, with straight grain and a fairly even texture. naturally:wood.
If you like pale woods and simple interiors, hemlock may be your first choice regardless of price. Picture the whole cabin in your room, not just a single board.
What does each sauna wood smell like?
Our red cedar cabins have a distinctive cedar aroma. Our hemlock is naturally low-aroma, with a milder wood scent.
The simplest test: do you want the wood's aroma to be a noticeable part of each session? If yes, cedar fits. If you prefer a milder scent, hemlock is the natural match in our indoor range.
Good to know. Mild does not mean odorless. Hemlock is real wood with a quieter aroma, not a scent-free material.
Does infrared or traditional heat change the choice?
Start with the heating experience you want, then think about scent. Our matching indoor full spectrum pair comes in either wood, while all our models with a stone heater use red cedar. If you are still choosing a heating style, read our infrared vs traditional sauna guide.
How does sauna wood feel?
Two ideas often get mixed up: how a surface feels under your hand, and how the wood reacts to changes in moisture.
For surface feel, naturally:wood rates western red cedar as moderately soft with excellent sanding, and western hemlock as fairly even in texture with a good sanding finish. Red cedar; hemlock.
Dimensional stability is how much wood changes size as moisture changes. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association describes western red cedar as having very low shrinkage and strong resistance to warping, twisting, and checking. It also notes cedar's low density and insulating qualities. These are useful material traits, not proof that a whole cabin heats faster. Real Cedar.
For our two-person pair, the shared 149°F maximum and 25–30 minute warm-up are what matter for heating. Choose the wood for the qualities you value.
How do you care for cedar and hemlock?
The same simple habits work for both. Harvia recommends using a bench towel or cover, wiping with a damp cloth, and letting the sauna dry after use: leave the heater on for about 10 minutes, open the vent, and keep the door slightly open. Harvia.
Sit on a clean towel, take it out after the session, and wipe away moisture. Follow the drying and ventilation steps in your model's manual, and care becomes part of finishing each session.
Will the color change over time?
Outdoors, unfinished western red cedar changes with the weather. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association explains that it can turn silvery gray in very dry climates, while in most other climates it tends to weather unevenly. Real Cedar.
That guidance is about exterior siding. Indoor cabin walls live in very different conditions, so choose a model for where it will stand and plan simple care for either wood.
Which Daily Saunas models use each wood?
Our hemlock saunas are all indoor models:
| Hemlock model | Price |
|---|---|
| 1-Person Infrared Hemlock | $4,999 |
| 1-Person Full Spectrum Hemlock | $5,299 |
| 2-Person Infrared Hemlock | $5,999 |
| 2-Person Red Light + Full Spectrum Hemlock | $6,999 |
| 3-Person Red Light + Full Spectrum Hemlock | $8,999 |
Our red cedar saunas cover indoor and outdoor choices:
| Red cedar model | Location | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Person Red Light + Full Spectrum Cedar | Indoor | $7,499 |
| 2-Person Combination Cedar (infrared + Harvia stone heater) | Indoor | $8,499 |
| 4-Person Red Light + Full Spectrum Cedar | Indoor | $9,999 |
| 4-Person Outdoor Traditional Cedar (Harvia 6kW stone heater) | Outdoor | $6,999 |
| 4-Person Outdoor Infrared Cedar | Outdoor | $7,499 |
| Outdoor Contrast Therapy Bundle (sauna + cedar ice bath) | Outdoor | $11,999 |
Why are our outdoor saunas red cedar?
Every outdoor model in our lineup uses red cedar; you can compare them on our 4-person outdoor saunas page. naturally:wood notes that western red cedar produces a natural compound that helps it resist rot and fungus, and lists siding, decking, and fences among its common exterior uses. naturally:wood.
Still, go by each model's indoor or outdoor designation. The Cedar version of our two-person pair is an indoor sauna; choosing cedar does not make it an outdoor model.
Which sauna wood should you choose?
Choose red cedar if its distinctive aroma and rich color are part of your ideal cabin. It is also the wood of our outdoor saunas and our models with a stone heater, so those needs may decide the wood for you.
Choose hemlock if you prefer a milder scent and a lighter wood, and you are shopping for an indoor model. In the matching two-person pair, it also keeps the price $500 lower.
The best wood for a sauna is the one that fits the model you need and the room you love. Decide on location, size, and heating style first; when those are equal, let the wood decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is cedar better than hemlock for an infrared sauna?
Both work well for an indoor infrared sauna. In our matching two-person full spectrum models, the heating specifications are identical. Cedar brings a distinctive aroma and rich color; hemlock brings a milder scent and a lower price.
Is a hemlock sauna odorless?
No. Our hemlock is naturally low-aroma, with a mild wood scent. Choose it if you prefer a quieter aroma while still enjoying real wood.
Does the cedar model heat up faster?
No. Both versions of our 2-Person Red Light + Full Spectrum model warm up in 25–30 minutes and reach up to 149°F.
What does the $500 cedar upgrade include?
In this pair, the difference is the cabin wood. The cedar version is $7,499 and the hemlock version is $6,999. Dimensions, weight, power, and heating features match.
Can I put a cedar sauna outside?
Only a model built for outdoor use. We offer outdoor red cedar models, and indoor red cedar models too. The two-person full spectrum Cedar model is indoor only.
Which wood comes with a traditional stone heater?
All our stone-heater models use red cedar: the indoor 2-Person Combination Cedar and the 4-Person Outdoor Traditional Cedar.
Find your sauna
Not sure which model fits your space and the heat you prefer? Take the 1-Minute Quiz, or learn how often to use a sauna once it is home.
Sources
- Western red cedar. naturally:wood, Forestry Innovation Investment. naturallywood.com
- Western hemlock. naturally:wood, Forestry Innovation Investment. naturallywood.com
- Characteristics and Properties of Western Red Cedar. Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. realcedar.com
- How to Finish Western Red Cedar Siding. Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. realcedar.com
- Maintaining your sauna. Harvia Support, 2026. harvia.com
- Daily Saunas product specifications, September 2026.
