We're gearing up for our big homesteading venture, which will be a micro-intentional community... 3 households, with no plans to expand. One of our members has rheumatoid arthritis and would greatly benefit from a sauna/hot tub/cool bath, considering the cold Oklahoma winters. (And the rest of us wouldn't mind, either!) So we've agreed that a bathhouse should be our first building. We're exploring cob, but not committed to it for this structure. Anyway... this is a general call for advice. Anyone done this, or have any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

-- witness (carlaevans@hotmail.com), June 11, 2001

Answers

My first thought is that a sauna/bath would not be my first building. Second thought would be exploring the use of an outside wood furnace... since this could be used to heat the bath and perhaps several (maybe all) of the buildings.

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), June 11, 2001.

Check out Rob Roy's book on building a cordwood sauna. Looks pretty simple. I was going to build one out by my pond but I moved. I bought a portable sauna instead, which was REALLY simple!

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), June 11, 2001.