Sauna Wood Cladding Profile Kallio

What is Kallio Profile Cladding?

Kallio is a proprietary tongue and groove profile, produced by Kärävä Oy, of Finland. Visually, it is a balance between the industry-standard STS4 profile and STP profile. The profile can be used for interior features, exteriors when thicker 19mm cladding is used, and of course as a tongue and groove cladding option for your sauna. Kallio profile timber has a 2mm radius on the two front edges and large grooves on the back face which allow water from the sauna to run down behind the cladding and onto the floor rather than sitting on battens or being trapped behind the boards. This means water is not sat in direct contact with the timber cladding and reduces the chances of your sauna developing issues with mould or rot.

Should I use Kallio Profile tongue and groove sauna wood for my sauna cladding?

Kallio is an excellent choice for sauna wood tongue and groove cladding. The deep  grooves in the back of the cladding allows moisture to run to the floor behind it and dry out after a steamy sauna session. This movement of air behind the tongue and groove boards allows the cladding to “breathe” which helps ensure the cladding's long term stability and durability.

What sizes is Kallio Sauna Wood Cladding available in?

Typically the lengths available for Kallio sauna cladding are 1800mm, 2100mm, 2400mm, 2700mm, and 3000mm. Kallio profile timber is 15mm thick and is available in widths of 90mm, 120mm, and 140mm. Please note that this measure of the width is for the whole tongue and groove panel. The effective width of each Kallio cladding board is 13mm less than the nominal width (for example, a 90mm board will have a coverage of 77mm). One exception to the above is Western Red Cedar, which is available in 90mm and 140mm only, and is 17mm thick to compensate for its fragility. Cedar is generally supplied at 2150mm, 2450mm and 3050mm lengths. Exterior grade Kallio is generally specified at 19mm thick. We use exterior grade Kallio thermo pine cladding 19x142mm on some of our bespoke garden sauna installations.

We are only able to ship up to 2.4m lengths of timber as standard. Please contact us for alternative options such as a pallet courier service if you require longer lengths.

Which different types of wood is Kallio Profile Tongue and Groove sauna cladding available in?

Several species of timber for sauna cladding are available in the Kallio profile. Aspen, alder, thermo aspen, thermo pine, and Western Red Cedar are all available on the Finnmark web shop.

How do I install Kallio Profile Wood cladding in a sauna?

The process we recommend for installing sauna cladding panels is called ‘blind nailing’. This involves using a brad nailer or stapler (similar to a nail gun) to fire brads or staples diagonally into the groove of each cladding board, before lining up the next board. This ensures that there are no unsightly fixings visible from inside the sauna. Cladding should be fixed onto perpendicular battens so that there is a small ventilation gap behind. This allows condensed water to run down the sauna insulation and vapour barrier, to the floor, and for air to pass through and dry out the Kallio sauna timber.

What fixings do I need to install my Kallio Profile sauna wood cladding?

Stainless steel brad nails or staples are ideal as they will provide the best durability in the extreme heat and humidity of the sauna environment. Galvanised nails are the next-best option, but please be warned that these can create marks on the surface of the timber - they will stain black on high tannin woods like Alder and Western Red Cedar.

The appropriate length nails should be chosen so that they will go diagonally through the cladding and get a good purchase in the battens behind. These are usually around 25mm on the application.