Sauna Wood Cladding Profile STS4

What is STS4 Profile Cladding?

Our customers often ask us: what are the most popular sauna wood cladding profiles and which one should I choose for my home sauna? The STS4 profile gets its name from the 4mm gap between each board. The STS4 panels have slim, angular grooves, which make this sauna wood cladding a great choice for a modern sauna where a symmetrical, strong aesthetic is desired. The STS4 profile is a popular choice in contemporary, Finnish saunas.

STS4 sauna wood cladding is available in the following dimensions:

• 12mm thick by 90mm wide
• 15mm thick by 65mm wide
• 15mm thick by 68mm wide
• 15mm thick by 85mm wide
• 15mm thick by 90mm wide
• 15mm thick by 120mm wide
• 15mm thick by 140mm wide
• 15mm thick by 160mm wide
• 19mm thick by 185mm wide

The effective width of each STS4 cladding board is 10mm less than the nominal width (for example, a 90mm board will have a coverage of 80mm).  

Which wood types can I get STS4 tongue and groove sauna cladding in?

As a popular sauna wood cladding profile, the STS4 profile is available for a selection of timbers. You can find the following wood types in STS4 profile:

• Aspen
• Thermo Aspen
• Alder
• Thermo Alder
• Dark Thermo Alder
• Thermo Radiata Pine

Installing STS4 sauna wood cladding:

For best results, the cladding should be kept in the same space where they will be installed. This allows the cladding to adjust to the humidity levels and temperature of the room. You can choose to install your STS4 sauna wood cladding either horizontally or vertically. The battens are installed on top of the battens. The battens are installed perpendicular to the cladding. This means that if you wish to clad the sauna horizontally, the battens should be placed vertically.

For a vertical installation of the STS4 sauna wood cladding, make sure to leave a 10mm gap between the corner when fixing the first and last panels. This can be covered with sauna wood corner mouldings afterwards for a finished, clean look. If you wish to clad the sauna horizontally, begin the installation of the panels from the top and work towards the bottom of the room. The tongue should be facing upwards and the groove downwards.

What fixings do I need to install my STS4 Profile sauna wood cladding?

We recommend using a staple gun to fix the cladding onto the battens. The staple penetration should be set in a way that the clips do not protrude out of the wood’s surface. You should also make sure that the clips do not penetrate too deep as this can damage the surface of the 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. To get the best possible finish for your sauna cladding, we recommend treating it with paraffin oil.

You can browse our STS4 Sauna Wood Cladding below: