Finish for the cold side of a sauna?

[Dennis Pickerl]

My friend has a in-house sauna with a solid Cedar door. He wants to stain the outside very dark to match the other wood surfaces and leave the inside bare. I don't want to put a film type finish on the outside but was looking for thoughts on a dye to get the color and once dry a coat of danish oil.

Thanks for your advice.

Dennis

[John TenEyck]

I finished the outside of the door to my sauna with some type of varnish, 20+ years ago, and have had no issues. The inside of my door (and sauna) is redwood, the outside is knotty pine. They are separated by a layer of 3/4" foam. That construction may be a reason I've had no troubles.

Anyway, you can dye the door with Transtint or Transfast dyes in water, and then follow that with the Danish Oil, no problem. You can download their color charts at HomesteadFinishing.com

John