At Logie Timber, every project begins with the forest. This one started just a few miles away on Altyre Estate, where stands of Western Red Cedar had grown tall and steady in the Moray air. When Retreat for Change approached us with their vision for a one-of-a-kind sauna at Earnhill House, we knew this cedar would be the perfect fit.
Cedar has long been prized for sauna building. Its natural durability means it can withstand years of heat and steam without warping or rotting. It holds warmth yet remains comfortable to the touch, and its gentle, resinous aroma enriches the atmosphere with every session. In short: it creates not just a structure, but an experience.
The Making of the Timber
Once felled at Altyre, the cedar arrived at our yard, where it began its transformation from log to sauna lining. Each step was carefully handled by our team:
- The Mebor team first cut the logs to size, opening the heart of the tree into usable boards.
- Paul and Angus took the boards into the kiln, monitoring them closely over days to bring the moisture content down to the perfect balance for interior use.
- From there, Paul planed and profiled the timber into Tongue and Groove with a V-joint (TG&V), the classic sauna profile that allows tight, seamless joints while accommodating the timber’s natural movement.
- Finally, Euan strapped and tagged each bundle, preparing the finished boards for transport to Earnhill House.
Every length that left the yard carried both the strength of the forest and the skill of the people who worked it.
Building with Intention
Founder Ben Starkie had envisioned something different for Retreat for Change: a cedar-clad dome, inspired by unusual brackets he had come across online. What began as an idea soon grew into a six-month journey of building, insulating, shingling, and finally lining the interior with our cedar TG&V.
At the heart of the finished sauna sits a HUUM wood burner, heating the space to 90°C in just 90 minutes. The cedar interior holds the warmth beautifully, its fragrance rising with the heat to create a calm, grounding atmosphere.
Together with the cold plunge and drench area, the sauna now forms the centrepiece of Retreat for Change’s contrast therapy space, a place where extremes of hot and cold bring balance, resilience, and renewal.
Why Cedar?
- Performance – Stable in heat and moisture, cedar keeps its form where other timbers might twist or crack.
- Durability – Naturally resistant to decay, it’s perfectly suited to the demanding environment of a sauna.
- Comfort & Atmosphere – Its warm touch and distinctive aroma enrich the experience, turning heat into ritual.
- Local Sourcing – By working with cedar from Altyre Estate, just a few miles away, we reduced transport impact and supported the cycle of sustainable Scottish forestry.
A Place for Renewal
The Earnhill House sauna is more than a building it’s a collaboration. Between forest and craftspeople, between Logie Timber and Retreat for Change, between nature’s raw materials and the human need for stillness.
It now stands in the orchard at Retreat for Change as a vessel for resilience and reflection: a place where wood, heat, and silence meet, and where people can return to themselves.
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