durilam™ panels - the ultimate for hygiene and durability

Specially constructed Physiotherm triple layer durilam™ panels along with Eco-lacquered surfaces provide you unsurpassed hygiene and durability, even in high use commercial applications. After decades of heating and cooling cycles they will not warp or twist. Other Infrared saunas have no sealed surfaces and allow sweat and toxins to be absorbed directly into the wooden surfaces. Imagine how such cabins look like after a time of usage and how they will smell from the amount of sweat absorbing into the wood.

Physiotherm uses premium Austrian Spruce for its cabins as it is widely accepted that Spruce is ideal for those individuals with allergies, multiple chemical sensitivities or patients addressing health problems related to chemical or heavy metal toxicity.

Note: There has been some misleading marketing undertaken by other sauna suppliers about Physiotherm using ‘core boards’ and ‘veneers’ or ‘plywood’.
Physiotherm durilam™ triple layer Sprouce panels are laminated with water based glues with the grain in opposing directions. This guarantees the panels will not twist or crack and makes the cabin virtually maintenance free.

Why are Physiotherm cabins built with Austrian Spruce?

Traditionally saunas employed a fire pot with very hot coals to heat the air within the cabin. Because this created a fire hazard, saunas usually were located outside, away from the dwelling. Water was often dumped over the coals to create steam so the super heated air would not dry out the mucous membranes.

The exposure to the elements externally and water internally dictated use of a wood that would hold up under those conditions. Usually cedar was used (or redwood if cedar was not available) because it contains a volatile oil called cedrene, a member of the terpine family and cedral, which is a cedar-camphor. These chemicals give the wood the ability to withstand wet conditions and repel infestation by insects.

Terpines are a group of unsaturated, aliphatic cyclic hydrocarbons, which unlike petroleum distillates, are derived from plants. They are all local irritants. Ingestion has produced gastrointestinal signs and symptoms, aspiration and pulmonary toxicity; absorption has been associated with alteration in mental status ranging from coma to seizures.

Although minor, these xenobiotics will nevertheless contribute to the "total toxic burden" of the sauna user. Most infrared cabins are now located indoors and operated at low heat so if cedar or redwood is used it is for aesthetic reasons only.

We strongly recommend Austrian spruce for commercial or home use for those individuals with allergies, multiple chemical sensitivities or patients addressing health problems related to chemical or heavy metal toxicity.

Why is Physiotherm not using “clip together” systems?

Physiotherm choosed a method of interlocked construction that takes a little longer to assemble, but will give decades of trouble free use. For a sauna to last 25 years or more, the wood panels have to be super strong and interlocked. The interlock and overlap system of Physiotherm cabins ensures smooth clean lines and sturdiness. Most other brands use tongue and groove panels which can twist in time and trap dust and bacteria making cleaning difficult.
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