The Best Wood to Burn in a Wood-Fired Sauna (NZ Guide by Spartan Haus)
If you want the strongest heat, the cleanest burn, and the most authentic sweat, the wood you burn in your sauna matters just as much as the stove you’re using. At Spartan Haus, we want every customer to get the absolute best experience out of their Spartan Sauna, so here’s a straightforward guide on the best firewood to use in New Zealand for wood-fired saunas.
At the end of this practical sauna wood guide, you will be an expert on which wood is best to use for your next sauna session.
Why Firewood Quality Matters
A wood-fired sauna demands:
-
Fast heat-up time
-
Consistent, controllable heat
-
Minimal smoke and creosote
-
Long-lasting embers
The right firewood creates that clean, sharp, powerful heat a sauna is known for. The wrong wood creates smoke, soot, wasted fuel, and weak heat.
🔥 Best Woods to Burn in a Wood-Fired Sauna (NZ)
These are the top-performing, widely available woods in New Zealand for heating a sauna stove.
1. Macrocarpa
Best overall for sauna performance.
-
Hot-burning
-
Long-lasting embers
-
Low resin
-
Mild, pleasant aroma
It heats the sauna quickly and keeps a stable temperature. Often the most cost-effective premium option.
2. Manuka
The king of NZ hardwood heat.
-
Extremely high heat output
-
Very clean burn
-
Long-lasting
-
Incredible aroma
Manuka burns hot, ideal for those intense warrior-level sauna sessions. More expensive, but elite performance.
3. Gum (Eucalyptus)
Strong, consistent heat with long burn time.
-
One of the hottest-burning common firewoods
-
Dense and slow-burning
-
Great for maintaining high temperatures once the sauna is warm
Perfect for long sessions or if you like to keep your sauna running 60–90 minutes.
4. Black Wattle
Underrated but excellent sauna firewood.
-
Hot burning
-
Good coal bed
-
Lower cost than manuka or gum
-
Consistent heat output
A great balance of value and performance.
5. Pine (Dry Only)
Good starter wood or for fast heat-up.
-
Lights easily
-
Burns quickly
-
Good for getting the fire going
Not ideal alone for a full sauna session because it burns fast and doesn’t hold heat, but great to mix with a hardwood.
🔥 The Perfect Burning Method for Sauna Heat
For the most efficient sauna stove performance, use this simple method:
-
Start with pine or kindling for fast ignition
-
Add macrocarpa or gum as the sauna begins to warm
-
Finish with manuka if you want the strongest final heat
This gives you:
-
Fast warm-up
-
Clean, steady heat
-
Strong peak temperature
-
Efficient wood use
🚫 Woods to Avoid in a Wood-Fired Sauna
Fresh (Green) Wood
-
Smokes heavily
-
Burns weak
-
Causes soot buildup
Only use wood dried 12+ months when possible.
Treated or Painted Wood
-
Releases toxic fumes
-
Damages sauna stoves
-
Dangerous in enclosed heat
Never burn construction timber, MDF, ply, decking, or anything chemically treated.
Wet or Mouldy Wood
-
Dirty burn
-
Harsh smoke
-
Low heat output
Always store firewood covered and off the ground.
Final Thoughts: Burn Better Wood, Get a Better Sauna
A sauna is a ritual. A discipline. A cleansing fire. When you fuel your sauna with high-quality wood, the heat is hotter, the burn is cleaner, and the experience is far more powerful.
At Spartan Haus, we want every customer firing their Spartan Sauna with the knowledge of a master fire maker!
And it all starts with the right fuel.