Finnish Roots. Minnesota Built. Sauna the Way It Should Be.
At Northern Steam, we don’t just build saunas—we continue a tradition that’s been part of everyday life for generations.
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Our founder, Jaden Jurvakainen, grew up in central Minnesota, where Finnish heritage runs deep—and where a sauna wasn’t a luxury, but a way of life.
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In this part of the country, saunas aren’t new. Minnesota is home to one of the highest concentrations of Finnish descendants in the U.S., and with that comes a cultural respect for the sauna—not as a spa day, but as a daily ritual. A place to warm up after work. To reset. To connect. To breathe.
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Jaden grew up with sauna. Built them. Used them. Learned how to make heat the right way. And after years in the trades, he founded Northern Steam to build saunas that honor the tradition while standing up to real Minnesota winters.
Our Philosophy
We believe a sauna should be:
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Functional and beautiful – Designed to work hard and look good doing it
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Built to last – Using quality materials and smart construction
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Rooted in tradition – But never stuck in the past
From layout to stove to siding, every decision is made with your experience in mind.
Sauna History
The word sauna (pronounced "SOW-na") comes from Finland, where the tradition dates back thousands of years. Early saunas were dug into hillsides and heated with wood-fired stoves, creating deep, radiant heat that cleansed the body and cleared the mind.
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Today, sauna culture continues to thrive in Finnish communities around the world—and especially here in the Upper Midwest. Minnesota’s long winters and dense Finnish-American population have made saunas more common here than just about anywhere in the U.S.
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At Northern Steam, we keep that history alive—but with cleaner lines, better materials, and a faster build process.
