Skip to content
saunoka

Sauna lighting: heat-rated lights and where to put them

Sauna light should be soft and low: you want to see the benches and the steps, not stare into a lamp at 90 °C. Above all, it has to be rated for the heat.

Updated Oct 18, 2026

Heat rating

Under a sauna's ceiling the air can pass 100 °C, so ordinary house lights don't belong there. Use fittings sold for saunas and check their maximum temperature and protection rating, for example:

  • sauna wall and ceiling lamps rated to 125 °C with silicone seals and IP54 protection (such as Lindner's Lisilux);
  • silicone-sleeved LED strips sold for saunas, rated to about 110–125 °C.

Mounting lights low, where the air is much cooler, gives them a wide safety margin (see sauna temperature).

Where to put them

  • Under the upper bench or behind the backrest: soft indirect light, out of your eyes.
  • Low on the wall at the entrance, so the step and the floor are lit.
  • Not above the heater and not in the line of sight from the benches.

Fibre optics and drivers

Fibre-optic systems keep the light source outside the hot room and bring only glass fibres inside, which suits the hottest spots. With LED strips, keep the driver or transformer outside the hot room too.

Wiring

Lights are connected by a licensed electrician with heat-resistant cable; many heater control units have an output for the light. Plan the positions before the panelling goes up (how to build a sauna).

Questions and answers

What lights can be used in a sauna?

Only fittings made for saunas, rated for the temperature where they are mounted: sauna lamps rated to about 125 °C, silicone LED strips sold for saunas, or fibre optics with the light source outside the room.

Where should lights go in a sauna?

Low and indirect: under the upper bench, behind the backrest and low by the door. Avoid lights above the heater and in your eyeline from the benches.

Can I use LED strips in a sauna?

Yes, if they are made for saunas: sealed in silicone, rated for the heat (typically about 110–125 °C) and mounted low, with the driver outside the hot room.

Related