29/09/2026
Around six years ago, James Wilson made a decision about the way he wanted to build: wherever possible, he would work with natural, sustainable materials.
Since then, his work has taken him through straw, h**p, natural fibre insulation and Scottish timber.
Earlier this year, after finally securing a workshop on Skye with enough space, James decided to turn his attention to something he'd been thinking about for a while, building his first sauna.
This is the result.
Built using Scottish-grown cedar and larch supplied by us here at Logie Timber, the sauna was made speculatively, simply to see what the response might be and It didn't take long to find a buyer.
For the interior, James chose cedar for the wall lining and benches. It's a timber traditionally associated with sauna building, thanks to its stability through changes in heat and moisture, its relatively low thermal conductivity and, of course, that unmistakable aroma. There's also far more to the finished build than you can see.
As James told us:
“Like a lot of building, much of the work is unseen in the finished project.”
The sauna will eventually leave James's workshop for a rather special final location, by the shore, within the ruins of an old building.
We've spoken to James about the story behind the build, why he chose the materials he did, what went into creating it and where he hopes to take Misty Isle Saunas next.
Read the full case study on our website
Built by / James Wilson Joinery and Sustainable Building
Scottish-grown cedar and larch supplied by Logie Timber
