Two things put a sauna build in commercial territory: a room over roughly 460 cubic feet, or the need for three-phase power. Either threshold takes you out of the residential lineup. We stock the Homecraft Apex 208V 3-phase in 12, 15, and 18 kW for rooms from 450 up to 1,150 cubic feet, made in Canada and CSA approved. Trade pricing is available for contractors, dealers, and facility teams.
Electric Commercial Sauna Heaters
When you need a commercial heater.
Two practical thresholds put you on this page. The first is room volume: most home saunas land between 200 and 460 cubic feet, which is what the residential lineup is sized for. Once you're past 460 cu. ft. - hotel spas, gym wellness rooms, multi-bench commercial saunas, large outdoor cabins - you're in commercial territory. The second is power. Residential homes are typically wired for 240V single-phase, but pulling that much current on a single circuit at 12-18 kW is impractical, which is why commercial heaters at this scale run on 208V three-phase. Most commercial buildings - spas, gyms, hotels, fitness centers - already have three-phase service installed. If your build is under 460 cu. ft. and running on residential single-phase, the electric residential heaters page is the right starting point.
What we stock: Homecraft Apex 208V 3-phase.
The Homecraft Apex is our commercial heater, made in Canada by Homecraft, who's been building heaters here for over 35 years. It comes in three sizes: 12 kW for rooms 450 to 700 cubic feet, 15 kW for 600 to 900, and 18 kW for 690 to 1,150. The build is what you'd want for commercial-grade duty: 18 inch diameter by 36 inch height, 310 lbs. of stone capacity, 100% stainless steel construction, and a protected element air chamber that keeps the elements out of direct contact with falling water. CSA and UL approved. Controller and stones are sold separately - budget for both alongside the heater.
Installation and what your electrician needs to know.
The Apex 208V 3-phase needs a dedicated three-phase circuit hardwired by a licensed electrician familiar with commercial sauna installs. Refer to the installation manual for breaker rating, wire gauge, distance-to-combustibles, and clearance specs your electrician will need - the manual is the source of truth, not the marketing copy. Heat-up time runs longer than residential because there's more stone mass and a larger air volume to bring up to temperature. Properly insulated rooms recover faster between sessions, which matters when you're running multiple bookings a day.
Trade pricing and project support.
For contractors, dealers, designers, and facility teams: trade pricing and account access are available on application. We supply the heater, paired components, and shipping from our warehouse in Ontario. If you're spec'ing a commercial sauna build and need to coordinate the heater alongside lumber, doors, ventilation, and finishes, our DIY sauna kits cover the whole-build packages, and our building components section covers piece-by-piece spec for builds working from existing plans.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are commercial sauna heaters different from residential models?
Yes - in three ways. They run on 208V three-phase power instead of residential 240V single-phase, they're built to handle multiple daily sessions over long operating days, and they're sized for rooms larger than the residential lineup covers.
What's the difference between 240V single-phase and 208V three-phase?
Single-phase is what most homes are wired for; three-phase is what commercial buildings have. Three-phase splits the current load across three legs instead of one, which is the practical reason commercial heaters at 12-18 kW are wired this way. Every commercial heater on this page is 208V three-phase.
What size commercial sauna heater do I need for my spa or gym?
Match the kW to your room's cubic footage: 12 kW for 450-700 cu. ft., 15 kW for 600-900 cu. ft., 18 kW for 690-1,150 cu. ft. Glass walls, exterior walls, and rooms running multiple sessions per day push you toward the larger size in any range.
How long can a commercial sauna heater run continuously?
The Apex is built for the daily-use cycles commercial saunas put on a heater - multiple bookings per day, full operating hours, repeated heat-up and cool-down cycles. No electric heater is designed for true 24/7 continuous operation. Plan for cool-down windows between sessions and at end of day. Better-insulated rooms hold heat between bookings, which extends element life.
Do you offer trade pricing for contractors and dealers?
Yes, on application. We work with contractors, dealers, designers, and facility operators across Canada. Apply for a trade account and we'll get you spec sheets, lead times, and pricing for the Apex line and supporting components. For larger commercial projects we also support white-label and co-branded sauna lines.