The Project

Misty Isle Saunas is a new venture from Skye-based joiner and builder James Wilson, created to bring carefully made, low-impact saunas to the Highlands and beyond.

James has spent the past six years focusing on lower-impact construction, with experience using natural materials including straw bale, hemp, lime, clay and natural-fibre insulation. Having already built three straw bale buildings, he wanted to apply the same considered approach to smaller structures,  beginning with a sauna designed for the climate and character of Scotland’s west coast.

The first Misty Isle Sauna was built speculatively in James’s Skye workshop, without a customer or fixed brief in place. It quickly attracted interest and found a buyer. The compact sauna is designed primarily for two to three people, with capacity for four at a squeeze, and will ultimately be installed beside the shore within the ruins of an old building.

The project brings together Scottish-grown cedar and larch, Sisalwool’s natural-fibre insulation to create a warm, peaceful place to slow down. The exterior uses black corrugated tin for durability and low maintenance, while the interior is lined with Scottish-grown cedar, chosen for its stability, low thermal conductivity and distinctive aroma.

Goals

• Create a compact, beautifully made sauna suited to the exposed west coast of Scotland
• Use local, natural and lower-impact materials wherever possible
• Build a comfortable, calming internal environment
• Reduce unwanted external noise through effective acoustic insulation
• Make a building that is robust, practical and designed to be enjoyed for years
• Test the demand for bespoke, sustainably minded saunas and small buildings

Why Sisalwool?

James had followed Sisalwool since it first came to market and was immediately drawn to both the feel of the product and the ethos behind it. He had previously used Sisalwool on a small extension for a client and found it straightforward and satisfying to install.

For the Misty Isle Sauna, choosing a Scottish-made natural-fibre insulation fitted his ambition to use materials that support a healthier, more considered approach to building. Sisalwool also offered an acoustic benefit too: helping to reduce unwanted noise from outside and supporting the quiet, restorative atmosphere that is central to the sauna experience.

“I wanted the saunas to use local materials and materials that promote a healthy environment. Being able to source Scottish natural fibre insulation was a big factor. I also wanted the space to feel calm and the acoustic properties of Sisalwool help to block out any unwanted external noise.”
James Wilson, Misty Isle Saunas

Sustainable building, by design

For James, sustainable building is not a badge to add at the end of a project. It is a way of thinking through every material choice from the outset.

“Sustainable building for me is about consciousness. It’s about making choices with how we build that lessen the environmental impact now and that doesn’t burden future generations with materials that are difficult to dispose of.”
James Wilson, Misty Isle Saunas

That approach can be seen throughout the build: Scottish-grown cedar for the internal lining and benches; Scottish larch elsewhere in the project; a durable, low-maintenance exterior; and natural-fibre insulation within the building fabric. The cedar and larch were supplied by Logie Timber, with the cedar selected in part for its ability to cope with the changing heat and moisture conditions inside a sauna.

Installation

For a joiner used to fitting insulation in real-world construction settings, ease of handling mattered. Sisalwool’s rigid batts were simple to cut and fit, helping James ensure the insulation fully filled the available spaces without the frustration often associated with rigid boards in awkward or irregular openings.

“Installing insulation is often an unpopular job on the construction site. I have done my fair share of trying to fit rigid materials in awkward shapes, a job that can be tedious to say the least. When I have used Sisalwool, I have found it very satisfying to work with. The rigid batts are easy to cut and are not overly compressed like some insulations, making it easy to see that all voids are suitably filled.”
James Wilson, Misty Isle Saunas

The result

A compact, characterful sauna built around the principles of natural materials, practical craft and long-term enjoyment.

Sisalwool helps support the calm, comfortable environment James wanted to create, pairing naturally with Scottish timber and the wider low-impact ambition behind Misty Isle Saunas.

The venture is already attracting attention across Scotland and further afield. Interest has come from Skye, Tiree, Perthshire and Central Scotland, with wider enquiries also emerging.

Alongside future sauna commissions, James hopes to develop small holiday bothies using the same approach: compact, useful buildings made with care and with sustainable materials at their heart.