RicoRock has carved out a distinctive place in the outdoor living industry by turning nature into a repeatable art form. Known for manufacturing realistic rock waterfall kits, the company has long bridged the gap between natural aesthetics and engineered reliability. However, their latest project pushes the boundaries of "engineered art" even further: a fully functional, convertible sauna cave.
As demand grows for immersive, year-round outdoor spaces, Bruce Riley, owner of RicoRock, is shifting the focus from purely aesthetic water features to multi-sensory experiences. This innovation was born of a structural necessity that became a design breakthrough. What began as a pool repair became the foundation for the company’s first "sunken" sauna.
A Subterranean Solution
The pool maintenance project began without any spa concepts in mind. After digging a 12-foot-deep pit for structural footings, Riley saw an opportunity in the earth itself. “We had this big hole, and I thought, ‘Well, we build caves. Why not build a sunken cave?’” Riley explains.
By building downward, RicoRock avoided the visual bulk of a massive above-ground structure. “It’s only five or six feet out of the ground,” Riley says. “But that extra three feet of space below ground makes it nice and big, so you can walk around in there. There’s an 8-foot ceiling height in there.”
Turning Stone Into Steam
The inspiration to transform the cave into a sauna came from crew member Juan Pablo Rodriguez, of Rockstar Formations. He’d built several such caves in South Dakota, where saunas are a staple. The transition required sealing the traditionally open-air rock structure. “The hardest part is closing off the openings,” Riley notes. “If the steam escapes, obviously, you’re not going to heat up the room. You want to heat up the room to like 120º or 140º.”
To achieve this, the team designed removable plexiglass windows and doors to trap heat during the winter months. This convertible design allows the feature to serve as a cozy retreat in winter and an open-air "cool cave" in summer, requiring only an hour to dismantle the panels when the seasons change.
The Concrete Advantage
While traditional saunas rely on wood, RicoRock’s cast concrete panels offer a unique thermal advantage. The structure was built using block walls and a concrete roof, with RicoRock’s signature rock panels attached for a natural finish.
“It’s a concrete structure, and the concrete helps hold the heat. A concrete structure is ideal for a sauna,” says Riley. Beyond thermal mass, the durability is unmatched: “It’s a permanent structure, so it’ll last longer than people’s houses. The concrete construction is the best there is.”
Redefining the Pool Experience
For many homeowners, the pool area becomes a ghost town once temperatures drop. The sauna cave changes that dynamic, turning the backyard into a year-round destination. “During the winter months, people don’t use their pool very much,” Riley observes. “But in this case, I use the heater and get the pool up to 85 or 90 degrees. Then we can go back and forth from the sauna to the pool. It’s just a real neat experience.”
While these full-scale custom grottos are a significant investment, the modular nature of RicoRock’s technology means the "sauna cave" concept is the new frontier for high-end outdoor design, proving that with a bit of fire and stone, a backyard pool can be enjoyed in any season.
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“We can go back and forth from the sauna to the pool. It’s just a real neat experience.”