I just recived a Hot tube and I need to build a little deck for it anybody have any idea how much renforcing (sp) I need to do under to make sure that It will not come crashing down once I have it filled and people get in it. \

Thanks in advance.

Justin

 

well, waters like 7/lbs per gallon, how bigs the hot tub? what are the specs- i s'pose a column 6"x6" solid wood per corner, and a good 2' x 2' x 10" concrete pad per column w/ reinforcement would be good-... dunno, never worked with one before.
good luck,
Justin

 

How big is the hot tub, how many gallons does it hold, what is it's dry weight, how many people will it hold, how many people will you put in it? Details....And your best bet is probably concrete, you'd need some serious wood (think 6x6's everywhere) to hold up this thing.

 

also, what does the spa manufacturer recommend? DO they recommend that have the weight taken on the bottom? Or can the lip take the weight?


The other thing is to check local building codes. You need to make sure that you at least meet those.

 

The one I installed is an Arctic. It has a bottom you can place on anything. I made a frame with 6x6 s. Filled it with crushed limestone. Placed a 3 inch thick, 30 x 30 concrete pad on each corner and placed the tub on the blocks. It is about 8 x 8 and holds 400 gallons. I placed it beside an existing deck and then extended the deck around the tub. I have access to each side panel and it is only about 6 steps from the house. You do not want it too far to walk to when it gets below zero. You will enjoy it.
Check spa sites for ideas on your deck. There are some good ones.

 

I can't believe you guys are just going on like nothing happened...

 

I was going to say something, but I figured I'd better not, because in a few days we could get a post saying, Ok, I put my hot tube on the deck, filled it up, and my deck collapsed. Now what?

 

How tall of a deck would you be building? Is it ground level, if so, pouring a good 4"-6" concrete pad over a compacted gravel bed the same exterior dimensions as the tub(e)? itself would work. If it is up a ways, say 5 to 8 feet, 6X6 post's anchored in concrete footings (Sonitubes work great) will work, just make sure you support them diagonally to keep the lateral movement in check. I'd recommend 2X12's spaced 1 foot on center for the deck floor, the stronger the better considering water weighs in at 8.34 lbs / gallon, so you'd be looking at 2085 lbs for a 250 gallon hot tub (not sure how much water your hot tub'll hold) Then you're going to need a pretty good power source from your electrical panel, just something else to ponder.

Hopefully in a few years, I'll have one sitting on my deck, can't wait, have fun with yours!

 

HAHA

I missed that. anyway it is a 5 person weight 600 empty and holds 300 gallons of water the place I'm putting it is not level that is why I building the deck it will only be about a foot to a foot and a half off the ground, or should I just level the ground and build a deck around it?


Thank again.

 

you could put it on the deck, but all that wood thats gonna be under it better be treated and such so you dont have to move the effer in a few years for wood rot from the water and such going under the tub itself...

 

Come on son; this now becomes common sense. Put the damn thing on the ground.

 

I would but my back yard runs at a he!! of a slant. That is why I need the deck I would have to dig down 3 feet to make it level.

Any other ideas, A free HOT TUB is starting to become more trouble then it's worth.

Thanks Justin

 

I have a 3 person hot tub that holds 275 gallons. I built a small addition to house it. I have double 2X8's every 16" spanning an 8' run. I can tell you those SOB's are heavy!

 

I'm think about runing 5 4x6x10's the lenght of it as the base of it and then useing 4x4's to amchor it to the ground it is only going to be a foot of the ground so I think tis will work. I'll be using 2x10's for the flooring. This is the only thing that I can come up with right now any other Ideas would be great.


Thanks Justin

 

I've put them in homes, as a rule we just doubled the framing beyond what residential code calls for, in your case, figure out out long the joists have to span, if it's eight feet a 2X8's - 16"OC would be minimum code areound here, so reducing the center spacing to 12" and the joists to 2X10's would be sufficient, you'd want 4X4s or 6X6s on the corners and I'd go one in the center of the beam as well, and just to be rock solid run another beam down the center of the deck. I'd also skip the pad idea and bury the posts to below the frost line, dig your hole, dumb a bag of quikcrete down it, add water, let it set and then set your posts.

Just so you know, treated lumber is insect resistant, not water resistant