Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: ZzTop on July 15, 2005, 05:48:49 pm
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I am sharing these thoughts for the benefit of new purchasers who may not have given deep thought as to the best place to install a new Hot Tub.
After owning and using our hot tub for over a year and a half I have reviewed the reasons the tub is not used as often as I would like.
Sometimes it is just too far to go to.
As we usually hot tub nude, the convienience of having it located right outside our sliding patio door on our main floor, would be ideal.
The Tub is presently placed approximately ten feet from our basement door on a brick paver patio in a Gazebo.
I am considering moving the Hot Tub onto our elevated Deck which is off of the main floor family room. The deck is 41 feet long by 14 feet wide and faces south with a great view of the Fraser River.
I would like the Spa to be about 16 inches above the floor level to make it really easy to get into and for safety reasons.
My observations of ourselves and our friends who own hot tubs for not using their Hot Tubs as often as they thought they would has everything to do with placement.
As a Spa is a big investment and has huge health and relaxation benefits it is a shame if it is not used frequently.
We love our spa and have not had any problems with it to date.
Regards,
Zz
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Taken literally - "The best place to set YOUR hot tub - would be in MY backyard. ;D
If only I had known you were that willilng
r100rs
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ZZ,
Think about the lip being about 23" above the deck - it's the perfect height to sit on the edge and swing your legs IF for some reason you can't step into or out of the tub.
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Mine is set about 18" above the deck just outside our patio door on the main floor overlooking a marina on a river.
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Ours is 22" above including the lip of the spa and it is perfect!! We love the look and the height is great for getting in and out the spa without using steps. Here is a picture taken while our deck was being completed.
(http://img243.echo.cx/img243/7780/100000628ax.jpg)
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Ours is 8 feet from our porch, it's great being very close. My back has gotten so bad..it's good he put it where he did, because I have a hard time walking to it. Hubby plans to finish the stairs going down the otherside of the porch so that I do not have to walk all the way around the porch to get to the tub.
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I placed my hot tub about 5 feet from the door in the backyard. Easy in and Easy out in the Winter was critical. I openthe door and take possibley 4-5 steps to the tub.
Shoveling a patch to the tub after a snow storm is a snap (I keep a small folding snow shovel in the Changing room closet. I'd hate to shovel 20 feet after each snow storm.
Proximiety to the house was paramount! :D
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My spacing was limited by size, but I put it about 12' from the door. Gives some room and also area for the kids to splash without hitting the house!
Drewski
(http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/7111/P05.jpg)
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Can anyone suggest the best method of raising the tub approximately 5 feet from the ground level. Size of concrete footings and size and spacing of floor joists.
Post size 6"?, Floor Joist 2 x 10 ? to hold a maximum of 6500 lbs
Regards Zz
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My spacing was limited by size, but I put it about 12' from the door. Give's some room and also area for the kids to splash without hitting the house!
Drewski
(http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/7111/P05.jpg)
I like the idea of having the tub on the same level as your living space. Nice installation!
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Can anyone suggest the best method of raising the tub approximately 5 feet from the ground level. Size of concrete footings and size and spacing of floor joists.
Post size 6"?, Floor Joist 2 x 10 ? to hold a maximum of 6500 lbs
Regards Zz
Would it be "deck" style with a ledger board attached to house or free standing? Are you in a hurricane or other high wind storm area?
Drewski
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Would it be "deck" style with a ledger board attached to house or free standing? Are you in a hurricane or other high wind storm area?
Drewski
It would be a deck style where the hot tub deck would be 5' high, and 16" lower than the surrounding deck and free standing to support the Hot tub and also isolate for vibration. It would be 8' x 10'. The surrounding deck would be built off a ledger board off of the existing deck on two sides. I am in the Vancouver Canada area where snow and storms are not a big issue.
Thanks Drewski
Regards Zz
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good points, this is our first tub and luckly we really put allot of thought into all aspects of it. Our tub is about 3 ft from our back patio doors. It sits on a lower deck beside our main deck so you can either walk down to the lower deck to get in or as vinny said sit on the edge and swing over and get in. Our tub sits about 19 inches above our main deck. I tell you location is the key...especially if you get winters and like to go tubbing in your birthday suits.
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ZZ,
I built a 8 x 8 deck like you said only it's close to the ground.
I used 6 - 12" footings and 6 x 6 posts. I have 2 x 10 beams running between the posts. I also used 2 x10's across the 3 beams front and back to stabilize the structure, used 2 x 10 for joists and then used 2 x 6 for decking.
I used a bunch of hardware to fasten it all together - carriage bolts, lag bolts and galvanized brackets from Simpson Strong Ties.
If you do a search here for me, I posted links to pictures of the construction on Yahoo - there are pictures of what I'm talking about.
Good Luck and I hope this helps!
Vinny
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My tub sits about 12" inches from my house. It was just enough room to install the spa bar between the house and the spa. My family room and garage are built on a slab that they extended off the back of the family room when pouring. I can literally take one step out my door and the next is on my spa step. It is out the door to the left with still plenty of room to the right. It is real nice having it close in the winter months. I have been out in single digit temps and appreciated having it close.
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Hi Zz...
OK, so it sounds like you are putting the tub in an area that will be surrounded by deck and the "platform" you want the tub to sit on will be lower.
First up, planning. You are what I would call "on the edge" of needing an engineered plan for building what you want to build. Height is your problem because a suspended static load of 6,500 LBS can exert SERIOUS torsion force (dynamic load) on a structure even with small wind or snow load, moving people, etc. Re-enforcement with cross ties, bolting into an existing structure, etc., is REALLY needed here.
Given that, I'll outline the basics. For footings, I'd recommend using cardboard concrete tubes with steel re-enforcing rods. The tubes should be 12" in diameter and should be placed deep enough to go below your frost line by at least 18" (check building codes for this requirement). Drop the rebar rods as you are pouring the concrete and make sure you "tamp" down the concrete during the pour to get a tight footing.
(http:// http://205.196.138.20/4/53/53351124-685b-42e4-a0af-338a315cb13f_4.jpg)
To connect your posts to the footings, use a post base connector made to be set in the wet concrete. Anchor the post to the connector with lag BOLTS and make certain you use 6X6 lumber for your post. Simpson Strong-Tie products are best. I'd suggest getting the HIGHEST grade 6X6 available from a lumber yard to avoid twisting. Also, don't cut the posts until you are ready to immediately install and bolt them. They have a tendency to twist if you cut and leave them lying for several days. Also, don't use a mounting plate with a screw-in bottom. The post will eventually twist and you will have a problem.
(http://www.simpsonstrongtie.com/graphics/products/large/PB-PBS3.gif)
I'm thinking at least 4, preferably 6 post footings for your supports. Based on your 10' length requirement, a 4 footing plan would end up giving a joist span of 8' (assuming a 1' cantilever on the ends) which for 2"x8" dimensional joist lumber is probably close to load limit for your application. Why save maybe $150 for 2 extra footings and one beam when you can be "bulletproof" with 6 footings and 3 beams? The 6 footing plan should be 3 footings in line on the 10' length, with footings spaced 1' from each end and then in the center. It would look like this:
O O
O O
O O
After installing your posts, BOLT your beams (2"x10", EACH side of the post) to the posts to span the SHORT span (total of 3 beams). Leave about a 1' cantilever on the ends. Over the beams, install 2"x8" joists on 12" centers. Use Simpson "Hurricane" connectors to tie joists into the beams, where each joist crosses a beam. I prefer this over "toe nailing" because the connectors provide MUCH more rigidity.
(http://www.simpsonstrongtie.com/graphics/products/large/H17.gif)
Given your height, you may want to consider 2"x6" lumber for decking. This adds stability to your platform.
Try and give me some idea about how you are planning to connect to the surrounding deck, or if the tub deck will be completely free standing. When you do, I'll post something on connections to other structures.
REMEMBER, my advice is cheap and not necessarily correct. Use a contractor if you have worries...
Good Luck!
Drewski
8)
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That's pretty much how I built my deck!
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Ours is 22" above including the lip of the spa and it is perfect!! We love the look and the height is great for getting in and out the spa without using steps. Here is a picture taken while our deck was being completed.
(http://img243.echo.cx/img243/7780/100000628ax.jpg)
Nice Tub...how do you access the pumps or innards of the tub if you need maintenance? Thanks
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I'm definitely a newbie to spa ownership but I'm hopefully we made the right choice of tub and location. We installed our tub 10 days ago! We built a private, 10'x14" deck off our home's third story master bedroom. We turned a pair of windows into a 7' sliding door. On it we placed a D1 Triad II tub. The privacy and proximity to our master bedroom/shower should be ideal. Unfortuately its been close to 100 degree everyday here in Iowa since we installed the tub. We used Trex decking and redwood frame with cable railing. (www.cable.rail.com)