Installing a Hot Tub Spa on Your Deck
Installing a spa on your deck is a brilliant way to make the most of your outdoor space. Not only is it a great social centrepiece for barbecues with friends, but there are few feelings better than unwinding in a steaming hot tub on a cold winter night. Before jumping in, let’s look at the logistics and practicalities behind it.
If you’re building a new deck, great! While a lot of extra planning is required to add a hot tub, it can be incorporated into the design and construction from the get-go. If you have an existing deck and you’d like to upgrade it, you’ll have to consider whether your current layout can handle the requirements of installing a hot tub spa. Whatever your situation, there are some key questions to ask that apply to new and existing decks.
Which Kind of Decking Works Best for a Hot Tub?
Mahogany decking wood is incredibly durable and can withstand regular water exposure. Owning a spa can wreak havoc on the surrounding materials caused by factors such as trapped moisture, chemicals, and weight. Using genuine mahogany wood for the decking surrounding your hot tub will allow your deck to withstand shrinking, warping, and swelling for years to come. If you’re constructing a new outdoor space with a hot tub spa in mind, a mahogany deck is a great choice to accommodate this.
Can my Deck Handle the Weight of a Hot Tub Spa?
Hot tubs can weigh thousands of kilograms when filled with water and the people you invite in with you. Your deck needs to be able to safely handle that weight. A strong, flat surface such as a concrete slab is the ideal structural support for a hot tub and it will be useful to calculate the load so you can determine the necessary structural support. To do this, add the weight of the hot tub spa to its water capacity. Next, add the number of recommended occupants multiplied by the average weight per person.
Voila – there you have the full load weight!
Hot Tub Deck Safety
Slippery decks, water, and electricity are not a combination to mess around with. There is some debate as to whether it’s better to have a raised spa or one that’s flush with the ground, but many builders recommend having the rim of a spa 43 to 60 centimetres above the decking for ease of access. It’s also important to consider adding in a rail to help people safely climb in and out without slipping over. Finally, ensure that the hot tub is easy to access for a power supply and maintenance. This is critical to the safety of your deck area.
The Best Location for a Hot Tub
As a rule, the closer to the house, the better. This is especially important in a cold environment, where the last thing you’ll want to do is run 20 metres in a swimsuit in the snow. When considering the comfort of using the hot tub spa, it’s also worth considering privacy from neighbours, which areas may be sunny or too windy, and ease of foot traffic. Don’t forget to plan around the view – not only from inside the hot tub itself, but ensuring that any nice views from inside the home or the outdoor space won’t be obstructed by a big hot tub.
The positioning of the hot tub can also impact costs. The electrical wiring required to power them is not cheap, so the closer to the power source, the better. When installing the hot tub, it may end up being more expensive to have it placed in a difficult location.
Costs of Installing a Hot Tub
Aside from the actual hot tub itself, you’ll have to consider maintenance, installation, and how much it will cost to make sure your deck is compatible with the hot tub. These factors can really blow your budget, so make sure to research the costs of suppliers and materials in your area, and add everything up.
Add a whole new level of comfort and excitement to your backyard by adding a hot tub spa.
So go ahead, sink right into the warm water and let us take the stress out of the wood structure for your hot tub with genuine mahogany.
