Hot tub install

[Scott V]

Hey thought I'd throw it out here to see what others might have done. Wife and I bought a hot tub and planning on putting it in the backyard. Going through permit approval now. I've read up on building a base in the ground but have never done this. Have already started removing sod. My plan is to put in 4-5" of crushed rock. Guy at Great Escape suggested crushed limestone but I've read pea gravel sized crushed rock is also good. Was thinking about PT 4x4's to use as guide's to screed. Wondering how to get this all compacted and level.

Wondering if any members have done this- Thanks.

 

[kd3pc]

you will want some pea gravel or something that will tend to fall off your feet - getting in and out of the tub. crushed bases tend to stick and end up in the tub and can scratch the finish quickly.

A plate compactor will be easiest, but an old fashioned tamp (10"x10" steel plate on the end of a short 4x4) will get the job done with a bit more effort.

Best of luck and enjoy.

 

[Kaizen]

I'd go straight to pavers no gravel. lay down some stone dust, level it. I have a 8x8 steel tamper that works great but I have screwed a 2 foot 4x4 to a 2x4 before and it works well. get the grass and soil out or the weight of it will cause compaction. I'd build it higher then the grass so water drains away from the tub.

 

[Aspen RT]

I put the base down and then sat it on top of a solid platform of 4x4s. Got one on a concrete pad now.

 

[schmelpboy]

I just poured a concrete pad. The weight of the tub alone is going to keep that thing from ever heaving. I think I just dug up the sod, poured some gravel for a base, formed it up, then poured and used 2x4's for a screed. The pad came out absolutely perfect and I've had no problems at all except getting ladies in the neighborhood to notice that I have a hot tub in the first place. They don't make instructions for that.

 

[flat tire]

Hey thought I'd throw it out here to see what others might have done. Wife and I bought a hot tub and planning on putting it in the backyard. Going through permit approval now. I've read up on building a base in the ground but have never done this. Have already started removing sod. My plan is to put in 4-5" of crushed rock. Guy at Great Escape suggested crushed limestone but I've read pea gravel seized crushed rock is also good. Was thinking about PT 4x4's to use as guide's to screed. Wondering how to get this all compacted and level.

Wondering if any members have done this- Thanks.

first of all you can not compact clean stone. you can use a vibraplate to smooth it out, but It will not compact.
grab as many small pebbles as you can in your hand and squeeze them together. now take the same pebbles and grab some moist soil mix them together and see what happens
you could set the tub on the stone , but I would have pavers, wooden deck, or concrete around it

 

[DonPowers]

I dug down a couple feet, backfilled with crushed stone and compacted with a plate compactor then used PT 6x6 to build a crib and filled with sand. Finally I built a 2x6 PT frame, 16" on centers, on top of the crib, Placed 4" of blue board and put on a 3/4" plywood deck.

Most likely a bit of overkill but the pad is still level after 5 years and the extra insulation provides an additional barrier between the tub and ground.

 

[jwhcars]

Concrete pad is what I did.

 

[volleyball]

Build a gazebo to put it in and you won't have to shovel as much snow off of it in winter. You may want to keep it near the house as those winter trips to the back of the yard get cold.

 

[eastbaysubaru]

I just poured a concrete pad. The weight of the tub alone is going to keep that thing from ever heaving. I think I just dug up the sod, poured some gravel for a base, formed it up, then poured and used 2x4's for a screed. The pad came out absolutely perfect and I've had no problems at all except getting ladies in the neighborhood to notice that I have a hot tub in the first place. They don't make instructions for that.

Concrete pad is what I did.

Concrete pad FTW. Do it once, do it right.

-Brian

 

[like2wheel]

6-8" crusher well compacted, screed 1 1/2" sand, lay pavers.
HD has cheap plain concrete pavers for under the tub where it won't be seen anyway.

Hasn't moved in 6 years.

 

[Mikes145]

Here's my hot tub pad I made last summer. It hasn't moved at all. Several inches of crushed limestone, compacted, a couple inches of slag sand, and some concrete pavers from Home Depot. Framed with 4x4's drilled and secured with rebar.

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[Scott V]

Wow awesome thanks for all the suggestions.

The guy at Great Escape has a lot of experience with hot tubs and he was against pavers/patio stones. Says they can tilt and cause an uneven surface that can place stress on the bottom and possibly cause a crack in the tub itself. His advice was to go with crushed limestone as a base if we weren't going to do a slab. That isn't all that easy to find so I was leaning towards pea gravel like is suggested in many places on the web. I guess my concern with gravel is whether to contain it with a border of 4x4's to prevent erosion.

Seems there are a number of ways to go about it based on the input here.

My question on pouring a slab; does this affect your property taxes having a permanent pad in the ground?

 

[nmk_61802]

Wow awesome thanks for all the suggestions.

The guy at Great Escape has a lot of experience with hot tubs and he was against pavers/patio stones. Says they can tilt and cause an uneven surface that can place stress on the bottom and possibly cause a crack in the tub itself. His advice was to go with crushed limestone as a base if we weren't going to do a slab. That isn't all that easy to find so I was leaning towards pea gravel like is suggested in many places on the web. I guess my concern with gravel is whether to contain it with a border of 4x4's to prevent erosion.

Seems there are a number of ways to go about it based on the input here.

My question on pouring a slab; does this affect your property taxes having a permanent pad in the ground?

I would not use pea gravel. Pea gravel works well for even load distribution (like a slab) but not so good for point loads (runners like a hot tub). Pea gravel cannot be fully compacted...contractors like it because when laid it has already reached its full compaction rate, requiring no extra steps. If you wish to still use it, I would highly recommend a border. Without it the gravel will wash away due to the reasons above.

 

[Scott V]

Here is where I'm at; It would have been perfect to put it on the patio but code requires 10ft from the overhead power line. So we are going off the edge in the lawn. Hope to eventually build a small deck around it next summer.

(Broom marks 10ft line from wires-)

Wife and I were out in the 88° heat after work yesterday digging out sod. It's a ton of work when you're in your 50's...and there's a lot more to do.

 

[Scott V]

And pouring a slab would be ideal but I have a car port between the front and back. Driveway is pavers so don't want an 80,000 lb mixer on it. So it's either mix and pour myself or see about a crew hauling wheel barrows full to the back. That can't be cheap...

 

[Scott V]

I would not use pea gravel. Pea gravel works well for even load distribution (like a slab) but not so good for point loads (runners like a hot tub). Pea gravel cannot be fully compacted...contractors like it because when laid it has already reached its full compaction rate, requiring no extra steps. If you wish to still use it, I would highly recommend a border. Without it the gravel will wash away due to the reasons above.

Thanks. These are the questions on my mind. I'm still trying to source crushed limestone in my area. I'm pretty sure I can rent a vibraplate tamper from HD. I tried to get some quotes from landscapers in the area but they are all overbooked and can't even approach until the end of July.

 

[Scott V]

Build a gazebo to put it in and you won't have to shovel as much snow off of it in winter. You may want to keep it near the house as those winter trips to the back of the yard get cold.

Ya, my wife is from Canada and had one before so she can't wait to use it in the winter. I'm still on the fence about that, but everyone says it awesome...

 

[Scott V]

Here's my hot tub pad I made last summer. It hasn't moved at all. Several inches of crushed limestone, compacted, a couple inches of slag sand, and some concrete pavers from Home Depot. Framed with 4x4's drilled and secured with rebar.

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This is awesome thanks for the pics.

 

[volleyball]

After compacting the ground and putting down gravel, maybe getting some blocks and mortaring them together.
I'd build a raised deck with trex decking so that you walk from the patio to the tub and not step in stone of any kind. It gives you a nice place for towels, wine glasses and maybe swim suits.

 

[Kaizen]

I think the guy from the tub store should have said improperly installed pavers. you can use larger ones or thicker ones like shown above and those are not going to go anywhere.

Looking at the rest of your yard I'd go for a cement mixer and have at it so the whole thing matches whats there. Still need to get the loom out of there though.

 

[beetlespin]

I was going to put mine on a deck......

I dug nine 3' deep holes for the posts then found out I needed a engineer's drawing with loads, etc.

So I framed out a slab and filled it all in with concrete. I have the strongest hot tub slab in the world

No regrets.

 

[Scott V]

Thought I would follow up and show the pad I built and the install in the case that other members are looking for tips and info. Wife and I are really enjoying the new hot tub. Jacuzzi 335. I have back troubles on and off and damn if it isn't awesome for sore muscle and joint pain. And there are the 'other' benefits...

Thank Mikes145 your photos really helped me get a grip on the base. Ended up buying an EZ Pad between the limestone and tub. Seems like a great product and should add a little insulation between the ground and the hot tub.



























Last work was to get the little step out of the patio stones that was becoming a trip hazard. The basic patio stones are just a quick and simple solution for access until we build a deck around it next year. Thanks for the read and if I can offer any help to anyone else looking to do this I'd be more than happy to help in return for all the good tips I got here. -Scott

 

[Kpaige]

Just did this last year. Did you bond the grounding?
You need to put wire mesh in the concrete then secure wire to it that is buried under ground aprox 10" out from the pad and this is then tied to the ground of the hot tub. This is to make sur eno person becomes the ground to the tub. There are other ways to do it but thats basiccly how I acomplished it.

 

[Scott V]

Thanks. Had the electrical done by professionals and inspected.

 

[Michael P]

I work for a very large pretty high end hot tub manufacturer. I can tell you for sure that the best surface will always be a Cement slab (The guy at home escapes is correct) However, if you can't do a slab the EZ Pad is an awesome product. Many of the dealers that sell out product use them with great success. (I'm not pushing EZ Pads, but I am pushing hot tubs)

 

[christopher7390]

enjoy it!! looks sweet

 

[akkeosflomdis]

The ease of use and rich feature set of the hot tub allows me to pamper my body with a whirlpool. I can do these procedures every day. The good news is that I can choose hot tubs today from the simplest to the most exclusive, which can turn your home into a real spa. But I wouldn't risk installing hot tubs myself. By the way, advise inexpensive but high-quality two-person hot tubs in Canada. Thank you.

 

[Kpaige]

Hi everyone,

This may be a question the salesman could answer but I figured I'd ask here anyway.

Does my 220v line need to be run before I take delivery of the hot tub? If so, how does it get run? to a box outside and then the hottub gets wired to the box?

During? I assume not...

After installation? I would have an electrician connect the line from the electrical panel physically to the hot tub? This also doesnt really make sense to me because I would assume when they deliver and setup the hot tub they would test it as well?? maybe not?

Thanks!

Can be done either way before or after. Alot depends on where you put it. I poured a slab and wanted it through the slab so I ran pipe to the spec area in the hot tub design then pulled wire then had hot tub delivered. As far as power it will come from your breaker box to a local disconnect ussually hot tub specific then to your hot tub. The biggest deal is the grounding grid you need to have the copper ran through the concrete and extending outward 16" around the tub. Fo possible shock of someone standing outside the tub. Not sure how you would address this on a existing slab and or on a deck.

 

[firebirdparts]

The electrical sub forum here is very good. If you are going to hire an electrician then he’ll know what to do, but I think our electricians in the sub forum are quite good at telling you what’s allowed in your own back yard. You would have a box local to the tub and they actually sell a “hot tub box” kit but that’s just a box with a ground fault breaker in the package. It’s not terribly specific.

a big decision is how deep does it need to be and are you going to put conduit in the ground or not.