Wooden hot tub

[smalltown]

A poster within the last month posted he was going to go get in his wooden hot tub. I tried to PM him, but I'm not sure my message got sent properly.
Now I unable to find that post no matter how much i have searched the forum.

Looking for somebody that has a wooden hot tub in a snow climate to ask questions before I lay down some good money.

 

[dfiler2]

Here is an old thread about someone building their own hot tub and hot tub heater, actually looks like it works pretty well.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345061

 

[smalltown]

Thanks dflier2. Yes I had seen that.

 

[yeldogt]

We had one years ago ... grandparents old house. My grandmother (I think) ordered it from some place in CA.

looked like a big 1/2 barrel

It was heated by a wood fired boiler ... eventually, they converted it to oil.

My aunt took it all out in the late 80's early 90's

 

[snyder]

I'm sorry my quote skills ****, but steveodle posted about a wooden hot tub in the thread" what did you do in your garage today". Feb 21.

 

[Jackfre]

If you go this way, as mentioned in the old thread, when the tub is dry, I would take, I think it was and 11/16 spade bit with a backer board and drill two holes, one above the other. Take a 1/2" brass ******, with a skim coating of silicone and turn it into the tub. 1/2" fpt x 1/2 sweat 90* adapter to the 1/2" soft copper. Put some 1x on the tub below the benches, actually closer to the floor and do two-three wraps around the tub. I ran solar hw to this and they worked great.

 

[My Old Tools]

I've been looking too. These guys have caught my interest. Should be close enough to visit and try one.
https://www.mainecedartubs.com/

 

[smalltown]

Yes they have my attention also they are within driving distance to trailer a tub home about 1 1/2 hours away.

Why I was originally searching for somebody in the cold climate is I'm worried about very cold temperatures. I was toying with the idea of installing the hot tub at the rear of my garage, and flex piping from the tub through the garage wall so the heater and pump would be in a heated garage. My garage is constructed with a freeze wall that is ~18 above ground level. So water to the pump would need to get over that hump. Just concerned about loosing prime to the pump.

As for why a wooden hot tub and not an acrylic type spa: there are quite a few chipmunks and squirrels in my area. They get into everything. Most acrylic spa(s) seem to have that sprayed in insulation that critters apparently like to burrow into for nests.

 

[Marctrees]

A container used as a Hot tub made of any material will benefit from being insulated.

How is wood any better than anything else ?

I suppose 1 1/2" or so wood is a bit more insulative then 3/16" or whatever Acrylic, but not by much.

Still needs to be insulated, and certainly so in Maine.

To keep out critters do a conscientious job of building a tight outside enclosure.

Did I not understand something ?

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Seems to me you need to decide on if you like the natural look of a stave cedar tub . or a factory molded Acrylic or other plastic tub... and install accordingly.

Two VERY different "Vibes" in appearance.

Marc

 

[slowtwitch73]

Huh! Hot tub!

 

[Dremelo]

I have a hot tub which was produced by WildTubs company and use it in snow climate. There are no problems in that. If you have any questions about a use of hot tubs, you can ask.

 

[smalltown]

Dremelo thanks for the response. I haven't done anything just yet. It was supposed to be part of a deck project, but with lumber prices through the roof here things are on hold.
One of my concerns as posted above were rodents getting inside the underneath of an acrylic spa. There are so many of these running around especially chipmunks. How cold does it get in your area ?

 

[nadogail]

I believe the Japanese have had wooden hot tubs for ages; I think they call them a "Furo"