Hot Tub Tips
When it comes to Hot Tub, we've been there, done that, now serving 100 tips in 7 categories ranging from Home Spas to Portable Hot Tubs.
Patio Design 101
Are you clueless about how to design and plan your patio around your spa? Don't despair! Many spa dealers and manufacturers now offer patio planner software that you can use to create the patio of your dreams. You can install the software on your home computer or set up an account at their Website and use it online. The planner contain renderings of hot tubs and a variety of common patio items, such as pergolas, furniture, plants and planters, trees, and patio materials like stone, brick, etc. You can put together any number of items to get a good idea how your finished patio will look, complete with spa. It's a great way to plan your patio before your tub is delivered.
Patio Materials
The most important part of your patio planning is the patio itself. What will you choose for the patio material? It used to be, patios were simply cement slabs, but today, patios can be anything from brick to stone to slate to stamped or colored concrete. Whatever type of material you choose when planning your patio, make sure it can stand up to the weight of a hot tub. They can weigh over 3,000 pounds when full, so your patio will need to be durable and resistant enough to stand up to that weight. Make sure you tell your builder or contractor you're planning to put a hot tub on the patio before you start. Size matters, too. Make sure your patio is big enough to hold the hot tub with plenty of extra space around it. You'll need that when you get in and out of the tub and when you maintain it.
Create Your Own Patio Planner
It's a good idea to create your own portable patio planner you can take with you when you're shopping for hot tubs. Your planner can include drawings and measurement of your patio, where you're thinking about locating the spa, what kind of patio foundations you'll be using, and even photographs of the area so you can get an idea of how the spa would look. If you take your patio planner with you when you shop, you can jot down notes about spa colors, shapes, and sizes too, so you'll remember the details when you get home. For most people, a spa is a major purchase and a little advance planning will ensure your spa ends up in exactly the right spot on your patio!
Build Your Deck Around Your Hot Tub!
When most people locate a hot tub on a deck, they custom build the deck and then add the hot tub. However, there's another solution that might work well for you. Build the deck after you locate the tub, and custom fit the deck around the hot tub! This gives the tub a more built-in look even though it's free standing. It also creates more usable space around the perimeter of the tub for seating, towels, and more. People have been building custom decks surrounding above ground pools for years, and hot tubs aren't really that different. So, don't only think underfoot when you plan your hot tub custom deck. Think up and around, too.
Designing a Custom Deck for Your Hot Tub
There are three major things to consider when you design your custom deck for your hot tub.
• First, it must be totally level and secure from sinking or shifting.
• Second, it should be sturdy enough to take the weight of a full hot tub with people in it. Hot tubs can weigh 3,000 pounds or more when they are full, and add in the weight of a group of people and that can be quite a load on a small deck. Make sure the material is strong enough to stand up to the weight.
• Finally, make sure the deck is bigger than the hot tub and accessible from all sides. You'll need to do maintenance occasionally and placing the tub on a too small or inaccessible deck makes it much more difficult and demanding.
More Custom Deck Considerations
There are a few more things to consider when you decide where to place your custom deck in your yard.
• The deck should be fairly close to the house. That way you don't have to go too far to the hot tub in cold or rainy weather.
• There should be an electrical box close to the deck so you can plug in the tub, or you should be able to run electricity to the deck easily.
• Make sure you have a hose nearby to fill the tub when you need to.
• Finally, make sure drainage around the deck is adequate. You need to drain and refill your tub periodically, and a deck without enough drainage won't work.
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| Lynda Moultry |
