Building the Ideal Hot Tub Deck

So you just bought yourself a hot tub and you want to install it on your deck.  What materials should you use? How much should you use?  Where should it be positioned? The ideal location for your hot tub is to have it built on a flat surface such as a 3-1/2”-4”concrete slab but you might need a bigger piece of concrete for a larger hot tub. The structure needs to support the tub’s dry weight plus the water capacity and the number of occupants multiplied by their weight.  

So if you take the 50 sq. ft. Reflex Hot Tub that has a dry weight of 908 lbs and can hold 390 gallons of water (1 gallon = 8.3 lbs), seats 5-7 people weighing on average 190 lbs., you’ll need a structure that can support (908 lbs x 3237 lbs + (7 people x 190 lbs) = 5475 lbs or 2483.4 kg. Now if you would like to know how many pounds per square foot does the deck have to be able to support its 5475 lbs. /50 sq. ft. = 109.5 lbs. per square foot. The deck must be designed to hold 109.5 lbs. per square foot or 49.668 kg.

If the deck is elevated, you will most likely have to submit a proper design to your municipal authority. Before picking out a spot for your hot tub take into consideration the wind and sun as well privacy from neighbors. Traffic flow is also important.  Build a sturdy deck for your hot tub with a good location and enjoy your new hot tub!