Check local building codes to see what you are allowed to do. If the deck level is higher than the top of the hot tub, or the deck is built on uneven ground, the hot tub is placed on top of the deck. on a deck. If the hot tub cover has a manual, or automatic arm to install and remove it, get specifics on clearances and all dimensions of the arm and its operation. This is our full set of plans for a deck with a hot tub. Most hot tubs are made of a wood frame under an acrylic shell. Support the blocking ends with joist hangers and fasten the cut joists to the blocking, with their top edges level so that all joists and blocking are level with the deck frame. But if you’re using 2×6 framing material as we did, place footings no more than 5 ft. 11 in. A ground level deck is meant to be low, which means you’ll want to consider the type of wood or composite you’ll use for framing. Total height of low level ground level deck. See more ideas about ground level deck, deck design, deck. If a hot tub is not level, that can cause stress fractures in both the wood … I am looking to install privacy screens on my concrete patio. But the surrounding deck was fairly high off the ground so the hot tub Attach the pieces to the hatch frame. Looking for ways to transform your backyard into a relaxing outdoor retreat? Dig holes for the cement footers that will support the hot tub. The disadvantage … This allows room for the hot tub to be removed if needed while supporting the decking. Customized framing for lift out access panels will likely be required to accommodate these elements. Install decking up to the hatch frame on all sides. design and calculate the loads and forces that a typical hot tub exerts Building A Ground Level Deck With Deck Blocks. This is the frame of the hatch. When you are deciding where to place a deck for a hot tub, remember that you will need to be able to access a water and electricity supply. Large Decks for Hot Tubs. But the surrounding deck was fairly high off the ground so the hot tub had to be supported by an elevated substructure. Standard 4x4 posts can be used for supports, and 2x8 joists will support the weight of most typical hot tubs. This is useful for water faucets and other features that might be underneath the deck, as well as hot tubs and swimming pool equipment. This ground level deck is “picture framed” (see Photo 11). You will need to check your local building codes to determine what type of footing your hot tub requires. Also, dig … It is easy to make level and will out-live your hot tub if built correctly. A 3-1/2 to 4 inch slab is usually sufficient, experts say; however, larger tubs … The easiest way to construct a hot tub platform is to pound stakes at the corners of an 8 by 8 foot square. Dig Holes for the Footers. Framing members should be left 1 inch away from all hot tub surfaces, on all sides, to allow room for removal of the hot tub if required. Decks built ground level up to 2 feet off the ground can support up to 100 lbs per square foot; sufficient for most hot tubs. Once decking is installed on both the deck and the hatch, the top of the hatch is flush with the deck making it almost invisible. When deciding how tall your deck will be, keep in mind the transition from deck to hot tub and plan to accommodate easy access. So on behalf of all our visitors to DecksGo.com we sincerely thank Tim Garrison, the guru behind all the Builder's Engineer for his very thorough explanation of hot tub deck design. Take any exterior motor housings and steps on the hot tub itself into account. Adjust the height of the hot tub deck framing to match with surrounding deck height, making allowances for 2x6 under decking and other differences. For elevated decks with access underneath you can skip this step. Building A Wood Deck At Ground Level. Get design ideas and inspiration from these decks and patios with hot tubs… Thanks to Trex for Sponsoring this video. Floating decks are also called ground-level decks because they typically hug the ground. You may need to check these dimensions with the hot tub on site. When measuring, keep in mind that the typical deck joist spacing is … better be engineered to stand up to the test or it could be disasterous. Use a chalk line to mark the joists between these four corners and cut joists away where they cross the area for the hatch. A flat, level surface such as a concrete slab is the ideal location for a hot tub. It is best to work with dimensions taken directly from a hot tub set up in the same configuration and with similar equipment to the one you are installing. Especially if you want to build it yourself. Height of Deck … I just want to put up two 6x6 posts with Titan Wood Post Anchors, either 35 or 70 apart, I am building a 10'x12'deck (not attached to a ledger board). Designed to have a floating look. water and people are heavy. Install angled blocking one inch away from the remaining sides of the hot tub made from joist material. This allows for repositioning, or support of motors and other necessities. If composite decking is being installed on the rest of the deck, install the 2x6 deck underneath and cover it with composite up to the hot tub for the right look, without sacrificing structural integrity. All Rights Reserved. A ground-level deck, sometimes referred to as a floating deck or platform deck, is so-called because, unlike conventional decks, a ground-level deck is not attached to a home or building. If the bottom of your deck frame is less than 6" above the ground or … If your deck is low to the ground and you are unable to access the underside, you will need to remove the decking boards in the area you plan to place the hot tub. Making sure everything is level, lay the 2" x 6" deck joists on … The problem? Instead, a concrete pad, poured according to local building code, is installed to provide a footing for the hot tub and the deck is then built around it. Often, the posts supporting them are not visible, … lbs of force. is one occasion where you don't want to make a mistake. For a simple rectangular ground-level deck, all you may need to visualize it is to lay out a string line with stakes to get the sense of the size. Make the blocking from joist material and install it flush with the ends of the cut joists to create the ends of your hatch opening. Lift out hatches can be framed into the deck to provide access to elements underneath the deck. This ring sets on top of the first so that there is a ¼ inch space on all sides. Total height of low level ground level deck. Cut and install a rectangular ring of 2x4 PT lumber inside the rectangle you formed with the blocking. Indoor Inground Hot Tub. For conventional guardrail post installation bolted to the side of the framing, larger framing will provide more strength in the rails. I'm POOR! Well, without doing some load calculations you will only be guessing... and potentially flirting with disaster. Fasten this ring 3 ½ inches down from the top of the deck frame. The software made a breeze of this little hot tub conundrum and gave a number of … In this video, I am building a deck frame. Privacy Screens -How High Can I Go With Titan Wood Post Anchor? Lay the Pressure-Treated Deck Joists. problem because he was trying to design a hot tub deck to withstand 8,000 Read all about it in the pdf Also read each of the following reports on beam size, joist size, post size, and footings to see how Greg's question about hot tub deck design was answered. Thanks to Builder's Engineer they have developed a very useful software package that is useful for average folks to do all kinds of load calculations, stair layouts, joist, beam and post size calculations. had to be supported by an elevated substructure. This can be done on site, with the hot tub in place. Read More. Check local building codes for footing requirements. Install decking up to ¼” from hot tub to leave room for expansion, contraction and slight shifting of both the deck and the hot tub. Hot tubs with 18 posts related to Building A Ground Level Deck For A Hot Tub. Building A Ground Level Deck … Certainly, the paver patio uses a solid base material that enables hold the hot tub strongly. Hi! With the deck being 3 feet high On one end, this qualifies for "permitting" and should go through your local building regulatory office. On short decks, the hot tub is not typically installed on top of the deck. Check with your local building department to determine your local code requirements when building a ground-level deck. Drill a 1½ inch finger hole through the deck boards at each end of the hatch for lifting. apart, and limit joist length to no more than 6 ft. 8 in. For more information click here. version prepared by Tim Garrison. Ground-level decks also do not include the use of a ledger board in their design. Cut two lengths of 4x4 to the approximate length of the hot tub. A very common size but he wanted to design his deck so An alternative can be found at The Structural Engineer. https://diydeckplans.com/tutorials/decking-for-hot-tub-installation Yes, a hot tub needs to be level. Make a smaller square of 9 stakes in the middle. I have received a lot of emails from visitors asking us how to actually Cut deck boards to cover the hatch frame, so that there is a 1/8 gap between the hatch and the main deck on all sides. If you are planning to have your hot tub on a deck that adjoins your property, you may need permission from your local planning authority. Jun 4, 2020 - Explore Jayn Swartz's board "Ground Level Deck" on Pinterest. To frame a lift out hatch, mark it’s location on the deck’s joists. Home  >  Planning & Design  >  Hot Tub Deck Design. *As of 2019, support for Builder's Engineer has been discontinued. © 2021, DIY Deck Plans. If the hatch is to be wider than 14 ½ inches, or whatever the spacing of your joists will be in that area, a section of one or more joists will need to be removed. Concrete has been used to build hot tub bases for years, and as a building material, it is very versatile. Familiarize yourself with the motor mount and dimensions, including height and required maintenance access areas. Any deck supporting a hot tub or other extraordinary load requires Alberta-engineer-stamped design … Ground-level decks typically do not require a railing around the perimeter, and they may not require a permit. With 8,000 lbs of hot water and people your hot tub deck design had She would like it to be as high as possible, with. Here they may require, an engineers "stamp" for the hot tub … Install perpendicular blocking between the nearest uncut joists to hold up the ends of these cut joists. But decks 2 feet or higher will need added … This will be the support system for your hatch frame. You can also set this base pad not just for the hot tub but the larger construction will be better. A 16 to 18” rise from the deck surface to the top edge of the hot tub is common. Building A Ground Level Deck Attached To House. All rights reserved. See all of our free deck plans here. While they are designed to hold thousands of pounds when full of water and people, they are built to distribute that weight evenly. For upper-level decks, 2x10 is recommended as the minimum size to use for … I got my hands on a Dreammaker Eclipse HOT TUB, that was believed to be broken, and needed to build a deck for it. Clearances from the cover to the bottom of the tub and the rise from deck to tub edge will be important as well. © 2004-2019 Decksgo.com. Replace each stake with hole that's … For you who prefer to install your inground hot tub inside a room, this idea … Check with local building code to determine spacing requirements for posts. “This height allows you to get in and out safely because your hips stay level with the deck; and therefore optimal for … Most often, a hot tub will be supported directly on the ground and a deck will be constructed around it. that the top of the hot tub sat flush with the deck surface. Yes, you can put a hot tub on a deck. The frame … Obviously you can tweak it for your own design, but our free deck … The area under the hot tub should be framed as a separate system, with its own footings. Ground Level Deck For joists I would go with 2 x 10 for the entire project and for under the tub use a "tic tac toe" type of joist grid. I am building a 10'x12'deck (not attached to a ledger board). Whether the hot tub deck is freestanding or attached, measure the area you want it to cover carefully so that you can purchase appropriate materials. If you have a large backyard, you may choose to include your hot tub with … While a floating deck might be next to a building, it may also be a standalone structure in the middle of your yard. ½ inches ground level hot tub deck framing ends where joists will support the short cantilever required to fill the area under hot! This allows room for the cement footers that will support the hot tub into... 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