The ideal spot for your hot tub is extremely important.
We have an article that has more detail around the placement of hot tub here, but in this guide we will focus on placing a hot tub under a deck.
Is this even possible?
You can put a hot tub under a deck, but you will have to think carefully about moisture build up and whether you can access the service side of the hot tub easily for maintenance.
Many people successfully install their hot tubs under a deck, so as long as you do the right preparation work, you should be able to enjoy a sunken hot tub in your garden.
Things To Consider When Installing A Hot Tub Under Your Deck
Usually, you should have no problem putting your hot tub under your deck.
As long as you took appropriate precautions for this.
But the following are super important, and you should never forget about them.
Drainage And Moisture Damage
A big concern folks have when thinking about putting their hot tub under the deck is that too much moisture might cause damage to the whole structure.
Most decks are made of wood, and you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that wood exposed to moisture will rot after a while.
The most practical way to avoid too much damage is to treat the wood with waterproof treatment. But clearly treatment and sealant is only a surface application to the wood.
There’s still the structure and wood joist underneath that also are being exposed to moisture.
But don’t count out the possibility of placing the hot tub under the deck. If and only if sufficient air flow under the deck is going to help moisture and water not build up which in turn will prevent mildew, mold, and rot.
Placing the hot tub near an existing drain is also highly advisable. Should you not have one, perhaps you need to put in an existing drain?
A drain to allow the water to run will prevent backing up under the deck. Secondly, you may consider putting in a deck drainage system, but we will touch on that option later.
Maintenance
Another major thing to think about with putting your hot tub under your deck is that it can really change how you maintain your hot tub.
Every hot tub has a service side so you need to be able to access the service side in order to maintain your tub correctly.
Now I understand that the equipment access panel might be hidden under the deck, but this means that when it comes time to do any repairs, you will have to remove this cover and this could require a lot more work.
Because of this, you may want to leave or consider leaving a certain part of the deck open in order to gain the access required.
Hot Tub Access
Not only do you need access to the service side of your hot tub, but you also need to ensure that the actual placement of the tub doesn’t cause any problems getting in and out of it.
What this means is that you will need to select a location on the deck that has at least one level side.
For instance, someone might have a raised deck and elect to have the tub in a way that one side is against the wall of the house and the other two sides are along the edge of the deck.
Buying A Deck Drainage System
Like we mentioned before, one of the biggest problems installing a hot tub under a deck is potential damage from moisture causing problems.
Although it is expensive, installing a proper deck drainage system will solve many of your problems.
What’s more – it is much better to put in something like this now than pay for a new deck in the future.
Most decking companies such as Trex, that manufacture decking product, also provide innovative and almost out of sight under deck drainage systems that are very effective.
There are many product options from many companies. Just find a good, durable, waterproof and effective system.
There are two main types of deck drainage systems:
- Under joist
- Over joist
Over joist systems sit on top of the joists, and any water runs along the surface of the deck.
An under joist system allows any water to run down through the deck boards/slats and into loading drainage system below.
Generally speaking most people agree that an over joist deck drainage system is the most favorable, as an under joist system exposes the joists to moisture.
What About Installing a Hot Tub Below A Two Storey Deck?
Not only can you consider installing a hot tub on a deck, you may also want to place it under a two storey deck.
The advantage of doing this is that your deck will then act as a roof for your hot tub and you can use a hot tub in all types of weather.
The one downside is that if it rains, water from the deck above may drip down onto your hot tub and make it not so enjoyable.
The best way to alleviate this problem would again be to install one of the deck drainage systems that we have already talked about.
Again – You will need to weigh up all of the points we have just discussed, ease of access, maintenance, air flow and so on. But there is really no reason why you can’t install your hot tub in this location.
Conclusion
Purchasing a hot tub is an exciting venture for most, and I would bet you are eager to unwind in your tub.
With that said, once you choose your hot tub, there are a number of things to think about before you really get into how you are going to use it.
One thing that we are going to mention at this point is the placement of your hot tub.
If you are planning to create an enveloping deck with the hot tub inside of it; or if you are going to design the deck in two tiers with the hot tub located directly below the deck, then you will want to focus on ensuring there will be lots of airflow and a good drain system near and underneath your deck.
Another concurrent issue to consider is ease of access to the service panel on your hot tub, even on hot days you don’t want to have to struggle to access a repair or to maintain the hot tub.