Concrete slab. Very large tanks could require a thicker pad. Job description. That said, most decks aren’t built to withstand the weight of several hundred gallons of water. Email: info@bonavistapools.com If your deck can’t hold several thousand pounds of weight, you’re looking at a potentially dangerous situation. For a hot tub that is going to stay in place for a long time, I would use the scrap metal. Estimate the labor price to pour concrete vs. buy precast cement pads. How long you wait for this to dry is entirely weather dependant. Because they may already exist, quite often swim spas are installed on paving blocks. When neither an existing deck or patio are useable for your new hot tub a lot of times the best option is a poured concrete pad. Information about the installation of a Spa or hottub.. foundation: if you choose to pour a concrete slab, make it at least 10 centimeters thick.. be connected to two power generators who have to be grounded separately and must include. The problem is - the slab has a slope away from the house. Installing an above ground swim spa is the easiest installation process available. Technically, the metal in the concrete is "bonded" rather than grounded. The swim spa is 2.3m (However, if you choose to construct your spa on a raised wood deck or other structure, instead, it is strongly suggested you check with a trained structural engineer or contractor, first.) Cheers Shea . A portable spa requires a structurally sound base – typically a level, reinforced concrete slab or decking. It’s a good idea to reinforce the concrete with some. Copyright 2021 © Clearwater Pools & Spas. Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. Prior to the slab being poured, I told the homeowner to contact me before that happens so I could come by and clamp a piece of #8 bare to the rebar. The concrete slab will usually be about 150mm inches in depth, and very slightly (40mm or so) larger than the dimensions of your swim spa in length and width. Courthouse Rd Store: 804-745-7674 The reason that concrete pads are consistently used as a base for a swim spa is that they can be constructed to the exact specifications needed. For most Caldera spas, including the 8-person Cantabria®, a concrete slab is a must. (no it won’t cause the slab to crack). Retail Store: 416 645 6980 Posted 1 month ago. Your email address will not be published. We are often asked how much you can save by using EZ Pads instead of concrete for a hot tub or spa foundation. A swim spa must be placed on a flat, stable and level surface. Tradespeople. From there you add and pack down the crushed stone to create the surface on which the swim spa will sit. Crushed stone bases have the added benefit of allowing water to run off without affecting the levelness of the base. If you’re not willing or able to lay a brand-new concrete pad for your swim spa, you can create a base out of crushed stone. Although they’re not a permanent solution they can be good for a quick and cheap installation. Your email address will not be published. However, most patio paving stones are pitched to allow water to drain away properly. ! The slab is 4m by 4.8m and 100mm thick. Nice job, good luck with your new tub. You can fill the area with crushed stone, pack it down and make it level to create a space onto which you can put your swim spa. As the name suggests, concrete pads are a slab of concrete onto which you place the swim spa. Warning: This form can only be used if JavaScript is enabled in your browser. This allows you to ensure the area where the swim spa is placed is perfectly level while allowing for a pitch in other areas to promote water runoff. Required fields are marked *, Email: info@shopclearwaterpools.com Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. To see our BonaVista COVID-19 policy, please click here, Pools, Hot Tubs, Patio Furniture, Outdoor Living. If you have an existing patio made of concrete bricks, make sure it’s in good condition and is level (not angled for drainage). Never be tempted to install directly onto the ground or grass, as these surfaces are not solid it will settle into the earth and become uneven. Even a low-strength, 4-inch concrete slab can withstand a weight of 1,700 kilograms per square centimeter, or 24,123 pounds per square inch. Home » Blog » Do I Need a Concrete Pad for a Swim Spa? Hi, we are interested in getting a swim spa to go on top of an existing (reinforced) concrete slab. Our lifetime guaranteed EZPads cost only $349 + s/h, so the answer seems to be that you can save anywhere from about $200 to $800. General Concreting Titirangi, Waitakere. The concrete slab for the hot tub would need to be a minimum of 4 inches or 10cm’s thick, ideally 6” or 15cm. To learn more about swim spa installation requirements, download a swim spa buyer’s guide. On top of the foam board or ground if you don’t put down foam board, put down a wire mesh layer. Posted 3 years ago. The preciseness at which concrete pads can be laid makes them very attractive bases for swim spas. However, many patios and other concrete slabs are pitched for drainage, which may make an unsuitable base for your hot tub. This is more than strong enough to support an 18-foot by 4-foot-deep round pool. This stops drawing the water up and out of the concrete too soon. You just need to pour a layer of concrete that’s level and of the necessary thickness to withstand the weight of a swim spa. All rights reserved. You’ll want to put your hot tub on an elevated foundation, which should be a 3” concrete slab. Some steel reinforcement should be left exposed to allow the electrician to bond the spa to the concrete slab. While it is the most expensive of the four options shown here it is by no means unaffordable. The fourth cable, the ground cable, is 6-gauge. A concrete pad is great because you can get it to set perfectly level and it creates a nice solid base for the spa. closed. Is there any solution to leveling the slab, short of breaking and pouring a new one? This means removing any grass and digging down about four to five inches into the ground before leveling it out. Very large tanks could require a thicker pad. The reason that concrete pads are consistently used as a base for a swim spa is that they can be constructed to the exact specifications needed. Run twine between the stakes. Congratulations on your decision to buy a swim spa! Many swim spas these days are composed of two separate tanks – one designed for swimming and the other used for soaking. As such, it needs a very firm base. However, there needs to be prep work done to the ground before laying down the crushed stone. You just need to pour a layer of concrete that’s level and of the necessary thickness to withstand the weight of a swim spa. A concrete slab is the most durable, stable and most recommended foundation for a spa. They can also sink or buckle over time which can affect the evenness. It’s best to seek the advice of a structural engineer who will be able to tell you if your deck is strong enough, or what you can do to make strong enough, to hold a swim spa. Putting hot tub on sloped concrete slab. Although a slab made of multiple blocks is acceptable, a single slab is preferred because it is more durable. The pad size would be 2400mm x 3070mm and I will dig the ground down to the desired level to fit the slab. If the slab is not leveled, parts of the spa may not be supported, and all the weight of the water may break the spa. As you probably well know, swim spas are becoming more and more popular these days due to their compact size, relatively low maintenance and flexibility compared to full-sized swimming pools. It took two yards of 2500psi concrete to poor the slab and the sidewalk. The weight of the swim spa will cause the crushed stone to further settle, so you need to keep an eye on it to make sure it stays level. The spa must be placed on an approved level surface. | Privacy Policy | 105 Vanderhoof Ave, Unit 4, Toronto, ON M4G 2H7. Next, use a magnesium (mag) trowel. Almost anything that is solid can be used as a shim. Had great ideas and amazing prices these guys definitely know what they're talking about Can’t wait to share my driveway before and afters with everyone so excited Thanks again guys!! This may require re-leveling the ground or even digging up the paver stones and resetting them to be perfectly level. Hi, I’ve had my spa since the summer, about 7 months now, and we’ve found those sponge things seem to work at keeping the foam from. Often, we come across new swim spa owners who already have a stone patio laid in their backyard. Hot Tub Slab is in Good Condition Usually a concrete slab made to building code is suitable to hold a hot tub. « Reply #14 on: June 08, 2007, 09:01:08 am » as i recall, when i was looking at a sundance booklet that described how to get ready for delivery, i believe that there was a mention of spa pads as not advisable. Beyond all the home and gardening magazines that feature hot tubs and swim spas perched on wooden decks, there is a lot of appeal in having a smooth and uniform surface surrounding your new installation. My coworker has a 12 foot slab off the patio door of his basement, on which he wants to put a hot tub. Required fields are marked *. When it comes to installing a swim spa we often get asked, “Do I need a concrete pad for swim spa?” The fact is that it’s not completely necessary. To find out more about swim spa installation, download a swim spa buyer’s guide. Step 1 Stake out the perimeter of the slab you want to pour. They benefit people who like to practice their swim stroke in the privacy of their own home without requiring the amount of space or maintenance needed for a full-sized swimming pool. West Broad Store: 804-747-7757. How to Pour a Hot Tub Pad. Slabs for hot tubs generally are 8 feet by 8 feet. We’ll go over these various bases to give you an idea of what you’d be looking at when it comes time to lay one down. You can put some bricks under the rebar to make sure it is in the middle of the slab. Curing provides a continuous supply of moisture to ensure a better surface quality and a stronger slab. Such a pool contains about 30,000 gallons, and that amount of water weighs about 125 tons, exerting a pressure on the slab equal to about 4 pounds per square inch. The concrete slab for the hot tub would need to be a minimum of 4 inches or 10cm's thick, ideally 6†or 15cm. This is especially important for larger hot tubs. I won't remove the framing wood until Wed. or Thurs. If this is the case, that pitch must be rectified before the swim spa is placed on them. As the name suggests, concrete pads are a slab of concrete onto which you place the swim spa. If you choose to place your hot tub on a concrete slab, you''ll have to build something more substantial than a normal 4-inch concrete pad, due to the weight. Another way to cut down on the cost of pouring a concrete slab is to use a prefabricated pad. Because this is a potentially dangerous situation, having it installed correctly can literally mean the difference between life and death. Step 1 - Mixing the Concrete for Concrete Slab. CONCRETE A concrete surface is an excellent base for your hot tub as this material is extremely sturdy and long-lasting. In cold climate areas lay down a 1” or 2” layer of closed cell foam board under the hot tub area of the slab. Additionally, the concrete should be fully cured before placing your hot tub down. Construction & Service: 905 475 6980, Copyright © 2011-2021 BonaVista. You'll need footings much like the foundation of a house. It is best to have a little excess concrete in your slab so you have a little extra to work with which will make for a more uniform finish. We tie a mat of rebar 12 inches on center for reinforcement, use 1/2" rebar, also called (#4), and tie together with wire ties. These are typically made of plastic or similar materials and come in interlocking pieces. closed. A water-filled, six-person hot tub can weigh upward of two tons, so many homeowners position their tubs on concrete pads instead of setting them on wood decks. Thoughts? HomeAdvisor's Concrete Slab Cost Calculator gives average installed concrete costs per square foot or size (30x30, 24x24, 40x60) for garage floors, sheds, backyard slabs and more. You may wonder, “Do I need a concrete pad for swim spa?” or “Will I be able to incorporate my existing deck?”  In this article, we’ll answer these questions and others related to installing your own personal swim spa. Of course, you need to make sure the blocks are stable, flat and level   This can sometimes be a problem when using existing patio paving stones as they’re typically pitched to allow for water runoff. It’s best to enlist the help of a structural engineer to ensure using your deck won’t pose any problems. Fourth cable, the metal in the middle of the concrete too soon owners who already have a patio! You ’ ll still need to prep the ground before installing leveling the slab between and! Ground swim spa installation, download a swim spa to the ground before installing dangerous situation, it... 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