r5ran Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Hi, I am just in the planning stages of building a new deck, that is going to have my new tub on it. The deck will be only about 2 feet off the ground. My current deck (which was there when I bought the house and will be torn down and replaced with this new one) is just sitting on pillars (not cemented) and cinder blocks. I plan on building the new deck in the common fashion, sinking posts below the frost line and bolting girders to these posts, then set the joists upon those. Instead of just sitting the tub on top of the new deck, I am thinking about having the platform the deck sits on, about a foot lower than the deck, which is also very common. But here is the issue. With such a small distance below the main deck, I will have just enough room under it for the girders and joists, but under the lower tub area, no way will girders and joists fit under there. I thought about putting a cement pad in, or a deck pad, but those will lower the deck too much. My question, if I built a typical (with the same size joists and headers) separate deck area (about 10 x 10) for the tub to sit on, with the joists, headers and deck planking, why can't I just place it directly on the ground? It would not be attached to the deck whatsoever, so if there was any movement it would be independent of the main deck. The area is currently very flat and hard sand, I would just level it out and just lay the joists directly on the ground. The actual tub would be totally supported, just as it was on the deck or on a cement pad. Actually, unless I am missing something, it almost seems this would be better than on the usual deck, as the joists would be supported totally along there entire length, instead of just where the girders cross them, and give me the height I am looking for. Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated. Thank you, Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Hot Tub Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Hi, I am just in the planning stages of building a new deck, that is going to have my new tub on it. The deck will be only about 2 feet off the ground. My current deck (which was there when I bought the house and will be torn down and replaced with this new one) is just sitting on pillars (not cemented) and cinder blocks. I plan on building the new deck in the common fashion, sinking posts below the frost line and bolting girders to these posts, then set the joists upon those. Instead of just sitting the tub on top of the new deck, I am thinking about having the platform the deck sits on, about a foot lower than the deck, which is also very common. But here is the issue. With such a small distance below the main deck, I will have just enough room under it for the girders and joists, but under the lower tub area, no way will girders and joists fit under there. I thought about putting a cement pad in, or a deck pad, but those will lower the deck too much. My question, if I built a typical (with the same size joists and headers) separate deck area (about 10 x 10) for the tub to sit on, with the joists, headers and deck planking, why can't I just place it directly on the ground? It would not be attached to the deck whatsoever, so if there was any movement it would be independent of the main deck. The area is currently very flat and hard sand, I would just level it out and just lay the joists directly on the ground. The actual tub would be totally supported, just as it was on the deck or on a cement pad. Actually, unless I am missing something, it almost seems this would be better than on the usual deck, as the joists would be supported totally along there entire length, instead of just where the girders cross them, and give me the height I am looking for. Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated. Thank you, Randy This sounds good, it is esentially the same as a free floating cement pad, or spa pads, just a wood deck instead. You may want to place patio blocks under your wood that is touching the ground to help keep the wood from rotting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterboy Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 The solution is the same as building a wooden deck at grade and you should be able to find this info on the internet. Install your concrete piers and joist hangers, however the concrete pier would be stopped at the required distance below grade so that your deck will be at grade. Use treated wood for your joists and then add your decking at grade. Make sure your joist spacing and size is adequate for your spa as it will weigh over 5000 pounds with water and people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Hot Tub Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Install your concrete piers and joist hangers, I may be wrong, but I think he was trying to not put in piers, I'm Bad if I did not understand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave nh Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 not sure if i follow your post 100% but i would seriously consider putting your tub on a pad on the ground and then constructing your deck around it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterboy Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Install your concrete piers and joist hangers, I may be wrong, but I think he was trying to not put in piers, I'm Bad if I did not understand... I know that piers were not mentioned so you are right or not bad? with the weight of the tub you still want the piers to prevent differential settlement. You can lower the piers below grade or build the deck around a pad as someone elso noted. Better yet i work for a foundation piling company in Canada and for the right price we could install piers to bedrock for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Hot Tub Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Install your concrete piers and joist hangers, I may be wrong, but I think he was trying to not put in piers, I'm Bad if I did not understand... I know that piers were not mentioned so you are right or not bad? with the weight of the tub you still want the piers to prevent differential settlement. You can lower the piers below grade or build the deck around a pad as someone elso noted. Better yet i work for a foundation piling company in Canada and for the right price we could install piers to bedrock for you I would have you come right down! We did our deck, with piers(cement sona tubes). The back of the deck is actually cut into a hill, and the front of it is about 2 feet off the ground, cement piers on each corner and in the middle of each side, 2 under the deck in the middle and one placed under where the hottub footwell falls on the deck. 14x14 deck with a 94x94 tub. It has worked great, no movement or problems whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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