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Upgrading an old hot tub


Robert78

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Recently, I picked up an old hot tub from a friend of mine. Everything works fine and there are no leaks. The only problem is that the frame is just falling apart. I am planning to rebuild the entire frame and clean it up real nice. For the time being, we are planning to use it for a few months or maybe a year or so. If it works fine, maybe we will consider upgrading it to a nicer one later. I just hate to drop $5k on a new one when this was a freebie with a brand new cover.
I have some doubts regarding the upgrading which I would like to ask here:
1) Am I crazy for putting money into a super old tub? If not,
What is the best way to remove the old frame? I've heard I should turn the tub upside down and remove everything. Of course, that's easier said than done. It's pretty heavy. Should I just leave it upright and start removing everything?

2) What should I use for the base? Right now it's just some non-treated plywood that is rotten. 5/8" or 3/4" treated plywood was my first thought. It's going to be sitting on a concrete patio so it will more than likely be moist 99% of the time.
Thank you for any help.

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You're crazier than most but not quite certifiable. If it works there's nothing wrong with dropping a few hundred bucks to shore it up.

If you do redo the base, flip it. It's far easier to do shell down than it is on it's base. You also won't run the risk of fracturing the shell under it's own weight. Use 3/4 treated ply for the base. Install a subframe that actually contacts the the ground and raises the base off the concrete by running treated 2x4s width wise around the edges and parallel at 14-16" on center through the middle (it shouldn't matter which way). Build everything as close to original specs as you possibly can. Good luck. 

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