EZ Pads vs Concrete slab

[spa_newb]

So my jaw dropped when the major dealer in my area said the going price for his customers who were hiring someone to lay a level 8'x8' concrete slab was about $1300.

In Lieu of that, how are these http://www.ezpads.com/

I live in New England, where we get pretty harsh winters. If I dig a 8'x8' trench, fill, pack and level with mason dust, will a set of EZ Pads be a durable alternative? I mean I would lay the pads down, put the tub on the pads, then cover over the remaining edges with landscaping to hid the plastic. Same goes for concrete, from a aesthetic perspective. But will I have to worry about the EZ Pad cracking, freezing, breaking, tipping, sinking, etc? What are the Pros and Cons here? I can save quite a bit by going the EZ pad route.

[benalexe]

I have the ezpad. I took out my grass,  filled the area with play sand, then the ezpad and finally the tub.  So far no issues at all.. but the tub has only been installed since early spring.  I did not want to pay for concrete.  FYI I live on Long Island.

A lot of people on these boards definitely don't like the ez pads and thing concrete is a better alternative.

[stuart]

The only problem that I had with the ez pad was that my wife found out it could move and we located the spa 3 times in our yard before I built the deck.

[rick_in_cleveland]

I have had my Marquis on an EZ PAD for over 5 years without a problem.  After you have done all your prep work you need to place it on a bed of construction sand not play sand.  Level it off with a long and straight 2x4 and then place it.  Alot of folks on this board swear by a concrete base and have little good to say about EZ Pads but in my case I have had no problems

[drewstar]

I live in New England, and I have a compacted sand base  with pavers and it has worked fine.  

[spa_newb]

I have had my Marquis on an EZ PAD for over 5 years without a problem.  After you have done all your prep work you need to place it on a bed of construction sand not play sand.  Level it off with a long and straight 2x4 and then place it.  Alot of folks on this board swear by a concrete base and have little good to say about EZ Pads but in my case I have had no problems

Yeah I was gonna use that stuff they put under pavers, mason sand or whatever, pack it down tight.

So there are no objections to EZ pads out there???

[getdave]

It is important to know the difference between EZ Pads and Handi pads. EZ Pads are assembled with screws, can be picked up and moved and do not shift when placing the hot tub. Handi pads snap together and often come apart when placing the spa. EZ Pads have a lifetime guarantee, Hndi Pads have a one year guarantee. Handi Pads are sold on ebay, Amazon and other websites, often showing up when you search for EZ Pads. Real EZ Pads are available only from http://ezpads.com . EZ Pads have a 100% satisfaction rate. When they were sold on eBay, a few years ago, there were over a hundred positive reviews and zero negative reviews. EZ Pads have been in service since 1999 with tens of thousands sold and installed, and there has never been a complaint about quality or failure.

[Compatico]

Yeah I was gonna use that stuff they put under pavers, mason sand or whatever, pack it down tight.
So there are no objections to EZ pads out there???

I think EZ-Pads are overpriced pieces of plastic...just my opinion, but I'll explain why.

If your hot tub has a floor/base that allows placement on various types of pads like crushed rock, paver stones, or even on flat level grass or dirt, then you don't need these plastic pads at all. The base of the tub is already plastic and is built for the type of location mentioned. No need to put plastic under plastic for a base. If your hot tub floor/base requires a concrete pad or supported deck, then EZ-Pads are simply not needed because the location must be solid. EZ-Pads are not a replacement for concrete or even compacted crushed rock. It's like using 2x4's where 2x8's are required to carry the load per building code - it just isn't going to remain stable and level.

I have no problem with a company coming up with something special and making a lot of money on it - capitalism at its best. My concern is that some people may think they can use EZ-Pads on a very simple pad like non-compacted dirt with sod removed, and expect it to support the base like smooth level concrete. It just isn't going to happen and a failure of the tub structure or frame support is likely.

The Arctic spa we had came with an Everlast floor that made placement "easy". But the location still needed a flat stable surface. I pulled up the sod, leveled the dirt, put down gravel, compacted it, and layed concrete patio tiles for the base. The dealer thought that was overkill a bit, but I wanted a flat surface that wouldn't shift...and it wasn't even meant to be permanent as we expected to move within a few years. Now my current home is likely to be my last (unless we win the lottery!) so this time it'll be a reinforced concrete pad, even if the tub has an "everlast floor". I want it to last...forever. 

Besides...there's nothing worse than going for a nice relaxing soak and finding you have a structural leak due to pad/base failure. Think about it...you have a tub that cost thousands of dollars and you want it to last for years - going cheap on a pad doesn't make sense. Keeping it inexpensive but solid is ok, just don't be CHEAP about it. 

PS - it's been stormy today but the sky is clear tonight - wish I had a hot tub installed right now. 

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Yeah I was gonna use that stuff they put under pavers, mason sand or whatever, pack it down tight.
So there are no objections to EZ pads out there???

I think EZ-Pads are overpriced pieces of plastic...just my opinion, but I'll explain why.

If your hot tub has a floor/base that allows placement on various types of pads like crushed rock, paver stones, or even on flat level grass or dirt, then you don't need these plastic pads at all. The base of the tub is already plastic and is built for the type of location mentioned. No need to put plastic under plastic for a base. If your hot tub floor/base requires a concrete pad or supported deck, then EZ-Pads are simply not needed because the location must be solid. EZ-Pads are not a replacement for concrete or even compacted crushed rock. It's like using 2x4's where 2x8's are required to carry the load per building code - it just isn't going to remain stable and level.

I have no problem with a company coming up with something special and making a lot of money on it - capitalism at its best. My concern is that some people may think they can use EZ-Pads on a very simple pad like non-compacted dirt with sod removed, and expect it to support the base like smooth level concrete. It just isn't going to happen and a failure of the tub structure or frame support is likely.

The Arctic spa we had came with an Everlast floor that made placement "easy". But the location still needed a flat stable surface. I pulled up the sod, leveled the dirt, put down gravel, compacted it, and layed concrete patio tiles for the base. The dealer thought that was overkill a bit, but I wanted a flat surface that wouldn't shift...and it wasn't even meant to be permanent as we expected to move within a few years. Now my current home is likely to be my last (unless we win the lottery!) so this time it'll be a reinforced concrete pad, even if the tub has an "everlast floor". I want it to last...forever. 

Besides...there's nothing worse than going for a nice relaxing soak and finding you have a structural leak due to pad/base failure. Think about it...you have a tub that cost thousands of dollars and you want it to last for years - going cheap on a pad doesn't make sense. Keeping it inexpensive but solid is ok, just don't be CHEAP about it. 

PS - it's been stormy today but the sky is clear tonight - wish I had a hot tub installed right now. 

It is important to know the difference between EZ Pads and Handi pads. EZ Pads are assembled with screws, can be picked up and moved and do not shift when placing the hot tub. Handi pads snap together and often come apart when placing the spa. EZ Pads have a lifetime guarantee, Hndi Pads have a one year guarantee. Handi Pads are sold on ebay, Amazon and other websites, often showing up when you search for EZ Pads. Real EZ Pads are available only from http://ezpads.com . EZ Pads have a 100% satisfaction rate. When they were sold on eBay, a few years ago, there were over a hundred positive reviews and zero negative reviews. EZ Pads have been in service since 1999 with tens of thousands sold and installed, and there has never been a complaint about quality or failure.

And you are? The owner of  EZ Pads, of course.

[Tman122]

Keeping your tub up and out of the dirt has advantages also.

[ljames622002]

I'm not familiar with the ez pad but I can tell you that setting the hot tub on concrete will trap water between the bottom of the tub and the concrete and rot the bottom wood on the tub.  Mine was doing this and I changed it and set it on gravel which drains away instantly.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

I'm not familiar with the ez pad but I can tell you that setting the hot tub on concrete will trap water between the bottom of the tub and the concrete and rot the bottom wood on the tub.  Mine was doing this and I changed it and set it on gravel which drains away instantly.

Many new spas like Bullfrog have completely maintenance free plastic bases = no rot

[Compatico]

I'm not familiar with the ez pad but I can tell you that setting the hot tub on concrete will trap water between the bottom of the tub and the concrete and rot the bottom wood on the tub.  Mine was doing this and I changed it and set it on gravel which drains away instantly.

Many new spas like Bullfrog have completely maintenance free plastic bases = no rot

That's one of my requirements...a tub with a plastic base to avoid any rot. My last tub had that and my next tub will also.

[Tman122]

I'm not familiar with the ez pad but I can tell you that setting the hot tub on concrete will trap water between the bottom of the tub and the concrete and rot the bottom wood on the tub.  Mine was doing this and I changed it and set it on gravel which drains away instantly.

What kind of tub was it with wood in contact with concrete?

[getdave]

Yeah I was gonna use that stuff they put under pavers, mason sand or whatever, pack it down tight.
So there are no objections to EZ pads out there???

I think EZ-Pads are overpriced pieces of plastic...just my opinion, but I'll explain why.

If your hot tub has a floor/base that allows placement on various types of pads like crushed rock, paver stones, or even on flat level grass or dirt, then you don't need these plastic pads at all. The base of the tub is already plastic and is built for the type of location mentioned. No need to put plastic under plastic for a base. If your hot tub floor/base requires a concrete pad or supported deck, then EZ-Pads are simply not needed because the location must be solid. EZ-Pads are not a replacement for concrete or even compacted crushed rock. Details about installation can be seen here. http://ezpads.com/installation.html

Many spa manufactures require a substrate to prevent voiding the warranty. EZ Pads meet this requirement. Also, using a product like EZ Pads elevates the base of the spa and allows for drainage. Because it is plastic, it will not hold moisture, or contribute to mold growth.

Anyone might argue that concrete is a stronger substrate than a plastic pad, but it is expensive, and difficult to remove. EZ Pads meet a need for people who want to meet warranty requirements, save money, and have the ability to move their spa. It should also be noted that it is not necessary to remove sod, only make sure that surface is level and flat.

For the person that commented that I might be the owner of EZ Pads, I am not. I do know the owner, though, and am quite familiar with the product. When I come across posts that are inaccurate, I am inclined to say something...