Hot tub placement question

[ATC Buckeye]

This is probably a silly question, but we finally found a tub we like for the price we want to pay, but it's not quite tall enough.  We have a deck that opens out onto an existing patio with a wide set of stairs, and we are going to remove a couple stringers and slide the tub against the deck and what's left of the stairs, leaving two sides exposed for maintenance.   Now, the deck is 37 3/4" above the patio, and I'd like the tub top to finish right up near the edge of the deck.  The tub we like, an Artesian South Seas 748B, is ~36" tall.   

My idea is to lay down a layer of 2x10 pressure treated lumber, cut just slightly larger than the tub's bottom footprint, and set the tub on the wood, which will be on concrete.  Can anyone think of any reason why this isn't a good idea?  The 1 1/2" extra height from the lumber should put the top of the tub right where I want it.

Also, anyone have any opinion on that particular tub? I know it's not top of the line but we don't want to spend more than about $5000 for our first tub. 

[sorebikr]

This is probably a silly question, but we finally found a tub we like for the price we want to pay, but it's not quite tall enough.  We have a deck that opens out onto an existing patio with a wide set of stairs, and we are going to remove a couple stringers and slide the tub against the deck and what's left of the stairs, leaving two sides exposed for maintenance.   Now, the deck is 37 3/4" above the patio, and I'd like the tub top to finish right up near the edge of the deck.  The tub we like, an Artesian South Seas 748B, is ~36" tall.   

My idea is to lay down a layer of 2x10 pressure treated lumber, cut just slightly larger than the tub's bottom footprint, and set the tub on the wood, which will be on concrete.  Can anyone think of any reason why this isn't a good idea?  The 1 1/2" extra height from the lumber should put the top of the tub right where I want it.

Also, anyone have any opinion on that particular tub? I know it's not top of the line but we don't want to spend more than about $5000 for our first tub.

Good morning - Actually not a silly question at all.  A while back I was thinking through the same sort of challenge.  I was surprised by the feedback I received and in hindsight it was really sound advice. 

First of all, its a bad idea to put outdoor lumber directly on concrete (or footings or whatever).  Too much moisture.  Outdoor lumber or no, you're going to have problems which is why code requires you to use post-holders (as an example, I know this isn't exactly what you were suggesting)

But more importantly, I suggest you reconsider having your tub be flush with the deck.  The advice I received was

"too easy to accidentally fall into it"
"encourages kids or animals to run across the cover which can damage it"
"Its a lot easier to get in and out of it if the tub is a bit higher than the deck"

That all turned out to be accurate, especially watching my parents get in and out of the tub (and I'll be their age someday too...)

Still, if your heart is set on making it flush, the wood on concrete is a bad idea and asking for trouble down the line.

Goodluck

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

I would probably recommend using some type of pre-made 12"x12"x2" patio stones...you could get away with using the treated wood that is treated for "ground use" but that stuff isn't cheap and the stones would probably end up being not much more in the end. 

[ATC Buckeye]

I was also considering using that pad that's supposed to be used instead of concrete, just for the height, but it's a bit expensive just for that purpose.

I never thought about the kid running out on the cover when it's closed.   Damn.  Can't have that, cuz she could fall right off three sides if she walked out on the cover.  Shoot, that ain't gonna work anyway.

Back to the drawing board.  Thanks though!

Retrofitting a tub into an existing deck and patio that I did not design one into initially is proving to be quite the challenge.