Wood vs metal frame

[Kelley]

We are in the market for a spa and are slightly overwhelmed. I am looking for opinions on wood vs metal frames. My husband is convinced that a metal frame is best....This would limit our options so I want to be sure he is right LOL

[HotTubMan]

I dont think it really matters that much. You will likely move to a new home/sell/upgrade your spa before a wood frame begins to rot. You may be the type to keep appliances/cars/electronics for 20+ years, if you are go metal.

Focus more on the comfort, look, warranty and dealer.
Lastly: DONT FORGET TO WET TEST

HotTubMan

[Spatech_tuo]

If this were a vehicle I'd insist on the metal frame. Its a spa and either is fine!!!!!

[TALKCalgary.com]

All else being equal, it makes sense to go for a metal frame, and if possible surround. But as HotTubMan say’s the most important thing is to wet test and find a good dealer.

[empolgation]

Wood inside a cabinet protected from most of the elements should last ummm.... 50 years? Forget about it. Yeah sure a metal frame is prolly the future of reputable manufacturerers once the weight is under control but unless you are adament about keeping your spa more than 30 years I wouldn't be the least bit concerned. Listen to the good people above (in this thread that is...).

[ebirrane]

It makes sense to think that a metal frame would be sturdier than a wooden frame.  There are three questions that you have to ask to see if this is truly the case:

(I'm not trying to say one is better than the other, but I *am* trying to say the choice is not as obvious as one might think)

1) Is a metal frame always more secure than a wooden frame?

The answer to that is "sometimes".  Many reputable hot tub manufacturers properly coat their metal frames, use the appropriate metals, and provide enough support.  Don't rely on a sales pitch for this. Double check on these forums and others. Some do not construct their metal frames with any quality and, from what I read, poorly designed/made frames can begin to rust. A 1/4" rusted metal frame will break alot quicker than a 2x4 piece of pressure treated wood.

Watch the plastic pans on the bottom of metal frames.  Some cheap manufacturers rely on these to protect the metal from the weather/rust. The pointy ends of the metal frames on poorly made tubs often crack through the plastic base.  Heck my friend with a Sundance cameo has his plastic base pan severely damaged accidentally by the installers when it was installed.

There were some threads a while back on types of steel, coatings to prevent rust, and the amount of framing required.  I'd do a search on this and see what you dig up.

2) The other question is what is sufficient and what is overkill?

Pressure treated wood rated for ground contact will last for decades without rotting, while in the ground, exposed to the elements. As such, pressure treated wood sitting on a deck or on a conrete slab should last as long if not longer. And pressure treated wood in a cabinet should last much longer.  I seem to remember some dealers (chas?) talking of pickup up hot tubs with unprotected pressure-treated wood bases that have sat for 15 years and seeing *zero* decay or structural problems in the wooden frames. Heck, some people think the plastic pans on the bottom of tubs are just a gimmick and are unnecessary.

Chances are the studs in your house's exterior walls are made of non-pressure treated wood and yet your house will stand on its own for decades.  Yes, the inside of a hot tub gets more environmental exposure, but, yes, the wood inside of a spa cabinet should be pressure treated.

I just dropped 15 6x6 pressure treated pieces of wood in the ground as I build my deck. Does that mean I have to dig them up and put steel I-bars in their place?  

3) Does the natural "flex" of wood actually help things?

I honestly do not know. Seems to me that a completely rigid framework that has little flex would transfer stress (such as walking on, leaning against, slipping and falling on) to the cabinet and shell. A 2x4 has some flex to it, though, which may be a good thing.  Of course too much flex is a bad thing.  But a pressur etreated 2x4 properly made doesn't have too much flex. If I walk up to those 6x6's in the ground and kick it, it doesn't move and I hurt my foot, but, indeed, the wood has some flex to it.

[rick]

I moved into my home 9 years ago and it had a wood frame Cal Spa.  It was only 2 years old.  The spa served me well for 8 years then developed a leak that I neglected to fix for too long and before I knew it my whole wooden structure rotted away before my eyes.  When I bought my new Coleman the dealer literally had to take a big circle saw and cut the old spa into pieces to haul it away as we could not move it without it breaking apart.  
Now I have what is called a Galvalume frame by Coleman and it was one of the features I wanted in my new spa.  Only time will tell whether this frame will hold out longer than traditional spas but I sure feel better about it.  It is also a much lighter spa than the wood ones, making it easier to move if need be one day.  

[knowsabit]

Metal Frame = gimmick.  You will find it hard to weed through the gimmicks in the spa industry.  Some features are gimmicks some are worth while features.

Wood is neither better or worse than metal in this situation.

Do NOT let the metal vs. wood framing issue be the deciding factor in your purchase.  There are so many more important things to focus on, like 24 hour circ pumps, make sure you have one.

Go with a good brand name, wet test, HP isn't important - powerful jets are, wet test, more jets isn't always better, LED lights get old quickly, TV's in spas? leave that for MTV's Cribs (had one broke in a month and was stupid anyway), wet test, and don't forget to wet test.

Most of the people on this board have only owned one tub so take their heavily biased opinions with a grain of salt.

[tazman]

Metal Frame = gimmick.  You will find it hard to weed through the gimmicks in the spa industry.  Some features are gimmicks some are worth while features.

Wood is neither better or worse than metal in this situation.

Do NOT let the metal vs. wood framing issue be the deciding factor in your purchase.  There are so many more important things to focus on, like 24 hour circ pumps, make sure you have one.

Go with a good brand name, wet test, HP isn't important - powerful jets are, wet test, more jets isn't always better, LED lights get old quickly, TV's in spas? leave that for MTV's Cribs (had one broke in a month and was stupid anyway), wet test, and don't forget to wet test.

Most of the people on this board have only owned one tub so take their heavily biased opinions with a grain of salt.

D1,
My first inclination was to "blast" your statement on metal frames but decided that I agreed with half of your post and disagreed with half.

Metal frames are not a "gimmick" rather just another way of doing it!

If anyone does wood frames correct it is D1. Their "truss frame" type construction is pretty impressive and incredibly strong but, their are many companies that have  gotten pretty cheap on their frames. Before MAXX bought Coleman I used to laugh at their brochure that read "High quality structural 2x2 pine frame"! tell me, what is "structural" about 2x2 pine(Maybe they meant the metal staples)? Regardless the metal frame a definite plus in this case.

From what I know D1 looked at metal frames and didn’t go with them mostly because of the cost involved in changing over.  

We have major manufactures that advertise their frame to be 2x4 construction yet when you look in the spa the only  2x4's are in each corner and stapled to 1x4's and 2x2's. I've been in the industry a long time and have probably 20-30 trade in used spas out back of my store, you should see the frames coming apart on many of those!

Consequentially there are dealers doing metal frames that are substandard. They use automotive grade or very cheaply coated thin metal. The frames I’ve seen on MAXX products are pretty substantial, heavier metal and some of the best galvanizing process available, it’s called galvalume.

Finally, I don’t think there is a spa made with a steel frame that comes anywhere near the quality or engineering of a D1 however, that isn’t due to whether or not they have a metal frame!

I also don't think that the philosophical difference between having a circulation pump or not having a circulation pump is worth telling someone that it is a "must" when buying. Circ pumps could be labeled as a "gimmick" by many as well.  Keep in mind that I have already stated and truly believe that D1 is by far one of the top brands made (I'm considering a Californian for myself) but it's because of the engineering as whole not for one item over another.

[Brewman]

Definition:

Gimmick:  Something that I don't have that others do.

Brewman

[stuart]

Definition:

Gimmick:  Something that I don't have that others do.

Brewman

Thanks buddy! I needed the laugh this A.M.!

[Gary]

Let's make this simple. Yes metal will last longer, but any house that is more 25-30 years old has no pressure treated wood in the frame and newer houses will only have it where the frame is connected to foundation.

And there are millions of houses out there that are not failing down or apart.

If a spa manufacturer uses wood but it is not exposed to the elements there is no need to treat the wood and it will last the life of the spa and then some.


Gary

[Spatech_tuo]

Metal frames are not a "gimmick" rather just another way of doing it!

Metal frames ARE a gimmick IF they use them and market their product as superior because of the material. If they simply use them that's fine, but don't try to tell the customers that the product is superior because of that use. THAT is where the gimmick comes in, not in the use but in the story they spin with it.

[spahappy]

Metal Frame = gimmick.  You will find it hard to weed through the gimmicks in the spa industry.  Some features are gimmicks some are worth while features.

Wood is neither better or worse than metal in this situation.

Do NOT let the metal vs. wood framing issue be the deciding factor in your purchase.  There are so many more important things to focus on, like 24 hour circ pumps, make sure you have one.

Go with a good brand name, wet test, HP isn't important - powerful jets are, wet test, more jets isn't always better, LED lights get old quickly, TV's in spas? leave that for MTV's Cribs (had one broke in a month and was stupid anyway), wet test, and don't forget to wet test.

Most of the people on this board have only owned one tub so take their heavily biased opinions with a grain of salt.

D1,
Metal frames are the technolgy of the future. When Maax switched over from wood to galvalume it made our spa's 40% lighter and 250% stronger. We now offer a lifetime warranty on our frame. With our solid ABS pan bottom and sealed cabinet not only do we seal the cold air out and recapture the equipment heat, our spa's are very quiet and rodent proof.
As far as the 24 hr. circ pump, I help more people with other brands of spas with circ pumps that have water chemistry problems than our Coleman customers so don't assume all circ systems are created equal. We have dealers up here that push the 24hour circ pumps and don't add the ozone system. What did you gain  if 24 hours of ozone was the selling point.

Spahappy

[rick]

Boy that sounds familiar.  You full foamers make a living out of saying full foam is a  better way to go than thermo(pain).

Guess thermopane is a gimmick too.

New definition of gimmick:

Any implementation used on a spa that the "full foam junta" does not like because they don't use it.


I'm not a rocket scientist or a metalurgist but if you were to poll people walking down the street, not knowing a thing about spas, and ask them if they had a choice of a metal or wood frame I think 99% of those polled would choose metal.   The reason Watkins, et al, do not use metal yet is because production costs would go up and they know they already overcharge the public for the product they make.   Thus, they would have to raise the price even more, thus hurting their precious sales.  

Just get over it.  Thermopane and metal frames are here and aren't going away anytime soon.  At least until someone invents the thermo-gravitational force field that will make up the spa of the future.  Just think of it, no frame, no shell, no foam, just a blob of water suspended in air to soak in.  Privacy issues would have to be addressed of course.