Question about sinking the spa in the deck

[bob5820]

I just purchased an Artesian Piper Glen, and am finalizing the design of the deck. The tub will be sunk in the deck, but I haven't decided yet whether it will be sunk flush or elevated somewhat. I prefer the look of the tub being flush, but understand that it may be easier to get in and out of the tub if it is somewhat elevated above the deck. I'd be interested in hearing pros and cons on the subject. The other question I have is that if the tub is flush, what are my options as far as removing the cover. It looks like most of the cover lifts only work if the tub is setting on the deck, not in it.

[Vinny]

With a Piper Glen you need access to 3 sides of the tub to get to the motors.

I have my tub about 23" above the deck. When shopping a dealer suggested  to have the tub raised since as we get older, it gets harder to get our legs up to lift ourselves up. At the tub's height of 23", it is tall enough to sit on the edge and swing your legs over both in and out!

Also, there may be a concern about safety issues with a flush tub. A child could possibly walk on the cover and fall in or trip on the lip with the cover removed.

There are a few photos of my install at:

    http://photos.yahoo.com/vinnynj57

and look at "almost finished". I do plan on finishing the tub with a picture frame effect around the tub. I am going to make it removable to be able to take the sides off if needed.

If you have any questions, just ask!

[bob5820]

Vinny,
Thanks for the reply, nice pictures. While I still prefer the look of a flush tub, I like the look your going for. By picture frame, do you mean a removable bench that circles the tub. While the reasons you give for raising the tub are valid, they are not imediate concerns to me. But then again 5 years down the road could well be a different story. If you don't mind my asking what brand of cover lift do you have. It looks as if it mounts higher on the tub then most I have seen, and maybe what I'm looking for.

[Vinny]

By picture frame I meant putting a moulding flush to the deck and contoured so that the deck opening is covered and looks more finished.

The lifter is a Cover Mate 3 and it's really nice to use. It mounts right under the lip. The cover raises really easy and it has a wind lock on it to secure the cover in an upright postion; I haven't used that yet as the cover stays up on it's own.

I also like the look of a sunken tub, but at 46 YO, I'm thinking about 15 years down the line, I also have younger children and I can be a klutz, so it made sense to me to do it the way I did.

Just an FYI though, my older son has a friend with a sunken tub as your suggesting and his friends have commented how much easier it is to get in and out of ours.

Good luck with your project! The Piper Glen is an awesome tub. The tub I have is somewhat fashioned after it and I think it gives a great message!

[bob5820]

I've been looking around at some pictures on the net, and I'm begging to think that a slightly raised tub may be the way to go. How did you decide on 23". Looking at your tub I thought it looked like an Artesian, what brand is it.

[Vinny]

It is an Artesian, it's the Grand Cayman - same size as the Piper Glen.

The 23" was actually by accident; I wanted it 18" off the deck and after measuring at least 5 times I still got the height wrong! But it was a good accident, The seats in the Cayman are 23" and 27" from the top. Also, the deck was supposed to have a trap door to access the pumps and electronics; the 23"  height made it possible to not put a trap door in, the pumps are only approx 8" down from the deck. I felt this depth was OK for a service tech to be able to provide service, if needed.

It's also seems to be the correct height to just sit on the edge without worries of it being too tall or falling in, my 10 YO has no problems getting in and at 6', I can get in without a problem either.

[PaulMc]

  Vinny's just being humble. I'm sure he did the same thorough analysis complete with complex mathematical calculations and user surveys that I did. Mine is also 23 inches from deck to top of tub. And yup, it's all because I just extended the existing deck around the tub and it came out to be 23 inches. It works really well at that height... people and our pup can sit and visit with people in soaking quite easily and people don't feel like someone is peering into the tub, and getting in and out is very easy.  

 There should be a couple pics on this site, during construction and at night afterwards. I'll have to take some from outside now that it's done. I can highly recommend making the deck and any privacy fence removable. It only added a little to the cost and gives me great peace of mind.    paul

 http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pmcevoy2645@rogers.com/detail?.dir=/18f5&.dnm=57be.jpg&.src=ph

[bob5820]

  I can highly recommend making the deck and any privacy fence removable. It only added a little to the cost and gives me great peace of mind.    paul

Im not sure I understand then reasoning for this ?

[PaulMc]

  The deck extension around the hottub is bolted to the existing deck and a ledger board I added on the house, and is built in four joined sections. The deck section adjacent to where the controls and main access to the tubs innards are, can be removed by unscrewing four deck boards, removing four lag bolts and then lifting it off the deck blocks. I can remove this one and two of the other three sections without assistance in about half an hour including time to find where the heck someone left my drill and bits. The larger section I like to have some help with.

 The privacy fence (on two outside sides of the tub) is seperate but also removable by detaching it from the  house and detaching the needed section(s) from each other and removing from either the deck blocks or saddles. If need be I can remove any side panel and give 22 to 36 inches for service clearance, or remove the tub altogether, replace and re-attach.

 Additionally, bolting it to the existing deck and house makes it rock solid where people walk and get in and out.

 I felt that if I didn't make it easily removable then for sure I'd have an issue. Kind of an insurance policy or payment to the gods of good tub quality. (I also always have an umbrella in the golf bag no matter how nice a day it is. odds are if I don't....)

 Hope that helps.    paul

[bob5820]

Makes sense. I need to talk to the guy doing my deck about service access. It looks like I'll need access on 3 sides. Need to check with the dealer on which 3 sides.

[devilwoman]

I just purchased an Artesian Piper Glen, and am finalizing the design of the deck. The tub will be sunk in the deck, but I haven't decided yet whether it will be sunk flush or elevated somewhat. I prefer the look of the tub being flush, but understand that it may be easier to get in and out of the tub if it is somewhat elevated above the deck. I'd be interested in hearing pros and cons on the subject. The other question I have is that if the tub is flush, what are my options as far as removing the cover. It looks like most of the cover lifts only work if the tub is setting on the deck, not in it.

Bob,  my Dove Canyon just came in yesterday evening.  It will be sunken into the deck as well.  We thought about sinking it flush but went with the easier access to the tub by raising it 13" above the deck so you could sit down on the side and swing your legs around to get in and out.  Will be renting a crane Tuesday to lift it up and on to the deck, then sitting it in the hole.  It has access on all for sides but is limited in some areas for maintenance.  I have seen tubs sunken flush and they look great too.  

Best wishes for your deck and hot tub...we are definately excited about ours.

[Spatech_tuo]

 It will be sunken into the deck as well.  We thought about sinking it flush but went with the easier access to the tub by raising it 13" above the deck so you could sit down on the side and swing your legs around to get in and out.  

I helped a new owner with a tub this weekend and saw yet another tub completely sunken in spa solely because the contractor and owner just assumed it was best or looked best. Besides being more diifcult to enter/exit, they are unhappy due to the fact that can NOT get a cover lifter on the spa and have to drag it on/off every time. Partially sunken has many important advantages over totally sunken in.

[tony]

My spa is partially sunken into the deck.  It sets about 18" high.  I placed it at this depth because the Sundance Optima has a flat step/seat on two sides of the spa.  This puts the deck height at the same height as the step.  It makes for a safe and easy entrance and exit.