Hot Tub Forum

Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: 720 on May 28, 2012, 10:41:33 pm

Title: Hot tub pad structure...
Post by: 720 on May 28, 2012, 10:41:33 pm
I'm about to build a pad for a soon in the future hot tub purchase. The hot tub weighs about 2555 pounds filled and could have 4-5 people in it at a time.

I purchased  2ft x 2ft x 2 inch thick concrete slabs from Home Depot and will be using 16 of them them for the pad to make up an 8ft x 8ft area. I'm going to dig out enough earth to pack down 6 inches of rock crush base, tamped, followed by 1 inch of levelled sand before i place the level 2ft x 2ft pavers.

I'm wondering now though if this will be strong enough. I know people use smaller sized pavers at 2 inch thickness and I'm wondering if 2ft x 2ft x 2 inch concrete slabs will be strong enough since they are wider than normal.

If you pour a single concrete slab it should be 4 inches thick with rebar which is why I'm asking this, but that is also one giant piece compared to what I'm doing. It took a few trips to get this stuff to the house so I'd hate to have to take it back,
Title: Re: Hot tub pad structure...
Post by: TwinCitiesHotSpring on May 29, 2012, 11:43:44 am
Although most manufacturers recommend a min. 4" thick slab I think your setup could work...the most important thing however is to be sure you properly prep/level the ground before you lay your "mini slabs" down.  Like you stated they are not "connected" so to avoid any type of nasty shifting or sinking I would level and "tamp" the surface very well before I laid the stones down
Title: Re: Hot tub pad structure...
Post by: 720 on May 29, 2012, 12:18:42 pm
Although most manufacturers recommend a min. 4" thick slab I think your setup could work...the most important thing however is to be sure you properly prep/level the ground before you lay your "mini slabs" down.  Like you stated they are not "connected" so to avoid any type of nasty shifting or sinking I would level and "tamp" the surface very well before I laid the stones down

I also think I might go a little more that 6 inches of road base, and I think I'll rent a tamper rather than hand tamp. The hot tub dealer listened to what my plan was as well and said it would work well as long as I compacted it well, so I'm good to go.

Thanks for the reply!
Title: Re: Hot tub pad structure...
Post by: TwinCitiesHotSpring on May 29, 2012, 12:25:40 pm
Although most manufacturers recommend a min. 4" thick slab I think your setup could work...the most important thing however is to be sure you properly prep/level the ground before you lay your "mini slabs" down.  Like you stated they are not "connected" so to avoid any type of nasty shifting or sinking I would level and "tamp" the surface very well before I laid the stones down

I also think I might go a little more that 6 inches of road base, and I think I'll rent a tamper rather than hand tamp. The hot tub dealer listened to what my plan was as well and said it would work well as long as I compacted it well, so I'm good to go.

Thanks for the reply!

I agree, hand tamping is for the birds, you could probably pickup a walk behind tamper for $40 for half a day from home depot or other rental place