Totally 100% level??

[jnsjr58]

Yes, I'm a real newbe. As a matter of fact I'm more of a wannabe. ( see buying on ebay )

Anyway, I have a 4" slab outside the door to my pool house. It's 10' wide and ~ 25' long. It has a 7' wide  deck running the 25' length above it,  (deck accessable only from the 2nd floor). I want to put my tub on the slab, however it has a 1.5-2" slope( in 10') away from the poolhouse.

My question becomes: do I need to get the area where the tub will sit, perfectly level? If so do I repour concrete from 2" to nothing? Or do I shim in some other way?..... or do I leave well enough alone???

[ssbraun]

My opinion:  If it is not perfectly level, the biggest issue will likely be a visual thing (contrasting waterline vs. tub edge).  At 2" over 10 ', the average tub will have a slope of 1.6" over an 8' distance.  For my tub, that would not be an operational concern.  Visually, it would drive me nuts, but I have an eye that picks up stuff like that and a brain that places importance on it .  It is of course important that suction strainers and filters are submerged, along with jets near the waterline.  There are ways to fix the pad if you think it's an issue...you'll  have to make the informed choice knowing the details about your tub...

Steve

[SJK]

I have a stamped concrete 25x25 patio attached to the house.  By necessity (and code), it was poured so that rain and melting snow runs away from and not towards the foundation.   My hot tub has been there for nearly a year and working perfectly.  If you look hard enough you can see a difference in the water level but its not that big a deal.  Like Steve said, you want to keep your water levels high enough for proper filtration, but you would do that anyways.  
  You might want to check your guarantee for anything funny but I can't imagine it would be an issue.   Good luck.

[J._McD]

1½" drop in 8 feet may be noticeable, but one thing is certain, you do not want to shim it level.  The whole bottom is going to want to be in contact with the the concrete slab.

Try taking an 8' 2x4 with a level.  Place the 2x4 at the edge of where the spa will be.  Placing a level on the 2x4 raise the 2x4 to a level position.

Now measure the distance between the 2x4 and the concrete slab.  If that distance is 2¼" above the concrete than taper cut the 2x4 from one end to the other doing the same every 2' to the other edge of the spa location.

With the (4) 2x4's taper cut screw them to a 4x8 sheet of wolmanized plywood and there is your base platform that you spa will sit perfectly level on.

[bosco0633]

i did agrigate and stamping on a 40x15 patio last year.  My slope for my tub area is 1 and 1/2 inch over 15 feet.  The tub water has a slight slope but not a big deal.  It works out nice, because my two fav seats are a little deeper for me and that is the side that the filter is on so it always ensures that the water runs that way.  Its really a win win for me.

[wmccall]

Another factor in an unlevel tub, is the jet layout and how many people will use the tub.  If you normally soak with several people, the water level on the lower side may be too high if only one person uses the tub, or jets on the high side may suddenly be above the water line.  Or if you normally soak with a couple of people, you may get overflow if you use your tub at capacity.

[ssbraun]

J._McD's reply is sound advice...the only thing I might add is that where I live, 16" centres are used for joist distances in a normal house.  The load under a tub is high, and so I would likely go with narrower (12") spacing rather than wider (24").  Instead of 5 tapered boards at 24" spacing, you'd need 9 at 12" spacing for an 8' tub.  I'd also be sure to use 3/4" plywood (treated, as J._McD says).  This would ensure minimum deflection and therefore equal weight distribution under the tub.  Hope this all helps

Steve

[blizzard]

You could cut the side 2*4's so as tto take out the slope, and  
then enclose the other ends with 2*4's with one 2*4 in the center so as to support the 2 inside egdes of the plywood. then fill your frame with pee gravel. That way you have tota; support across the whole base and not just where the 2*4's are.