Help with hot tub deck

[H823Putt]

   I will be buying a Caldera Aspire spa in a couple of weeks   so I need to start planning the deck I will be putting it on. I allready have a deck that I built this past summer when I had a pool put in, now I need to extend it for the hot tub.
   My question is for anyone who has built a deck for their spa. I am just wondering on how to support it. The deck will be about 3 feet off the ground.  I will be using 6X6 post's but should I just use 4, one for each corner or should I use 5, one for each corner and one in the middle?  Also what size beams did you use? 2X10's, 2X12's double or single and what about floor joists?
   I know there is a lot of people on this forum who give great advise so any help would be appriciated. I really do not want to hire someone to tell me what I need to do plus I do not want to do overkill if I do not have to.

Here are a couple of pic's of the deck I built this summer.

Where the hot tub deck will be added


View from where the hot tub will be will be


Hot deck will be the same as this but without the pergola roof

[thearm]

what is the total size of your deck going to be? Need to know what the overall spans will be before sizing the base and supports.

[Chad]

Hate to three put,

 I'm pretty sure that a deck supporting a hot tub must be able to support atleast 75lbs per square foot. It really all depends on the total weight of your tub filled with water and bathers and the size of the deck it's resting on. Also, if it's going to be uncovered you must figure for snow loads as well.

Here's a link to a Q/A forum with people inquiring about deck support for hot tubs.   http://groups.google.com/group/alt.building.construction/browse_thread/thread/8b951ded61dd8813/dfa3fe557e8dd5f9%23dfa3fe557e8dd5f9

p.s- I believe for all decks 30'' or higher than finish grade, you must obtain a building permit.

[Chas]

I have built many decks for tubs. I use standard size and span tables for a regular floor, then add some beef down the center of the tub.

How I add that extra strength depends upon the construction of the rest of the deck, but it could be doubling or 'sistering' a couple of the joists, or adding a beam on a couple of posts under the existing joists. I like to do the latter when I can, because it can be taken out and relocated if you decide to move the tub on the deck at a later point in time.

Also, if any settling occurs, you can get in there and shim, wedge or even replace the posts with longer/shorter as needed to keep things level and plumb.

I have had many contractors get an engineer involved - and they ended up with oversized joists on 12" centers, and short spans between oversized beams. Works, obviously. But more than once I have come back to that type of deck a year later and helped to relocate the tub to the shady side, the sunny side, away from the door, closer to the door, whatever. And now the super-duper part of the deck is holding the patio table and there I am, putting in a simple beam and two posts under the tub's new home...

 8-)

[H823Putt]

   I was planning on building it as 2 decks. The overall deck size will be 16'X16' with the front corner cut off on a diag. Since the tub is 7'X7', the tub deck will be 7.5'X7.5' and the rest of the deck would be built around it so it looks like one.
   The way it will be in my backyard, I do not plan on moving it anywhere. There really would not be a better place to put it. It will be about 30' from the house in the middle of my yard.  Plenty of stars to see at night. I know people say to keep it close to the house because when it is cold out you will not want to walk out to it. With the deep freeze the Poconos have been in the past couple of weeks, I have taken a couple of test runs. Walking from the house to where the tub will be in only my bathrobe and slippers and had no problem at 5 degs. Only going out when the wind chill was -20 was to much to take. Then again, with a strong wind blowing I would not want to tubbing anyway.

[thearm]

[middle of my yard.  Plenty of stars to see at night. I know people say to keep it close to the house because when it is cold out you will not want to walk out to it. With the deep freeze the Poconos have been in the past couple of weeks, I have taken a couple of test runs. Walking from the house to where the tub will be in only my bathrobe and slippers and had no problem at 5 degs.

I have known several people that put there tub out away from the house and now find it awful tough to take that 25-30' walk to get in and then get out for a long walk back. I would suggest you reconsider if possible, to get it as close to a door if possible. Mine is exactly three steps from door and believe me that sometimes makes the difference. Also so much easier tending to the chemicals and overall care of the tub when it is that much closer. Just my thoughts. Happy tubbing!

[Vinny]

I used 6 - 6x6 posts with dounble 2x10 beams.

You really need the deck to hold 100+ PSF, maybe closer to 125 to 150 PSF depending on the gallons that the tub holds, the weight of the empty tub and the # of people the tub can hold. Add possibly a snow load and you got a pretty brrfed up support system. My tub's deck probably can hold over 150 PSF but I have no worries about it. My deck is about 19 to 23" high and sits lower than the main deck.

MAke sure you don't skimp, it's too much weight to be fooling around with.

Here's some photoa:

[H823Putt]

Vinny,

     Thanks for the pics. They gave me a visual of what I was thinking of doing.

[Tman122]

I used 6 - 6x6 posts with dounble 2x10 beams.

You really need the deck to hold 100+ PSF, maybe closer to 125 to 150 PSF depending on the gallons that the tub holds, the weight of the empty tub and the # of people the tub can hold. Add possibly a snow load and you got a pretty brrfed up support system. My tub's deck probably can hold over 150 PSF but I have no worries about it. My deck is about 19 to 23" high and sits lower than the main deck.

MAke sure you don't skimp, it's too much weight to be fooling around with.

Here's some photoa:

Our inspector would of required you to notch thoses 6 bys and set those beams in the notch and then bolt.

[Vinny]

Our inspector would of required you to notch thoses 6 bys and set those beams in the notch and then bolt.

The Metal "Z" bracket takes the place of the notch, I could have used either. The bracket is lag bolted to the beam and post on top and to the post on the bottom. I forget but I believe I used 1/2 " size lags. Originally I was going to notch but when I found out about using brackets, I went for the easier route.