How much tilt...

[tanstaafl2]

is too much tilt?   :-/

Hadn't thought to check the grade of the concrete pad under my deck until now. Had kind of (foolishly) presumed it was fairly level. It is not. It has a bit of a grade sloping away from the house, which makes sense for movement of water but may not be ideal for a spa.

I am going to try to figure out tonight just how much of a grade there is when I get home tonight. Although I am not quite sure how I am going to do that yet! Going to go at it with a laser picture leveler and string I guess. I don't have a long level.  I suppose I could use a board and put my little level on that. If the board is straight of course.

If it is significantly tilted is it worth pouring more concrete (wouldn't look forward to that!) or is there some other option? Sand maybe?

Suggestions are welcome.  

[Brewman]

First find out how much the tilt is, over what distance, then we can help you on solutions, if any are needed.
From what I've seen, the patio tilt for drainage might not be of concern.  Full support along the spa's frame is as important as lean angle, in my opinion.

Use the board and level method- board doesn't have to be ultra straight.  Or a string- fasten one end on the high side, tie it to a stick or other support on the other side, and put a level to that.  Once the string is level, measure down to the slab, and then across.


For a couple bucks you can get a line level.  They are small and clip right onto the string.

[tanstaafl2]

Thanks. May make a pass by the local Home Depot and see what I can find to help see what I am actually dealing with.

[Snowbird]

If you have a level with a built in laser, try this.

Place the level on the high end.  Adjust as needed to level the level.  Turn on the laser and place a board right in front of it.  Mark where the laser hits the board.

Now, without touching the level, move the board to the low end of the slab and mark where the laser hits the board.  The difference is your drop.

Measure the distance between the where the board was on the 1st mark and where it was the 2nd mark and you have the distance.  

Now you know how much drop you have over a known distance (e.g. 1 inch over 10 feet)

There is a lot to consider about how much is tolereable - more than I know for sure.  But I would think the tub was constructed with the idea that it would be level.

Too much slope and it would change the stress points and might lead to joint failure in the supporting frame pieces.

Also it would force you to keep your water level lower to keep from over flowing the low side when several people are soaking.  This would mean that one person sitting on the high side would have to be happy with a lower water level.

Finally, if your skimmer were on the high side it might not have enough water to work properly.

Other than building a wolmanized frame to level the pad, I don't know what to do.  A skim coat of concrete or concrete/epoxy blend to level it might eventually crack.

Good luck.

[tanstaafl2]

Much ado about nothing? I can only hope.

Looks to be about 1 and 3/8 inches difference give or take a smidge over the 8 foot area I intend to put the tub.

Likely to be a major issue? While it doesn't seem to be a lot I am concerned it could be enough to be a problem.

Thanks for any insight offered!

[Brewman]

That small of a tilt, over 8', I wouldn't worry about it.
As long as the water can get to where it needs to go, and the spa is otherwise supported well along the slab, I'm thinking you're ok with this.  
I bet a lot of spas bases are this far off- things tend to settle over time.

[Spatech_tuo]

Looks to be about 1 and 3/8 inches difference give or take a smidge over the 8 foot area I intend to put the tub.

Likely to be a major issue?

That shouldn't be a problem but I know you may be a bit annoyed by it. What is key is if you can align the spa so the high water side is set up with the side of the spa that has the highest jets and the low water side with the jets that aren't so high (often there are variations in the height of the jets from one side to the other). Take the time to look closer at the spa at the dealer and plan it out.

[tanstaafl2]

That shouldn't be a problem but I know you may be a bit annoyed by it. What is key is if you can align the spa so the high water side is set up with the side of the spa that has the highest jets and the low water side with the jets that aren't so high (often there are variations in the height of the jets from one side to the other). Take the time to look closer at the spa at the dealer and plan it out.

Good point.  Unfortunately the seats with the highest jets are to the back (top corner seats in this picture). If I put them on the low side the front panel that I would need to be able to access would be against the house.



I was planning to put the left side of the spa against the house anyway but will just have to wait and see how much of a problem this proves to be I guess. Would putting down some sand under the spa make any difference? Or would it be likely to do more harm than good?

Was thinking of bolting a pressure treated 2x4 at the front edge of the spa base that was as wide as the spa base and filling behind it with sand. That would give me a fairly level surface I think. But would it be adequate support under the entire spa base. And would the sand eventually wash away? It is covered by the under deck roof but the pad will have to washed over time and sand always gets everywhere anyway.

Just hate the idea of trying to pour more concrete but maybe that is what I will have to do if it is not level enough.

And I suspect it will bother me knowing my own personality!

[Brewman]

Have you looked into getting the slab mud jacked?
My neighbor had this done on some concrete that settled.  They drilled holes in the concrete and pumped in some type of cement, lifting the slab.  

Not sure how much it costs, but it might be worth looking into.  

[tanstaafl2]

Have you looked into getting the slab mud jacked?
 My neighbor had this done on some concrete that settled.  They drilled holes in the concrete and pumped in some type of cement, lifting the slab.  

Not sure how much it costs, but it might be worth looking into.  

Unfortunately this a concrete pad that is 380 square feet and not just a slab for the tub itself. It is under my deck and the posts for the deck go thru the pad onto footings. Hasn't really settled, I expect it was slanted a bit to run water off it. I just didn't plan far enough in advance to have them not slant at least part of it for a future tub. Trying to raise only a portion of it may result in a lot of cracking and don't know how it might impact the deck above.

I guess I need to take a few pictures to post. I've been meaning to do that anyway!

[Spatech_tuo]

Unfortunately this a concrete pad that is 380 square feet and not just a slab for the tub itself. It is under my deck and the posts for the deck go thru the pad onto footings. Hasn't really settled, I expect it was slanted a bit to run water off it. I just didn't plan far enough in advance to have them not slant at least part of it for a future tub. Trying to raise only a portion of it may result in a lot of cracking and don't know how it might impact the deck above.

I guess I need to take a few pictures to post. I've been meaning to do that anyway!

What I've seen done a few times that works well is to make a simple open box frame (slightly larger than the fotprint of the spa pedestal) with PT 2x4s set upright but you rip the 2x4s so that the top of the frame is level on the pad. You then fill the frame with pea gravel and set the  spa on teh level gravel and you ahve a level spa. Works well and lasts a long time.

[tanstaafl2]

What I've seen done a few times that works well is to make a simple open box frame (slightly larger than the fotprint of the spa pedestal) with PT 2x4s set upright but you rip the 2x4s so that the top of the frame is level on the pad. You then fill the frame with pea gravel and set the  spa on teh level gravel and you ahve a level spa. Works well and lasts a long time.

Pea gravel is better than sand? Sounds interesting. Might have to give that a try.

Thanks!

[nicker]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, as others have said as long as the water is covering the jets that is should and also importantly is getting into the filters as it should.

Another solution would be to build a deck ontop of the pad.  My buddy did this for his porch.  He had a cement porch that was cracked and uneven so he built a deck on top of it.  The hard part is cutting the joists to the right angles so the tops of them are sitting level.  In your case if your pad is not cracked it souldn't be that hard.  Just take your 1 3/8th's at the one end and draw a line to the top of the other and there is your angle to cut.  That is if you are worried about it. If the fram of the tub sits level and is supported I would say its good.  My tub is not perfectly level either.  my low side is the filter side.  I am out about 1 " over a 12' deck.

Good luck

[tanstaafl2]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, as others have said as long as the water is covering the jets that is should and also importantly is getting into the filters as it should.

Another solution would be to build a deck ontop of the pad.  My buddy did this for his porch.  He had a cement porch that was cracked and uneven so he built a deck on top of it.  The hard part is cutting the joists to the right angles so the tops of them are sitting level.  In your case if your pad is not cracked it souldn't be that hard.  Just take your 1 3/8th's at the one end and draw a line to the top of the other and there is your angle to cut.  That is if you are worried about it. If the fram of the tub sits level and is supported I would say its good.  My tub is not perfectly level either.  my low side is the filter side.  I am out about 1 " over a 12' deck.

Good luck

Thanks. I plan to go by the dealer as well today or tomorrow just to get there impression. Would prefer not to do anything and if they also feel it is no big deal I probably will.

But it will no doubt bug me and fixing it now is no doubt easier than fixing it later!  :-/

[Spatech_tuo]

Thanks. I plan to go by the dealer as well today or tomorrow just to get there impression. Would prefer not to do anything and if they also feel it is no big deal I probably will.

But it will no doubt bug me and fixing it now is no doubt easier than fixing it later!  :-/

The problem is some people hate the fact their spa is off level while others don't care too much. Part of it is knowing if it will cause a problem (that's where your dealer comes in) and part of it is determining how much it matters to you. I always tell people 1" over 10' shouldn't bother them but you're beyond that and it may bug you though it shouldn't cause an actual issue. For me, I tiled my downstairs and one tile was a bit raised and everyone thought I was nuts that saw it. I put up with it for a week and while watching a football game I got up at halftime, got my hammer and broke it up, chisled the floor clean and retiled it. My wife saw it afterward and rolled her eyes that she couldn't tell the difference, but I could!!