Replies

1. 
   bill_d. | Sep 10, 2001 07:46pm | #1

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   Earl, The first couple things that I though of were; 1)is the concrete strong enough to support the weight of the deck if you place support posts on it? (especially if you decide on the hot tub , lets see that's 8-9lbs per gal.comes to approx. 1600-1800lbs of water alone!) not that it can't be done but then steel beams comes to mind. 2) attach it to the house securly,through bolts with extra blocking. We have had some stories about guys just nailing the ledger to the house. Then when they have the big party ledger pulls away from the house,then the whole thing hits the concrete and party is over.3) I like to "let in " my joists into the posts and bolt them in place.I once built a deck for a friend of mine and came to visit about 1 mo. later and she had a swimming pool on it(2'deep x9'across) I was VERY glad I built it strong. If I think of anything else I'll post it & I'm sure the other guys will come up with what I missed(I never think of everything first time around)Good Luck! Bill D. Quality Wood Chips

1. 
   Mike_Shultz | Sep 10, 2001 09:10pm | #2

   *Remember to use adequate diagonal bracing for those long legs. In any case it would be a wild ride in that tub during a seismic event.

1. 
   Scooter_ | Sep 10, 2001 11:19pm | #3

   *You can support a Hot Tub, no problem. I was out in Malibu the other day and saw a hot tub over a hillside, extending over 8 feet over pilings, and about 20 up in the air. No worries!!Get a structural engineer, Earl. For the cost of the hot tub, he could look things over and would spec out the post size, joist size, bracing and other concerns.Decks over 10 feet over the ground have big issues with racking; decks that large (24x14) may support large numbers of persons, and attaching the structure to your house rasises issues as well. This is one I would not attempt to build without having a structural engineer look at the plans, Earl.

1. 
   Pro-Dek | Sep 11, 2001 03:49am | #4

   *Build your elevated hot tub stand out of treated 6x6,and build it independent of the deck. Build your deck around it.A hot tub not only weighs 3500# full of water it will transmit pump noise into your house when not in use. The circulation pump runs all the time.

1. 
   Pro-Dek | Sep 11, 2001 04:32am | #5

   *Consider your traffic line to and from the hot tub.Try to posistion it so it will be close to a door and not interfere with the dining area of your deck.I try to position the tub in the corner of a deck so it doesn't eat up alot of deck space.If your elevation is 10' you might consider building a lower deck for the spa area and have the dining area above.Look at deck books for ideas,but fit the design to your landscape and usage. Bob

2. 
   Earl.Pitts | Sep 11, 2001 02:34pm | #6

   *Thanks for all the help so far. I am thinking I am over my head on this deck. I will get some bids and see if I can manage to have it done for me. I am against putting the hot tub on the deck, hell I don't really want one at all. Rather have a pool. I would love to have a multi-level deck, but I don't think it would work on our house. We have a wall of windows on the back to the side of the proposed deck, so that limits the width of it. Then we have two patio doors that enter the deck, one from the eat-in kitchen and the other from the master bedroom. That is the reason the wife wants a hot tub on the deck, so we can go straight from the bedroom to the tub and back, if you know what I mean..wink wink nudge nudge.

3. 
   piffin_ | Sep 11, 2001 02:56pm | #7

   *Mike - you wouldn't even need a seismic event. Water can slosh pretty forcefullywink wink nudge nudge. I guess you'll be able to think of some way to keep mama happy earlwink wink nudge nudge.

4. 
   xJohn_Sprung | Sep 12, 2001 09:05pm | #8

   *How about having the top rim of the tub flush with the deck? The tub would be on its own separate platform maybe 6 ft high, the deck 10 ft high. No deck space at the 6 ft level, only the bottom of the tub. Similar to an in-ground pool.-- J.S.

2. 
   Earl.Pitts | Sep 12, 2001 09:05pm | #9

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   I am going to build a deck on my house next spring. In the planning stages now. It will be about ten feet up over a concrete patio. My wife wants to put a hot tub on it, but I don't think we want one on a deck that high up. The deck will be 24 feet wide and 14 feet out from the house. Pressure treated is all the budget can do right now. Maybe someday upgrade to cedar. Any comments or things I should know now in the planning stage?
   Thanks.