The deck 13’ wide and 14’ long and is constructed with pressure treated wood; 2X6 joists 16" on centre. Bolted to side of house + 2 6x6 cross beams supported by attaching to house and 4X4 posts. The decking is 1/2" PT material. The deck is about 10 years old and I was not around when it was built. The 4 man hot tub is second hand with no manual. I have no idea of how much the tub weighs. Living in Ontario snow load is also a factor. If the deck is not safe as is - what do I have to do to make it safe?
2006-11-28 07:28:00 · 18 answers · asked by tall_canuck 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
There may be some here who would tell you, go ahead, but I can't. I have a six man spa on 2x10 floor joists with very short spans and a 2x10, three-dimension cross brace directly underneath it. That might be extreme, but since it is an indoor spa, redoing it (if it fails) would be amazingly difficult and expensive.
A key consideration is the age of the deck and the fact you can't be sure how well those bolts were attached to the house. If the deck collapses. you've got to wrestle with the hot tub and the structure.
The deck substructure which meets requirements for a deck with a normal load won't last forever anyway. Why not build a deck that you know will be build right? I assume the posts are one four-foot (or whatever the code requires in Ontario) footings. But you have no easy way of determining that for yourself.
2006-11-28 08:08:31 · answer #1 · answered by jackbutler5555 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
I want to put a 4 man Hot Tub on a upper wooden deck about 8' off the ground. Will it safely hold the weight?
The deck 13’ wide and 14’ long and is constructed with pressure treated wood; 2X6 joists 16" on centre. Bolted to side of house + 2 6x6 cross beams supported by attaching to house and 4X4 posts. The decking is 1/2" PT material. The deck is about 10 years old and I was not around when...
2015-08-05 23:33:04 · answer #2 · answered by Kennedy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-12-24 02:17:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all I'd be replacing the deck, even without considering a hot tob/spa.
Also consider this Fact. Water weighs approx. 8 1/2 pounds per gallon. If the TUB is 500 gallons, that equates to 4250 pounds on your deck,,, similar weight as if you hiosted a pickup truck up to it... SIGH.
Do you OWN the first floor of this house? If so, why not the tub at ground level???
Does Ontario have building codes and ordinances like the USA?
I've been in the trades for a long time, and if you asked me to do the job, I'd refuse.
Rev. Steven
2006-11-28 15:12:49 · answer #4 · answered by DIY Doc 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The deck is safe as is for entertaining but NOT for a hottub. The weight of 4 ppl would be roughly 800 lbs. Then consider the weight of aproximately 400 gallons of water, plus the tub itself. You should bump up the joists to 2x10 or reinforce the hell out of the beams by adding more. Also. If you add a larger platform on top of the existing with perpindicular joists, you can create a shoring effect by dispursing the weight.
2006-11-28 13:56:18 · answer #5 · answered by James C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with tear down and rebuild. 6x6 posts minimum, every 6 to 7 feet. 2x10 joists minimum, 12" o.c. for such a long span. Double 2x12 crossbeams bolted to posts. Bolted to the house may not be enough, add posts and crossbeams. Decking treated T&G 2x6.
If the deck were low enough to the ground, perhaps the idea of cutting out a section of the existing deck and putting a concrete foundation and "sub-deck" level with the existing.
Add the weight of the unit to the weight of the water and add the weight of the 4 adults in the tub. The cost of being safe is far less than the cost of being sorry.
2006-11-28 11:48:10 · answer #6 · answered by dave 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No way! You should atleast double up the 2 x 6's under the tub. Then install a 4 x 6 beam on edge perpendicular to the stringers the whole length of the tub with posts to the ground on the end of the beam and one in the middle. The posts should sit on 8" poured cement sona-tubes 36 " to 42" below grade.
2006-11-28 11:13:53 · answer #7 · answered by Matrix 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most hot tubs manufacturers say to plan for 150 pounds per square foot fully loaded.
That being said, I personally would not put the tub 8 ft in the air with out having an engineer look over my plans for the support. Your not only going to have to consider the vertical weight, but the horizontal sway also.
Look at the sites below for help.
2006-11-28 08:25:05 · answer #8 · answered by Home Inspector James 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Upper Decking
2016-10-01 08:41:00 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-04-22 09:51:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋