Regardless of the hot tub deck designs one is considering, it is vital that the deck itself be strong enough to support the weight of a full hot tub. Most hot tub deck designs will account for this weight, but if the builder is designing from scratch, he or she will need to pay special attention to the supports beneath the hot tub itself. In some cases, the hot tub is not supported by the deck at all, but instead sits directly on the ground or on a concrete slab. The deck is then built around the tub rather than underneath it.
Hot tub deck designs will vary depending on the size, shape, and orientation of the house and the yard, as well as the location of the tub. Some hot tub deck designs call for the hot tub to be placed on the deck itself, with steps or platforms built up to the lip of the tub to provide easy access. Others call for the hot tub to be placed on the ground beneath the deck, and the deck itself is built to the height of the top of the tub, again allowing for easy access.
Wood is the material of choice for hot tub deck designs because it is versatile and relatively easy to install, but other materials such as concrete or brick can be used to make a hot tub deck. Such materials are a more permanent choice, and they can be more difficult to work with, but they will also be less susceptible to water damage both from the elements and from water escaping the tub. Installing a concrete or brick deck will require a significant amount of planning, and when installing brick, it may be necessary to hire a professional mason to do the job, as laying brick is not easy.
Multi-level hot tub deck designs allow easy access to the tub as well as ease of access to tub components such as heaters and pumps. Some hot tub deck designs conceal the body of the tub, which can make access panels hard to reach. When a pump or motor fails, one must access those panels to get to the damaged components and replace them, so a multi-level deck design allows the body of the tub to be exposed while still allowing easy access to the top of the tub. Users can enter the hot tub from the upper level, while the access panels can be easily reached from the lower level.
