Can You Put An Inflatable Hot Tub On A Deck?

If you spend a lot of time in your backyard, as many other people do, you may be thinking about investing in a hot tub. Since most hot tubs are relatively expensive, you may consider purchasing an inflatable one. But can this type of hot tub be put on a deck?

You can put an inflatable hot tub on a deck if you correctly calculate all the weights and check to make sure the deck can support it. In some cases, putting an inflatable tub on your deck may require you to add reinforcements underneath the hot tub, which can add 2-6000k lbs depending on the size.

Before adding your inflatable hot tub to your deck, you will want to do some calculations to ensure its safety. Let’s look at some of the criteria you need to consider before putting an inflatable hot tub on your deck.

How Much Does the Average Inflatable Hot Tub Weigh?

When it comes to the weight of a hot tub, you will most likely find that the weights can vary depending on the brand and type of unit. Therefore, before purchasing a tub, you should check the details of the various units to ensure that you have the correct information.

The packaging in which an inflatable hot tub comes will tell you how much the unit weighs itself, but not necessarily the weight of the water. But the box will tell you the volume, so you have what you need to get a final answer.

Units like the Intex PureSpa Four-Person Inflatable Hot Tub (on Amazon), for instance, display their weight, in this case 108lbs. The capacity of the tub is listed as 210 gallons, and a simple google search for “how much does 210 gallons of water weight” yields an answer of: 1752 lbs!

And don’t forget people! This unit can seat 4, and if the average weight is somewhere around 150 (just guessing) that’s 600lbs of people. When this tub is full, it weighs 2460 lbs.

Depending on the size of the inflatable hot tub, once you add in water and people, the weight can vary. So an inflatable hot tub, once filled, can weigh anywhere between 2,200 to almost 6,000 pounds.

How to Calculate the Weight

The exact weight of the average inflatable hot tub can be calculated by first knowing the weight of the hot tub itself, which can average to be about 50 pounds. Then, when you consider that one gallon of water weighs just over 8 pounds, you can multiply that by the number of gallons it holds at full capacity.

If the average inflatable hot tub holds around 300 gallons of water, then you know your hot tub, once filled, will weigh about 2500 pounds. After you know this, it is time to figure out how much more weight will be added by the number of people sitting in the tub at any given time.

Most experts consider the average person to weigh about 175 pounds, give or take a few pounds. However, if the tub can hold up to four people, you can add another 700 pounds, meaning that the average hot tub with this many people would weigh about 3200 pounds.

The bottom line is that before you purchase and fill an inflatable hot tub on your deck area, you first need to ensure that the deck is strong enough to hold it. The best way to do this is to calculate the weight of the hot tub itself and the amount of water and people in the unit at any given time.

Are Most Decks Strong Enough to Hold an Inflatable Hot Tub?

To determine whether or not a deck is strong enough to hold an inflatable hot tub once it is full of water and people, you will need to consider the height of your deck. This is because while some decks are built at ground level, others are constructed higher off the ground.

Decks built at ground level can typically withstand about 50 pounds per square inch. Therefore, you can do some simple calculations to determine whether your deck can hold the hot tub according to its size and average weight.

In most cases, a deck built at ground level should be able to support the weight of an inflatable hot tub. This is mainly because the support comes not only from the deck itself but from the ground it is built on.

Determining if Your Deck Can Support the Weight

To understand whether or not the deck can hold the weight of the inflatable hot tub, you can take the calculations you did before to make the determination. First, you will take the average weight of the hot tub filled with water and people and divide it by the square footage of your deck.

The calculation above will tell you how much pressure per square foot your deck can withstand on average. Once you have this calculation, you will be able to decide if the deck needs to be reinforced or not.

On the other hand, if your deck is higher off the ground, you will most likely have to reinforce it to be on the safe side. The best way to do this is to contact a contracting specialist to help ensure enough reinforcement to hold the hot tub.

If you consider yourself handy, you may want to save money by doing the reinforcement yourself. You can do this by either installing joists or posts several feet apart from each other. When you install additional posts under your deck, place them in poured concrete. This will ensure they are stable enough to hold your inflatable hot tub.

Will Water from the Hot Tub Cause Damage to Your Deck?

It is crucial to remember that any type of moisture exposed to wood can cause damage. In most cases, repeated exposure to water can deteriorate the wood and cause it to either mold or warp.

When you build your deck in your yard, it is essential to use pressure-treated lumber to which you add a waterproof sealant. Building your patio using this type of material will protect it much longer than if you went with wood that is not treated correctly.

For the most part, there are certain precautions you should take when you decide to build your deck to put in an inflatable hot tub. In most cases, using the right lumber and ensuring it has been sealed with a waterproof material means that your deck will last a very long time.

Factors to Consider

You need to consider some risks when putting a hot tub on a wooden deck. While the deck should be fine, you must be careful not to add any additional moisture to the wood. So you should be fine as long as you are not draining the hot tub frequently on the wooden deck.

Here are a few factors to consider when placing your inflatable hot tub on a wooden deck:

Do annual checks on and around the deck to ensure it has no wood rot. This can occur if excess moisture sits on untreated wood for an extended period.

Calculate the weight of the inflatable hot tub before installing it on your deck. If the deck cannot withstand the weight, you may have more trouble dealing with it later.

The type of chemicals used to maintain the safety of the water in the tub can damage a wooden deck. Therefore, consider the type of cleaning and filtration system you have installed to ensure no harmful chemicals seep into the wood.

Place a mat underneath the hot tub to prevent any additional moisture from getting trapped under the unit. Over time, this moisture can wreak havoc on your wooden deck.

What Should Go Underneath an Inflatable Hot Tub?

In addition to the type of lumber you use to build your deck, you should also consider what you put underneath the hot tub before placing it. Even if you use pressure-treated lumber to build your deck, you will still need to add a layer of protection to prevent damaging the wood.

If you have chosen to put your inflatable hot tub on your wooden deck, you will need to consider placing a mat between the two. Doing this will protect both the deck and the hot tub over time.

For the most part, a wide variety of hot tub mats are on the market today to suit any unit you may have. Placing a mat underneath your inflatable is recommended whether you are putting your hot tub on your wooden deck or another location.

The various types of mats are made of materials that are made to waterproof the area by keeping water away from other surfaces. These materials include silicon, rubber, and quite a few more.

When choosing the suitable materials to go underneath your hot tub on your deck, you should choose one that is waterproof. While most are, you will need to check the packaging to ensure it is waterproof and intended to be used in this manner.

Overall, most experts suggest you place a mat underneath your hot tub, whether placing it on a deck or elsewhere. However, you should ensure you get one appropriately sized for your unit.

How to Install an Inflatable Hot Tub on a Deck

Installing an inflatable hot tub on a deck can be an overwhelming task if you are trying to figure out what to do. Luckily, there is plenty of research out there that can help you along the way and even experts that likely live in your area.

If you are stuck on how to install an inflatable hot tub on a deck, keep reading.

Determine the Size

Before you go out and buy your inflatable hot tub, you must ensure you know what size you want. To do this, you should consider whether you are buying one just for yourself or if others will also use the tub.

Knowing the different sizes of hot tubs will determine whether you need to accommodate your deck for a heavier hot tub. However, as you choose the size of your tub, the weight will also fluctuate.

Calculate the Weight

Once you have determined the size of the inflatable hot tub you want to install, it is vital to calculate the approximate weight. So, you will need to read the manufacturer’s manual to determine how much water the hot tub will hold.

Once you know the capacity, you will need to approximate the number of people in the tub at any given time. This number will help you determine the overall weight of the inflatable hot tub once it is filled with both water and people.

Reinforce Your Deck

In most cases, if your deck is taller than ground level, you will need to take the extra time to reinforce it before you install your hot tub. This is because, with the added weight of the filled hot tub and people, it may be too much for your deck.

To reinforce your deck, you can either do it yourself or hire a builder or contractor to do the work for you. You will need to add additional supports underneath the deck that will be able to withstand the added weight.

Set Up Your Hot Tub

After ensuring your deck can hold a filled inflatable hot tub, it is time to put your unit together. The great thing about an inflatable hot tub is that installation is relatively easy.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to set it up, including pumps or filtration systems, and fill it with water. You will also want to ensure that you have correctly treated the tub with the recommended products before you decide to take a dip.

What are the Best Inflatable Hot Tubs on the Market?

Now that you have all of the information you need to know about whether you can install an inflatable hot tub on a deck, you can go about looking for the best one for you. Since there are many different options available, you may want to do some research first.

Here is a list of some of the best inflatable hot tubs on the market today:

Final Thoughts on Can You Put an Inflatable Hot Tub on a Deck

The bottom line when it comes to putting an inflatable hot tub on a deck is that you need to ensure that the deck is strong enough to hold the added weight. And if you have any doubts, it is much better to reinforce your deck beforehand rather than repair it down the road.