# Temp. Pad for Hot Tub



## LNG24 (Oct 30, 2005)

Hye guys, Looking for advice here. I dug this pad today in 8" of frost. If you look closly, the pad is not even. That is because I cut from grade into the hill and I still have 8" of front at grade so if I removed the front I would be too low.

My plan is to pour a cement pad int he Spring, but just install a gravel base for now and set the hot tub on 2 sheets of plywood sitting on top of the gravel. I can drain it and remove it in the Spring when I go to pour.

My question is, if I decide to go with a Unilock style paver instead of a poured concrete slab, could I put that down in this weather now:blink: Remember that there will be settling in the Spring once the area that froze over thaws out. Well actually it dosn't make much of a difference now. I am sure I have a freeze by now on what I cut out too as it was freezing over as I cut it. All wet clay in that hill:whistling 

Well I am open for suggestions. I just need to get the tub in place in the next few weeks. I will be returning in the Spring to extend the deck out and around 3 sides of the hot tub. Here are pics of the site.


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

Dig,
IMO you would have to bury the first row of Uni locks anyhow so I would dig a footing for the uni lock wall allowing for the first row to be below finish grade and also allowing foe 6" min of a 3/4" stone footing. Would also be a good idea to have a couple bales of hay on hand to cover the footing area if you won't get it done in a day. Good luck.


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## 690E (Jan 4, 2007)

Seems like you could lay road base, then sand and set the tub on that forever. The tubs are pretty stiff and your ground should settle evenly. very few around here bother with cement.


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

Dig,
I reread your post again and realized you were talking about unilock pavers and not retaining wall blocks:w00t: sorry my mistake I should have gone to bed at 10, I think I was half asleep. But looking at your pics. you may need a wall. By the way nice Mini. Is that around 8000#'s?


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## LNG24 (Oct 30, 2005)

Hi Joe,

No, that is just under 19,000#'s! Not sure if anything smaller would have made it through the frost.

I guess my real question is this, having never worked with unilock pavers ( I have only poured slabs before) I know that you usually put them on a crushed stone or sand base. My original thought was to place the 8 x 8 tub on a 10 x 10 concrete pad. The surrounding patio would then be pavers with a unilock wall holding back the cut. The deck would be extended on 3 sides of the tub to enclose it. 

Since I will be dealing with a lot of water, I was thinking to make my temp. base out of 3/4" stone on filter fabric. Then in the Spring, Place another layer of fabric down and cover that with crushed stone and place the pavers on that.

Here is a sketch


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

Dig,
From what you're planning on doing it sounds like you have things under control.


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

With this cold weather i am sure there is still the ground. If there is front in the ground you can not install pavers properly. One of the most important parts is compacting the sub base which is the soil. If the ground is frozen you can not compact it.

Honestly i would just hold off 3-4 weeks for the frost to go away. There is no sense trying to rush things and then half to do it over down the road.

Matt


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## LNG24 (Oct 30, 2005)

ruskent said:


> With this cold weather i am sure there is still the ground. If there is front in the ground you can not install pavers properly. One of the most important parts is compacting the sub base which is the soil. If the ground is frozen you can not compact it.
> 
> Honestly i would just hold off 3-4 weeks for the frost to go away. There is no sense trying to rush things and then half to do it over down the road.
> 
> Matt


Matt,

Frost won't be gone that soon! We had No Snow before the freeze so it is going deep. This is just a temp pad until I can do it right in the Spring. Just eneeded to know if I am better off leaving the 3/4" under the pavers for drainage or shoudl I remove it when I put the pavers down.


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## tnmtn (Dec 15, 2006)

digger,
if you have to set it now you probably could go ahead on the gravel temporarily. after the weather warms a bit then come back and compact the gravel then go over the top with your crusher run or sand. a few inches at least.this then will have to be compacted and screeded as well. you might want to try www.pavingexpert.com for some more info. it is an engish site so there are some measurement issues but otherwise very good info. 
good luck,
metin


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## fhdesign (Jan 17, 2007)

digger, 
I to would go ahead and use gravel, for a temporary pad, but I would skip the landscape fabric under the gravel, it may make it harder to compact in the spring. 
Jon


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

Gravel will work fine as a temp. base untill spring. But once spring comes around i would pull the gravel out, compact the sub base, then procede with the rest of the paver installation. Concrete pavers are the best type of pavement out there. If installed properly, they will look great and last forever. You just can't skip any steps.

Matt


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## Driftwood (Feb 15, 2004)

*Installed several hot tubs , including My own*

4 " of 3/4" crushed stone,compacted. #4 rebar 16" o. c. both ways.

4" slab for hot tub, You" ll be happy.


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## POOLMANinCT (Oct 7, 2006)

if there is a wood skirt on the tub, just keep it out of contact 
w/ dirt, plywood etc 

just as you wood w/ wood fence panels..


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