It's Time to Build a DIY Hot Tub
Our friends in Idaho built a backyard wood-fired hot tub and cold plunge setup for just $2,300. Here's how...
Howdy and welcome to another Friday Cabins, the #1 newsletter for lovers of leisure architecture, good design, and the great outdoors. Thank you for being here with me on this beautiful fall Friday afternoon.
Today I have for you a conversation with friends and long time Field Mag contributors Elias and Theresa Carlson, within which explore the BTS of their handmade wood fired hot tub—diving into everything from design inspo, lessons learned, and a rough cost breakdown.
And if a hot tub is just too hot for you, they also incorporated a custom cold plunge into the design. Cus even in Idaho mfers stay on trend!
Read on for the Q&A and check out the full step-by-step instructions on how to build your own DIY hot tub here.
Where'd the idea for a DIY wood fired hot tub come from?
Theresa and I grabbed a cheap 2’x4’ galvanized stock tank at a yard sale a few years back and installed it on the edge of the yard near the forest. It quickly became an integral part of our Idaho summers. When the temperatures hit 90°, a quick dip in the cold tank could turn a sweltering slog of a day into a real delight. We’d grab a couple cold Rainier beers and a towel, chill ourselves to the bone in the 50-degree fresh water from the well, then pop out and soak up the sun until that cold water sounded nice again.
But summers here are short, and soon our thoughts turned to a cold-weather version of the same experience. The resulting project is perfect for fall here in Idaho.
Did you have construction or DIY experience going into the project?
In college I had a summer job for several years with a home remodel construction company doing grunt work and basic building work alongside one of the company's primary carpenters. I learned a lot, but was still very much in the entry-level phase in terms of building knowledge. For a job like this some basic building knowledge will be required—I'd classify it as solidly intermediate level.
It'd be a simple project for anyone who builds for a living, but if you've never built anything you might want to call your pal who knows what he's doing. You'll need to know how to level and square a deck, and have some familiarity with basic tools like a chop saw, table saw, drill, jigsaw, etc. That said, if you're comfortable with that kind of stuff it's not rocket science. Think everything through carefully, read the instructions for the tub hookup, measure twice, cut once, and you'll be alright.
Cost Breakdown & Time Commitment
Total cost: $2,200-2,300*
- Chofu Stove, $1200 + tax & shipping
- 2'x6' galvanized stock tank, $300
- All deck materials, $700-$800
Total time: Approximately 60 hours (30 hours x 2 people)**
*This would probably be closer to $3,000 without the cost savings from using salvaged siding, and free screws and nails, and could be dramatically more expensive depending on what materials you use. For example, 2x6 fir for our deck was $10/board for an 8' piece. Cedar in the same size & length was $50/board (which is why we used fir).
**This could be significantly less for an experienced builder who doesn't have a four-year-old and seven-month-old to take care of at the same time. Everything seemed to take me twice as long as it should.
Lessons Learned from the DIY Hot Tub Project
1. Get in the tub before you buy it!
We got a 4' round tub first after seeing Tanner and Tess’s setup. But I'm 6'2" so when we got it home and I sat down in it we immediately realized it was too short for my long-ass legs and I had to drive it back to the hardware store to swap out for the 2'x6' tank. We think the 2'x6' is the perfect size for two people. We also considered a 3’x8’ tub to accommodate four people, but that was a jump from 175 gallons (two hours to heat) to 300 gallons (four-plus hours to heat), so we stuck with the two-person tub.
2. Even in fall, a cold plunge tank is a must.
We have a 2'x4' galvanized soaking tub off to the side of the deck which we fill with cold well water from the hose. After 5-10 minutes in the hot tub you start to get overheated. A quick dip in the cold tank is invigorating, stimulating, and makes the hot tub feel even nicer when you get back in. After three or four hot/cold exchanges you become extremely relaxed.
Have a good weekend ya’ll. Go peep some leaves!
tysvm
-gh