Round cedarwood hot tub, pergola, decking & paving 09 pr

[pantsmachine]

True enough Thermo but its hard not to 1st time doing it, Got a bit done over the past couple of days. I have found that there's that much to do that i do a couple of hours on this part and a couple on that to keep it all fresh, good way to kid myself along and keep motivation high!

overall view of progress to date

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• pantsmachine
• 12 Apr 2009
• 1

Close up of side of deck, had to space it out a fair bit to cover patio edge, a bit more to be done on this section before i am happy with it, still it looks better than it did yesterday!

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• pantsmachine
• 12 Apr 2009
• 1

I got bored with decking the deck so decided to try some of my off cuts on as the first part of the wind screen, quite happy with the result.

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• pantsmachine
• 12 Apr 2009
• 1

This is the rest of the level of the screen, i am now thinking of screening the rear wall(red fence) completely.

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• pantsmachine
• 12 Apr 2009
• 1

I bought a set of 10 deck lights, i ran 5 in and this is my watertight solution until i run in the other 5.

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• pantsmachine
• 12 Apr 2009
• 1

Wee tiny deck lights(they looked bigger on Ebay!

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• pantsmachine
• 12 Apr 2009
• 1

Tomorrows work site, got to dig out a number of post holes and retrofit some posts, i knew i had to do it but been avoiding. As i said at the start its a good way to keep motivation up by switching between jobs instead of repetetively doing the same thing.

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• pantsmachine
• 12 Apr 2009
• 1

General overview

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• pantsmachine
• 12 Apr 2009
• 1

Ordered the tub at the end of the week so i should get it towards the end of July

 

[pantsmachine]

Cracked on and made some good progress, off out for a pint tonight so no more progress tomorrow that's for sure!

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• pantsmachine
• 16 Apr 2009
• 1

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• pantsmachine
• 16 Apr 2009
• 1

 

[Thermo]

looking very nice, now get it finished for the summer!

 

[pantsmachine]

I'm trying! Problem now is that i only ordered the tub 8 days ago so another 8 weeks+ till delivery! In the meantime i have a few small jobs to do to finish preperation for the tubs arrival. That's why i'm here tonight. Does anyone have any experience with external industrial strength canvas or pvc at at a push type roller blinds?

I have been discussing this with my wife and she suggested that a canvas roller blind would shield the tub if the winds blowing. I would like to mount the blind on the beam above the large opening at the front of the picture

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• pantsmachine
• 20 Apr 2009
• 1

If its a nice day or evening the blind can be rolled up and let us look onto the garden. I would have to have the blind hooked in place along the bottom for most of the time so it didn't flap about in the wind.

View through roller blind space from the tub

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• pantsmachine
• 20 Apr 2009
• 1

Off face view of blind area for perspective

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• pantsmachine
• 20 Apr 2009
• 1

At the moment the whole thing looks like a off season poolside bar to me so i don't want to go to wooden shutters or its cocktail time forever! Still, i've been here before on jobs when the doubts kick in! I'm sure it will look better once the tub is in and i get the planters built and climbers growing up and over the whole thing.

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• pantsmachine
• 20 Apr 2009
• 1

Any advice much appreciated or other suggestions for what to do with the front.....

 

[pantsmachine]

Last post from me for a while(general forum sigh of relief). I have done as much as i can without getting the tub in place so going to switch to another project for a while.

Built and added a large planter with 3 different types of evergreen climber in it so hopefully they will take. I also had a left over 8ft long 7" wide beam and off cuts so i turned them into a big basic bench seat. I think the 2 have started to break the lines up a little. Hoping to see the sparky before i go away again so i can get the 45amp cable and lights ran in and working. Hey at least if i can't use the tub i can have a bloody big garden feature!

Cheers and see ya again in a few months when its done.
Arty shot...

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• pantsmachine
• 22 Apr 2009
• 1

Any blind ideas at all guys?

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• pantsmachine
• 22 Apr 2009
• 1

Agggh no tub!

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• pantsmachine
• 22 Apr 2009
• 1

 

[masona]

Well done!

Will the hot tub go into it now?

 

[WabbitPoo]

Well done!

Will the hot tub go into it now?

Damn - yo beat me to it. I was gonna raise the same question. Be awful if the truck arrived and you couldnt slide the damn thing in that gap.... but I am sure you've considered that in your planning.

 

[pantsmachine]

The tub is coming flatpacked for assembly on site. The base itself might be pre built but that's no problem as it can be rotated through 90 and then set down, good question though! In saying all that i have just sent a mail off to the supplier to confirm flatpackedness coz we all know how assumption turns out.....

 

[masona]

I don't know about yours but my hot tub need a clearance of 600mm on 1 side for the swinging insulation lid cover

 

[pantsmachine]

Bloody hell Masona 1 doubt per day Puleeze! I should be ok i have left enough space around the pergola for the pump/heater/filter etc box in any position i want to fit it so i should be ok for cover clearance. Are you using your tub much this year then?

We are having brilliant weather up here and i've got a tan from working outside for the past couple of weeks so i looking forward to getting the tub commisioned and operational for the later Summer evenings. By the way, any other ideas or suggestions please feel free. The more brains on a job the better.

 

[pantsmachine]

Received a reply from the supplier and the tub is shipped flatpack or knocked down as they call it across there. Also as an additional bit of good news i was told this.

I learned today that your order is likely to be delivered much sooner than expected. Despite the fact that the wood tubs typically take three to five weeks, Roberts is telling us that your tub could be ready as early as the end of next week.

Stay tuned for further details as they become available, and meanwhile, don't hesitate to contact me with your further questions.

Cooollllll!

P.S If anyone else fancies a hot tub these are the guys i am being supplied from.
http://www.rhtubs.com/

 

[pantsmachine]

Been offshore for a month now but still been thinking about the project. Finally decided that the wood fired water heater will be a Japanese stainless chofu. Got an update from DHL Danza that the tub will be in Glasgow for the 26th June, pity i don't get home till the 22nd July! Anyway my reason for posting is that the 1 hiccup i can now forsee is the building of the semicircular wraparound enclosure around the back 1/2 of the tub to house the electric heater/filter pumps, timers etc and to hide the jets&piping. i want to build it in red cedar to match the tub material. Thinking about T&G(for water tight seal) about 150X15 and also a step set to get into the tub, thinking around 200X25 rectangular for the step set and i will make the steps from that. Anyone got any experiece of places i can source red cedar in the uk? Much appreciated if you can help in ay way.

 

[Thermo]

various places on the net are (from experiance) unreliable and dont always have in stock whats needed. local timber merchants should be able to sort it out for you.

 

[pantsmachine]

Well Thermo, taking your advice i spent a bit of time skeggin about on the net. looked at sawmills all over Scotland, same with timber merchants. After about 2 hours of this i stumbled across a site for Remrand timber. 'Wait a minute, there's one of them in my town on an industrial estate' i said to myself. One phonecall later and the guys is quoting me on my cutting list. Quote will be ready on Friday, isn't the net a wondeful thing? I looked at these prebuilt for you wrapround enclosures before and they range from £500 to £1750 depending on how fancy you want to go. Same with step sets £100 to £200 range. I am aiming for both done for £250 to £400 in Ye olde DIY tradition, we'll see what the quote is. Christ, i wish it was July i am itching to get stuck in again........

 

[pantsmachine]

Received the quote for the red cedar for the surround and steps. I am going for

18x90 T&G 12 of 4.8Mtr for the surround exposed faces
2 of 200x50 3mtr for the step set.

I have the plan in my head for the surround and step set. A problem i forsee is shaping the inner contact face of the surround as its the curved surface that will follow the tub shape. My solution to this would be to use a thin marine ply or similar, say a sheet around 6 foot long. Cut 2" wide strips full length of sheet. Temp Clamp in place around tub at surround finish height, apply pva glue(maybe screw as well) and put on the 2nd strip, clamp in place etc for about 4 to 6 layers, leave till set. If i do 2 or 3 sets of these i will be able to make a seriously strong frame?

Can marine ply be bought in sheets at 5mm thick or less?
The thinner the better i suppose, easier to bend and build up more layers to required depth? Any other materials that would be suitable and waterproof instead of marine ply?

On another note, i was contacted yesterday to say the tub shipment is in the UK , same mail i was sent the bill for shipment, UK duty and VAT. I can't believe i had to pay the UK govt a grand for the pleasure of importing a tub!

I also sourced a stainless Japanese wood fired heater through a Guy down South, i considered him for the tub itself but his wall thickness is only 22mm which i am sure is plenty strong(look for his link for his jump test) but i went for the States one at 44mm thick. My idea for this is the tub will not be heated 24/7 as i think that's OTT, instead i will use the chofu along with the electric heater to bring the tub up to temp. I am VERY interested in what the heat up time will be with both systems running!

Anyway here's his website in case anyone fancies following my path to madness and financial ruin, damn the old selfdoubts kicking in again, should i have just went for his tub and saved myself money.....
http://www.rustictubs.com/Wood fired Chofu.html

If any of you fancy it, do a compare between Andy's Tub(Rustic) and perryperry and maybe Northern lights as well.