Steps for a Hot Tub

Hot Tub

• When installing a hot tub in your yard, you can place it on top of a reinforced deck, insert it into a deck or place it away from your home as a free-standing unit. With a tub set inside a deck so the lip of the tub is even with the surface of the deck, you can step down into the water without needing special steps. For a hot tub that stands on the surface of a deck or the ground, you will likely need to add steps.

Steps

• Steps are available for purchase to use with your hot tub. They make getting into the hot tub much easier; you won’t need to climb over the side to get into the water. Steps are most important for getting out of a hot tub. After sitting in water that can be heated to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, your muscles will be relaxed and your coordination could be compromised. Crawling over the side of the hot tub puts you at risk for falling if you lose your balance. In the best case scenario, you may be bruised when you land outside of the tub. In the worst case, you could fall back into the hot tub’s water and be at risk of drowning.

Options

• You can purchase ready-made steps or build your own. Whichever you choose, there are some safety features you should look for. The steps should be wide and shallow, rather than narrow and steep. Look for a skid resistant strip on each step. The stairs will often be wet and could be a slip hazard without that strip. Purchase stairs that hold more weight than you think you’ll need. If a few people get in and out of the hot tub at the same time, the steps will hold their weight.

Considerations

• For added safety, install a handrail along with the steps. Having something to hold on to can help you keep your feet when you are tired or relaxed coming out of the tub. If your hot tub is inset into a deck and you don’t need to install steps to reach it, consider installing a railing anyway. You can grab onto the railing as you pull yourself out of the tub, making exiting and entering the hot water that much safer.