Building Safe Hot Tub Steps

Lead Image for Building Safe Hot Tub Steps
  • 4-6 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 200-300
What You'll Need
Pre-cut stringers
Hammer
Nails
Drill
Three pieces of lumber (8 feet x16 inches x 1/2 inch)
No-slip pads
Superglue
Measuring tape
Pencil
"L" brackets
Electric screwdriver
1/4-inch screws
Wood glue
Two pieces of1/4-inch plywood(4 feet x 4 feet)
Electric hand saw
What You'll Need
Pre-cut stringers
Hammer
Nails
Drill
Three pieces of lumber (8 feet x16 inches x 1/2 inch)
No-slip pads
Superglue
Measuring tape
Pencil
"L" brackets
Electric screwdriver
1/4-inch screws
Wood glue
Two pieces of1/4-inch plywood(4 feet x 4 feet)
Electric hand saw

Having a hot tub is an enjoyable experience, but without a set of safe hot tub steps, it can also be a dangerous one. Building your own set of steps only sounds difficult. This article will show you how to build safe hot tub steps.

Step 1 - Getting the Right Size of the Steps

When you are using steps, especially ones that will get wet, the length of the steps can drastically affect their safety. Measure the length of the hot tub side that you are building the steps for. This measurement will then become the length of the steps you will cut.

Cut the 8-foot long pieces of lumber to fit the length of the hot tub side.

You will only need three steps for your hot tub. For stability you will want to place a stringer (that vertical section the steps rest on) every 1 1/2 feet. So for a for a 6-foot long hot tub you will use 4 stringers. If your hot tub is smaller or larger then round up the numbers. Using pre-cut stringers saves you a lot of time and they are relatively inexpensive.

Step 2 - Assemble the Stairs

After you trim the hot tub steps and collect the right amount of stringers, you can assemble the steps.

Put wood glue on the vertical and horizontal parts of the first stringer and place the first step on it. Line up the edges. Next, measure 1 1/2 inches from the first stringer and place a second stringer. Repeat until you have glued all of the stringers to the top step. Allow this to dry completely. Continue with the remaining two steps.

Turn the assembled steps over, then nail the steps to the stringers for extra security.

Put wood glue along the edges of the steps and stringers on both sides. Place the plywood sheets on the ends of the steps and allow the glue to dry. Nail the wood in place to make sure it won't go anywhere. Use the hand saw to trim the plywood to the shape of the steps.

Step 3 - Enhance the Safety

At this point, you can use the steps, but you want to make them even more safe.

The first way to make the steps safer is to add no-slip pads to each step. First, trim the no-slip pads to the length of the steps and about 3 inches wide. Next, make a mark every 3 inches on each step from end to end. Now, put a line of super glue from the top of the step to the bottom along the mark every three inches. Finally, place one no-slip strip on top of each glue line.

To make the steps even safer, attach a bracket to each side at the top and the bottom of the steps. Next, line the steps up with the hot tub. Finally, attach the other end of the bracket to the hot tub.