How to Hardscape a Terrace to Create a Dream Spa
by
Adele Kurtz
3 Materials
$1500
7 Days
Advanced
One of my fave New Year's was spent in an outdoor spa at Glacier Club with my son Steve, daring one another to get out in our bare feet and bodies... into the snow around us. We did, for a few seconds. It was our own Polar Bear adventure and felt exhilarating.
I have enjoyed hot tubs on vacations and at sports club. My indoor jacuzzi was much appreciated after skiing and heavy gardening, but not quite the same...
As I get older my body feels the daily creaks and aches a little more. I wanted more. I deserved more.
This month I will start on Social Security. And, now that I will have a little extra time to relax, and a bit of extra income, I decided to TREAT myself and my hubby to an outdoor hot tub. Although to respect a tight budget, keep it no more than 2 months SS$.
We have put so much into our outdoor space over the past 15 years, adding waterfalls, ponds, trees and gardens. I was very insistent that it be blended into the natural setting, and NOT stand out as a big ugly elephant. We had a perfect spot, but it would take a lot of hard work to make it look natural.
I don't mind... if you give me a nice hot tub and a glass of wine to ease the situation.
The Perfect Spot
Here's the Spot. Right off the kitchen deck overlooking ponds and waterfalls and gardens. Tucked into that armpit under two curving decks.
PROBLEM?
It's on a rocky slope.
Here's the Hot Tub, perhaps 10-12 years old, 5' x 7', fits 2-3 adults, 34 jets I believe, made by Hot Springs.
Craig's List offers a few similar to this for around $2000.
New mid-range tubs are available for $3,000 to $7,500 depending on number of jets, bells and whistles added.
We got this for $500 by talking to a local hot tub guy, Mike Mackey at Alpine Hot Tubs, who knew a customer who was selling. I strongly recommend buying used equipment with "the mechanic." We paid him another $500 to help deliver and set it up -- well worth it!
Part ONE: We would need to:
1) dig it out,
2) put in a retaining wall, and
3) make sure it was level.
My FAVE TOOL: This Fiskars Landscapers Shovel. So much better than the big spades we all break every season. This one has lasted many years now, only $25, cutting through thick clay and rocky dirt more easily.
I found it best to find the midway point of the slope and start shoveling dirt down slowly as you progress toward the top.
Before you get too far, maybe half way, you'll need to BUILD a sturdy RETAINING WALL.
NOTE: If you are NOT on a slope, you only need to build a frame using 6 x 6's or cement blocks to hold in your dirt an gravel.
We assessed our growing dirt-piles to determine that we'd need a 30" high wall to hold them back properly.
We drilled 5 holes through 5 6" x 6" timbers 5/8" to hold 1/2" REBAR stakes. Some folks use 9" Railroad ties. We are wary of the creosote treatment used on them, so we chose to go with more expensive redwood.
Since our wall would be 30" high, we would need to go a minimum of 15" deeper into the ground, so we used 48" rebar lengths. Drove the rebar through with a sledgehammer and stacked the timbers one at a time on top. The last timber was carefully drilled only partially so the rebar would not show.
SIDEWALLS did not need to be as deep, since they were not sloped.
4 x 6 or 6 x 6 pressure-treated timbers would be good enough to hold the dirt and gravel in place.
CORNER BRACES were put in place using heavy lug nuts.
Of course the MOST IMPORTANT step is keeping everything LEVEL.
I used a long board to test and scrape as I worked.
I stomped on old plywood to hard-pack the soil.
I laid 2" thick cement tops around the perimeter of where the tub would be placed.
Part TWO: TRICKY!
It took three of us pushing and heaving to get this 400-pound monster relocated into place.
1) Rolled across the sad lawn using plywood and PVC pipe!
2) Onto a ramp made of old redwood...
It took TWO JACKS and a COME-ALONG setup to get it up the ramp.
- Hubby gets credit for the bulk of the creative brainstorming and finesse: like how to keep balance and maintain weight with the Jacks and come-along.
- Mike from Alpine Hot Tubs gets credit for his bulldog strength and the rolling method he borrowed from ancient Egyptians, using PVC Pipe and plywood.
- Me? Well, I was the one who would run ahead with the next pipe and plywood piece to keep things in motion. I also held the monster in position with a 4' iron lever while the guys reconfigured changes, like reset chains, while it was on the slope.
So that's why there are no pics of our brute force in action.
Part THREE: RELANDSCAPING around the tub.
What a mess!
Rich and I are BIG Rock Collectors.... so we had tons of material:
Lava rocks, lichen rocks, petrified wood columns, sandstone pavers from our surrounding Rocky Mountains.
I spent less than $100 for cement blocks, plain for areas under the perimeter, and red-colored for 1' walkway around the deck.
I would work right up to the surface of the hot-tub on the pathway side. I protected areas that touched the tub with recycled rubber mats. $8 from Home Depot for 24 x 36.
BTW: WESTCOTT TITANIUM scissors cut right through the heavy rubber, beautifully. WOW!
I leave pockets for plants... like the thyme shown here... so that my hardscape is softened with plantings.
Here's how it looks rocked in.
My Personal Oasis, with multi-levels of terraces.
Here it is all nestled in... I'll add another pic after I get that glass of wine, ready to relax!
Comments
Join the conversation
2 comments
-
How gorgeous, Adele you live in a paradise!
-
I always say it's up to each of us to MAKE our own Paradise. God gave us something wonderful and beautiful, naturally. So hubby and I let Nature lead our vision, and we follow through with creativity and muscle. I am grateful to have the opportunity, time and energy to transform this plot of land into something that uniquely serves our quirky tastes...
And it has slowly evolved into a tranquil paradise for us.
-
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
The next question is: So how do you cover that hot tub? Won't that ruin your pretty visions? And here is the answer: