Hot Tub Composite Decking Ideas

Hot tubs and composite decking (if done correctly) make the perfect match. Together, they give you the chance to upgrade your outdoor space in a stylish way that’s bound to wow your friends and family.

The contemporary look, finish, and high performance of composite decking offers an ideal solution that compliments hot-tub installation perfectly.

We’ve seen our fair share of hot tub composite deck areas – from the good and the bad to the ugly. From this, we have come to learn what makes an exceptional decking space.

We have compiled 5 of our favourite hot tub decking ideas that we hope will give you the tools needed to make the most of your composite deck space.

Firstly, decide whether you’re having your deck under or around your hot tub. There are two key ways of installing your hot tub composite decking duo: sit your hot tub on top of your deck, or lay your hot tub down first and then perimeter it.

When opting for the former, we recommend choosing a solid composite deck over our hollow boards to provide that much needed additional strength.

The most popular option, however, is sinking the hot tub onto a concrete pad and framing it with your composite deck. This sunken effect is more discreet and allows you to perimeter composite decking steps around the tub for easy access.

Wet areas can be hazardous, so be sure to consider slip resistance when choosing your ideal hot tub deck. In general, composite decking offers more slip resistance than the majority of timber decking and paving options, and it looks great doing it!

What’s more, NeoTimber’s reversible composite decking encourages you to experiment with patterns and finishes. That being said, we highly recommend laying our boards grooved-side-up when surrounding your hot tub. Slip resistance is essential, so it’s imperative you mindfully lay your composite decking to avoid any accidents. For instance, it’s worth placing your boards at an orientation that opposes the general flow of foot traffic. That way, there’s little risk of falling flat on your face after a nice relaxing soak.

As with any project, consideration is key. Hot tub maintenance is no different. When mapping out your decking design, you need to think about vital access points that could be blocked off in the process. It’s no good installing your decking over the electrical elements of your hot tub, so make sure to plan around them for easy access. That way, you’ll save yourself a great deal of trouble (and money) later on down the line.

If it’s impossible to plan around your hot tub’s important electrical elements, it’s worth looking into under-deck access. One solution is incorporating a decking hatch that grants you easy, straightforward access. Another is to install NeoTimber’s composite decking boards with our 6mm Plastic FastClips. Designed to let you remove boards whenever you wish, our specially-engineered clips give you plenty of accessibility options.

A key trait of composite decking is its ability to outperform timber in wet areas. The lower water absorption rate of composite materials means that the boards are less likely to rot with regular exposure to water. While our traditional WPC boards and capped composite boards offers this protection, the latter give you the most protection from the elements.

The protective shell of our capped composite decking products grants superior protection from moisture build up, which is engineered to give you the reassurance and protection you deserve. Never again will you have to fear water and cleaning chemical damage – our hardy composite decking will shrug off anything you may throw at it.

We see this one time and time again – customers pick out their wonderful NeoTimber® deck but forget the importance of a solid decking subframe. This is even more common with homeowners installing decks around hot-tubs, where they are exposed to moisture on a daily basis. The wet environment will naturally encourage water build-up around your joists and base, weakening your deck without you even knowing about it.

For this very reason, we recommend installing a plastic subframe solution to avoid the risk of rot altogether. If this isn’t an option, why not consider protecting your timber joists with our decking joist tape? This adhesive tape provides additional protection from moisture, and has been carefully made to extend the lifespan of your joists tenfold. Keep your subframe safe, and your composite deck will have a much better chance of standing the test of time.