Is there anything more relaxing than reclining in your hot tub and letting your worries gently bubble away with the warm water?

However, that relaxation can come to a very abrupt end if you find that you’ve installed your hot tub on uneven ground.

It’s not just during the installation process that you need to make sure your hot tub is level though.

Over time, the ground it has been placed on can shift, and all of a sudden you might notice that one end is slightly deeper than the other.

So, whether you’re installing a hot tub for the first time or trying to rectify an existing issue, at some point the question ‘How can I level my hot tub?’ is almost guaranteed to come into play.

Fear not! It’s a pretty straightforward process that you can easily manage with just a few simple tools.

And, whilst you can always call in a professional to do it for you, you’ll save a lot of money by doing it yourself.

Keep reading to check out our definitive guide to leveling a hot tub below.

We’ll be covering different ground surfaces as well as offering you loads of advice on the safest, easiest, and most efficient way of leveling your hot tub.

In no time you’ll be kicking back, allowing the trials and tribulations of the day to melt away, and relaxing into perfectly level, inviting water.

Why Does A Hot Tub Need To Be Level?

There are a couple of reasons why you need to make sure your hot tub is perfectly level.

The most obvious of these is the fact that it is going to be filled with water, and an unevenly placed hot tub will create an uneven water level.

This means that the water will be deeper in certain areas which, in turn, could lead to certain jets not being covered.

A noisy jet that isn’t doing its job hardly makes for a relaxing experience!

Another reason why it’s important to make sure your hot tub is level is that the extra weight being added by people, water, and of the hot tub itself could cause stress on certain parts of the shell.

This can lead to cracking and fractures, which ultimately result in very expensive repairs. A level hot tub will distribute all weight evenly and prevent these costly issues from occurring.

What Can I Use To Level My Hot Tub?

Shims

For most people, and for most surfaces, the best way to get your hot tub to a perfectly even level is to use shims. This doesn’t only make the job much easier, but also costs a lot less money than digging out your patio’s foundations and starting all over again.

The vast majority of hot tubs come with ‘shim points’ with this issue in mind. These will have been designed to provide you with a secure place to install shims without causing any damage to the tub itself.

It’s important to think about what material is best when you’re choosing your shims though. Wooden shims are strong but could rot away after a few years of being exposed to the elements.

Plastic or metal shims are your best option. These will be strong, durable, and last you a long time. Some even come with super long guarantees, which will give you added peace of mind and extra value for money.

Concrete Slabs

As a general rule, it’s usually a good idea to avoid installing a hot tub directly onto concrete slabs if at all possible. This is because as the ground moves underneath them, the slabs themselves can become uneven and begin to make a slope.

Instead, a raised wooden platform or support can be placed onto the pavers and the hot tub installed on that.

However, if the only choice available to you is a patio or a concrete slab surface, there is a quick and easy way to level your hot tub. In this instance, you simply need to use shims.

Following the manufacturer’s instructions, insert this underneath the frame of your hot tub and adjust it until its level. Start on the lower side of the hot tub and work upwards until you’ve got a perfectly level reading on your spirit level.

For pavers or concrete that is producing a slope of more than 1-inch, however, shims may not be able to create the level surface you need. In this case, your best option would be to drill down and repave your surface so that it is perfectly even.

Decking

If you’re thinking about installing a hot tub on decking, the first thing you need to be certain of is that it is able to support the weight of the tub, the water, and the people using it.

Once you’ve worked that out, check to see if your decking is level.

As with concrete and pavers, the shifting ground underneath your decking could have created a slightly uneven surface. If this has happened, shims are your best option for leveling your hot tub.

Start from the lower end and gradually raise the tub to perfectly match the level of the higher end.

Once you’ve got the levels correct, secure the shims in place in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and you’ll be all set!

Final Word

As you can see, there is a very simple and cost-effective way to level your hot tub without having to call in professional help.

In most cases, a good set of shims made from strong, durable plastic or metal will do the job. However, it’s important to take your measurements whilst you’re leveling your tub as in some cases the slope may be too great and you may need to take slightly more drastic action.

Different surfaces present different issues with hot tub leveling, so if you’re installing a brand new hot tub, make sure that you’re choosing a location that is going to keep it level for as long as possible and be easy to adjust when the time comes.