Author: Oliver Smith

Looking to transform your wooden hot tub into a truly incredible spa experience? Of course, the quality of the tub itself comes first, but after that, there is a wide range of hot tub accessories and modifications you can make to elevate your spa sessions to the next level. Check how much effort and innovation in this regard Royal Tubs, Gardenvity, Skargards, Kirami and Timberin put into their products.

Some of these different features and systems that accessories offer are practical, with the aim of easing the amount of maintenance required, while others are simply there with pure luxury in mind for the utmost spa enjoyment.
Leaving the essentials aside (such as the heater, liner or water filtration systems which we discussed in this article here), let’s explore accessories as massage systems, LED lighting, covers and more that are available for wood-fired hot tubs. You may consider adding them to your shopping cart once you learn about their functions and benefits.

Types of massage systems:

Hydro and air

The main tangible difference between a hydro or air massage is that hydro jets create stronger currents for a deeper, more focused massage for your body, while air jets provide a more gentle tickling or caressing sensation.

When it comes to maintenance, the differences are even greater.

Air jet spa

Air jet spa systems include an air pump which circulates air in tiny tubes and expels it through the nozzles. Air bubbles are then launched into the water, creating a gentle massage sensation for you. Although the water does not circulate through the pump and the pipework, a minimal amount can get into the system through the nozzles. The air jet system is safe as long as you make sure to blow out all of the water after draining the hot tub. This is especially necessary in subzero temperatures. Remember to switch the system on for even just 30 seconds, and you’re safe.

Hydro jet spa systems

Hydro jet spa systems are a different breed. These use a more powerful water pump to circulate water in the lines and thrust it through the nozzles. As a result, the system is always filled with water which can freeze and facilitate a buildup of bacteria whenever the water currents stop.

To protect the system against unwanted damage that can be unavoidable when the water cools down and freezes, it requires the same kind of maintenance as with the air jet system. Just switch on the hydro jets for 30 seconds or so when the hot tub is drained and blow out any water residue.

To protect the pipework from biofilm formation while regularly maintaining the proper chemical balance of the water, you also need to add one more job to the hot tub maintenance schedule: flushing the hydro system with specific chemicals. This maintenance task must be completed each time before you drain the water and every three months at a minimum. Otherwise, the bacteria buildup (or gunk, as you might call it) will reduce the massage effectiveness due to the pipe diameter becoming reduced or clogged. It can also cause bacteria to circulate throughout the hot tub, decreasing disinfection efficiency and degrading the water quality.

Call the seller and inquire about the technical details before you purchase to ensure you are able to maintain your hot tub in the right way.

Types of covers

Does the type of cover have much of an impact on your overall hot tub experience? It sure does.

You will typically be presented with three main cover options when purchasing a hot tub:

• Insulated artificial leather cover (this is often able to be folded over)
• Plastic or fibreglass (more lightweight than wooden)
• Wooden

It would be best to go in-store and check out the covers or lids for yourself, as they can look different than the photos on the website, but not all wood-fired hot tub brands have showrooms.

Without beating around the bush here, our top recommendation is an artificial leather insulated cover. This is based on several key reasons.

Firstly, a leather cover offers superior insulation compared to the other options. This means it plays a vital role in speeding up water heating time and maintaining the water at a toasty temperature through the night for use the next day.

Secondly, this type of cover is lightweight enough to be manoeuvred by a single person. This makes it easy to use for a solo spa session without needing an extra pair of hands to help with lifting it and placing it back on afterwards.

The downside, however, is that even the best quality artificial leather cover should not be left shut without opening the hot tub, as there can be enough residual moisture in a drained hot tub that can cause mould to form on the cover. If this happens, extra effort is required to get rid of the mould compared to simply scraping or scrubbing it off a wooden lid, for example. Higher quality artificial leather covers will have holes punched at the bottom to allow condensation to drip away and improve the cover’s longevity.

Some lower-quality artificial leather covers are not able to support the snow load if you live in an area that experiences heavy snow. The relative weakness of these covers also means that it won’t be able to withstand kids playing on it, as odds are it will break.

Another issue with lower-quality artificial leather covers is that you will need to check whether they are tapered so as to allow water to run off the top of the cover. Water can pool on the cover and stay there if it is completely flat (not tapered). Check with the manufacturer if they have designed the cover to prevent that from happening.

A plastic or a fibreglass lid will typically have no problem with water pooling on top of it, as they are mostly concave in shape. Mould will also be unable to penetrate the lower side of the cover too much if you forget to open the hot tub to allow it to dry out completely. However, the weight of  a plastic or fibreglass lid can make it too heavy and complicated for just one person to lift. Time and time again, we have seen stubborn owners try to lift the lid themselves, only to find that it’s trickier than it seems. When handling the lid from only one side and sliding it down from the tub, it is likely to scratch the edges of the liner so extra care, or an extra pair of hands, can be necessary.

Most of what has been said about plastic lids also applies to the wooden option, except a wooden lid is heavier and can be less durable if not suitably treated against moisture and environmental effects.

LEDs and other hot tub accessories

Underwater lighting adds an ambience of romance and playfulness to a hot tub experience. Options typically include one or more large LEDs, or several smaller points of light. You can also opt for both! When configuring your hot tub package, most brands will charge around £140 to £300 to include LED lighting. If you browse Amazon, you can also find LEDs for hot tubs that come in the form of independent battery-operated submersible or floating units. These will provide light effects but will not offer the exact seamless design synchronisation as the units that the manufacturer can specifically build into the design of your hot tub.

An essential feature of any hot tub is steps, as you wouldn’t be able to get into the tub without them. Make sure you don’t forget to include this feature in your shopping cart. Some brands like Gardenvity or TimberIN add basic steps to your package at no extra cost. If you are seeking more luxury or larger options, you can choose to upgrade to these. However, the majority of other brands will show the ‘from’ price for a hot tub with no steps included, so they can be a costly add-on.

Drink bars, side shelves and similar inventions are also popular additions to a wooden hot tub, since any hot tubber tends to be inseparable from a glass of their beverage of choice while soaking. You will want to make sure you keep your drink close to the water. One option is to attach a wooden side-bar to the wood cladding of the hot tub. Some brands may sell a floating bar or a rotating shelf fixed at the side.

Railings are not a typical feature of wooden hot tubs. Still, the increasing popularity and narrowing of the gap between wooden hot tubs and electric jacuzzi-type hot tubs has encouraged the use of such customisable features. For elderly users, or those with limited physical ability, a railing may prove an extremely handy feature to ensure greater safety.

Features like towel racks or headrests, while not essential, will further add to a pleasant and enjoyable hot tubbing experience.

Do all hot tub producers offer these accessories?

This information will need updating from time to time as hot tub producers can rapidly change their products on offer, responding to market trends. As of June 2022, the below information has been confirmed based on the online product descriptions available from top wood-fired hot tub brands, taken from their UK websites.

As we mentioned at the start of this article, rather than focusing on any of the key parts of wood-fired hot tubs, we are instead reviewing accessories that add functionality, ease of use, comfort or luxury. Here is a list of the accessories offered by each of the top brands in the UK that you could add to your ideal hot tub.

Skargards

Air jet massage system
Insulated artificial leather lid
One underwater LED
Side shelf
Chimney extension, heat guard and rain cowl
Hearth plate
One type of steps

Gardenvity

Air jet and/or hydro massage systems with a customisable number and position of nozzles
Insulated artificial leather lid
One large and/or 10 mini LEDs
Side shelf for drinks with a metal glass holder
One-metre chimney extension, heat guard and rain cowl with an ash catcher mesh
Hearth plate
One type of steps
Headrest
Hand railing
Towel bar
Brass hose fittings
Stirring paddle

Royal Tubs

Air jet and/or hydro massage systems
Insulated artificial leather or wooden lid
One large big LED
Side shelf for drinks
Chimney heat guard and rain cowl
Two types of steps
Stirring paddle

The Log Company (Kirami)

Hydro massage system

Insulated artificial leather, plastic or wooden lid
LEDs (unspecified number)
Side shelf for drinks
Floating drink stand
One-metre chimney extension, heat guard and rain cowl
Hearth plate
Ash shovel
Four types of steps
Stirring paddle
Headrest

TimberIN

Air jet or hydro massage system
Insulated artificial leather, fibreglass or wooden lid
One to four LEDs
Side shelf for drinks
Chimney heat guard and rain cowl
Four types of steps
Stirring paddle
Garden hose adapter

That brings us to the end of this list of accessories used in wood-fired hot tubs. 

We believe it’s worth considering your unique circumstances and exploring all available options to decide what will suit your needs when it comes to a home spa experience. It is best to think about this when buying a hot tub, as ordering accessories later can incur extra shipping costs and delay the time before you get to use your new hot tub to its fullest, most relaxing and luxurious potential.

We’re here to show you around and help you get a glimpse into what the top wood-fired hot tub brands have added to their menus so that your choice is better informed.
Check out more of our articles discussing other important features and systems present in modern wood-fired hot tubs and find side-by-side brand comparisons all in one place to help you make the right decision for your needs.

Having a wood-fired hot tub at home offers many powerful benefits, especially relaxation, pleasure, fun and socialising. But to reap all of this year-round enjoyment, some hot tub maintenance and ongoing costs are required.

Take a wild guess as to the annual expense of maintaining a wood-fired hot tub in your garden. Is the figure in your head around 100 quid, or are you thinking several times more than that perhaps?

In this guide, we provide a checklist of the tasks you need to manage to keep your hot tub in prime condition and propose the estimated costs that these maintenance tasks will require from you.

What maintenance tasks need to be done to care for your hot tub?

Starting off, let’s first define what we mean by the term ‘maintenance’ since we won’t be discussing operating costs in this article. Instead, we will discuss how to keep your hot tub’s exterior and interior, the systems for water heating, filtration and spa in good condition.

When hot tub maintenance is performed effectively, you can get the maximum lifespan out of your wood-fired hot tub, which manufacturers indicate is around 5-8 years, or even longer if you keep your unit in tip-top condition.

Exterior: Preserving the wood, cleaning the cover, polishing the steel parts

Interior: Cleaning the liner, maintaining the moisture level (for all-wood models)

Water heating & filtration systems: Cleaning or replacing the filters, flushing the water chamber of the heater, sweeping the firebox and chimney

Spa systems: Cleaning the plumbing

Let’s now explain each task and provide estimated costs.

Exterior

1. Preserving the wood – The wooden exterior, as well as any wooden accessories, of your hot tub must be treated with natural oil or special wood stain for outdoor use to protect the surface against dirt, moisture, UV damage and dehydration. Staining the wood also preserves and emphasises the natural wood look. With thermowood, red cedar or oak, this treatment process can be undertaken once a year, while some types of timber, such as spruce and larch, may need treating twice a year, both before and after the winter season. Check with your manufacturer for specific recommendations based on the type of wood used in your hot tub. Thermowood and cedar are types of wood that do not need any treatment at all, as long as you’re fine with the wood taking on a greyish colour as it naturally ages.

Taking an average hot tub that has a 2-metre diameter and 1-metre height, you will typically need to treat a surface area of 12.6m². This will require approximately 0.5 litres of wood stain. Prices vary from around £6 to £17 per litre of stain, which depends greatly on the product and size of the package (for instance, a 5-litre tank will always be significantly less expensive than five 1-litre bottles of the same product). The estimated average price to treat the exterior once a year is £6 to £17.

WARNING: Do not apply paint, varnish or oils to the interior of the wooden hot tub because this will block water absorption, causing the hot tub to shrink and leak due to a lack of moisture.

2. Cleaning the cover – The hot tub cover must be cleaned monthly to avoid buildup of bacteria. While a wooden or plastic cover only needs a scrub with detergent and a good rinse, an insulated faux leather cover requires regular cleaning with any detergent. It is also recommended for the insulated faux leather cover to use leather/saddle soap and treat it with a faux leather conditioner with UV protection twice a year to ensure it remains durable and attractive. Saddle soap may cost between £5 to £10, plus around £15 for a bottle of conditioner, but you will use these numerous times throughout the life span of your hot tub, so this can be rounded down to approximately £7 to £10 per year.

3. Polishing the steel parts – Tightening bands, heater, heater wall, hearth plate, chimney and other parts of your hot tub need soft polishing to keep them glossy and clean of any dirt, water residue, soot or other matter. Use a gentle non-chlorine detergent and a non-abrasive cloth. Some manufacturers advise treating the metal parts of a hot tub with paraffin oil twice a year.

Interior

1. Cleaning the liner – Every time after draining the water, immediately rinse and wipe off any dirt or sediment from the liner. If you allow the liner to dry, it will require more effort and cleaning products to get the job done, so it is best to do it while the liner is still wet. Product-wise, you don’t need anything fancy. A regular non-abrasive bathroom cleaning spray works wonders, and only costs around £3 to serve you for a whole year (depending on your usage). Avoid products with chlorine if your hot tub has a fibreglass liner.

2. Maintaining the moisture level – Only for all-wood models. To ensure your hot tub does not leak, the wood needs to be allowed to swell naturally when it is in contact with water. If you leave the tub drained for a long time, be prepared to lose some water upon refilling it as a result of the cracks that will naturally form due to the wood shrinking when dry. It is important to note that all-wood hot tubs are not designed to be left unused for long periods. There are no set costs for this maintenance, unless you leave the hot tub empty and need to fill it with water just to keep it in good condition. If you are a regular hot tub user, you are unlikely to encounter issues.

Note: All-wood hot tubs need to be emptied in freezing temperatures, as frozen water can cause serious damage.

Water heating & filtration systems

1. Cleaning or replacing the filters – Most wood-fired hot tubs have a cartridge or sand filter, each of which requires slightly different maintenance. With a cartridge filter, you’ll need to replace the cartridge every 2–3 weeks, as per the manufacturers’ recommendations for your specific model. You can extend that time by checking the cartridge every week and flushing it with water, which, in normal conditions, may mean that a single cartridge lasts a month. With sand filters, the advice is generally to use filter balls which need to be manually washed every 3 months and replaced every 2 years. Sand needs regular backwashing, and must be replaced every 5 years. The annual cost of water filtration is typically under £60 (12 replacements for intensive year-round use) with a cartridge filter, around £10 with filter balls and under £5 with a sand filter.

2. Flushing the water chamber in the heater – Make sure to flush the water through the heating holes in the hot tub every time before you fill the tub with new water.The amount of water required is minimal, just a stream of water, so any cost is negligble.

3. Sweeping the chimney and firebox – This maintenance task needs to be performed every 20 uses on average. However, if you see soot building up, which can happen when you use a lot of resinous firewood for heating the water, or you observe the fire and notice a yellow flame with dark smoke, you should clean the firebox immediately. This task takes some time to complete, and there will be the initial upfront cost of purchasing the required tools for approximately £25. Tools are a one-off investment that you can use for several years. However, if you decide to hire a chimney sweep twice a year to complete the task for you, you can expect to pay around £60 on average per visit (but this varies depending on location and service costs). By the way, to ease the chimney sweeping, you can use creosote sweeping log. This product makes the soot buildup dryer and easier to clean. You can buy it for around £5 on Amazon.

Spa systems

1. Cleaning the plumbing – You will need to buy a special cleaner to flush the pipework of the hydro massage system if your hot tub has this component. Over time, biofilm (or gunk, as you might call it) forms in the pipework of the hydro massage system causing two major problems: It reduces massage efficiency (as the pipe diameter is reduced or clogged) and/or it causes the bacteria to circulate throughout the hot tub which reduces disinfection efficiency and degrades the water quality. As a rule of thumb, you should flush the plumbing every time you drain the water, or at least once every 3 months. Some branded products can cost around £20 for two treatments, while other options average out at £2 per treatment, so 4 flushes per year may cost around £24.

Totals

The maintenance costs of a wood-fired hot tub depend largely on its configuration. Don’t be discouraged from adding a range of accessories to your hot tub, however, simply because they increase your overall maintenance costs. An accessory such as insulated faux leather may cost an additional £7 per year in maintenance, but it will also highly reduce the water heating time, so the benefits are well worth the minor investment. If you add on a UV lamp, for example, it will cost you £XX per year, yet reduce the amount of water disinfectant needed which in turn saves you money. As you can see, it is possible to save pounds by spending pennies when you add accessories to your hot tub, as well as improve your hob tub experience.

Think back to the earlier number in your head, and let’s see if your initial guess as to annual maintenance costs was correct.

If you choose a wood-fired hot tub with a thermowood exterior, insulated cover, sand filter (with filter balls), hydro massage system and if you sweep the chimney yourself, you’re likely to spend approximately £64–110 a year on maintenance (the range is calculated when using the lowest price maintenance products and the most expensive ones).

Less expensive maintenance, such as for an all-wood off-the-grid hot tub, can be estimated at around £38–57 per year.

Before purchasing a hot tub, it is advisable to add and remove the systems or items that you think are necessary or otherwise to check your estimated ongoing spend once you have it in your garden. Regardless of the type of hot tub model you choose, the numbers are unlikely to be daunting, as hot tub maintenance is generally an affordable expense.

Bubbling best wishes to all in maintaining your hot tub for maximum enjoyment!