{"id":2086,"date":"2022-12-20T19:37:37","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T19:37:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hottubzone.com\/?p=2086"},"modified":"2022-12-21T19:22:12","modified_gmt":"2022-12-21T19:22:12","slug":"best-gravel-hot-tub-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hottubzone.com\/best-gravel-hot-tub-base\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Best Gravel for a Hot Tub Base? (It’s Not Pea Gravel)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Looking to install a hot tub in your backyard? A properly prepared base is essential for a stable and safe hot tub. But what type of gravel makes the best base?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a stable and effective base for a hot tub, 3\/4-inch washed clean crushed stone is a recommended choice. This type of gravel is large enough to lock together tightly when compacted, providing a solid foundation for the tub. Washed clean stone also provides excellent drainage and is self-leveling.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contrary to popular belief, pea gravel is not a suitable choice for a hot tub base. However, it does have its uses, which will be discussed toward the end of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding the differences between gravel and crushed stone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are several types of aggregate used in landscaping, which include crushed stone, gravel, sand, and fill. Each material has its own shape and size that determine its use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you’re looking at choices for a hot tub base,<\/strong> there are certain requirements that must always be adhered to in order to ensure your safety and prevent damage to the hot tub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When laying a hot tub base made of stone, the most common choices are crushed stone or gravel. Therefore, the first thing that needs to be cleared up is the difference between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is gravel?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gravel is a loose aggregation of stone fragments that have been formed naturally over a long period of time through the erosion and weathering of larger rocks. As water washes over the rock, it erodes, creating a smooth, shiny, and round surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Udden-Wentworth scale, gravel can range in size from 2mm to 4mm (0.079-0.157 inches) or from 4mm to 64mm (0.157-2.5 inches). Gravel that is smaller than 2mm is considered to be sand, while larger pebbles measure above 64mm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is crushed stone?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Crushed rock, on the other hand, is made by machines that crush large rocks into smaller fragments. Crushing the rock creates stones that are rough and angular in shape. After being crushed, the stone is screened (\u201csieved\u201d) so that it can be sorted into different sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most crushed stone is produced in quarries, and the sizes range from 10cm (4 inches) all the way down to stone dust. Screening is necessary as each construction project differs in its needs. For example, smaller stones are required for ready-mix concrete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the characteristics of crushed stone make it far more suitable than gravel, there is a specific use for gravel when laying a base made from aggregate. I’ll address this later on in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get the perfect hot tub base with crushed stone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Crushed stone can provide a solid foundation for your hot tub, and it’s relatively easy to install. Here is why it makes the perfect hot base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compaction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the reasons that crushed stone is ideal is because of its angular shape and rough surface, which lock together to create an immovable surface that is very strong and stable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that gravel is smooth and rounded means that it doesn’t lock together. This causes the base to shift, which compromises its support structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shifting isn’t something that necessarily happens over a prolonged period of time. People have found that pea gravel has shifted out of place even during the installation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, compaction is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you need the stone to compact and lock together enough to provide stability, but on the other, you don’t want it to tamp down so much that drainage is prohibited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drainage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One reason for choosing aggregate as a hot tub base is for its ability to provide superior drainage when compared to other materials like concrete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although pea gravel doesn’t compact well, its size is certainly excellent for drainage. This means we need a crushed stone that’s similar in size to pea gravel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Measurements between 3\/8\u201d and 3\/4\u201d (mm) are ideal. This size is small enough to compact together but large enough to provide adequate drainage. However, when it comes to drainage, choosing the right type of crushed stone\"Opens<\/a> is as important as its size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are 4 types of crushed stone:<\/p>\n\n\n\n