Yeah I like that idea. I didn't consider fiberglass because I don't have much experience with it. Flex seal was definitely not the move though lol.

This is how folks build monster fish tanks out of plywood. Build a plywood box, often with 2x4 frames for support, then fiberglass seal the inside to make it waterproof. Done right they are very durable and will last a long time.

Yes to your idea, but you can put the fiberglass in between the wood so you have a wood on the inside and you have one on the outside but in between that would you have fiberglass. That way you have a complete wood looking hot tub.

Thank you! All grown up now

Circular design could help if done correctly. I know there is a lot of videos out there on it. I'd use cedar (can be very expensive depending on location though). If you want to stick with square then 5 solid pieces to make the box is a must to minimize joints. I would try to find/come up with a heating system that has maximum surface area with minimal depth - like the barrel inside a barrel idea. You still could do the gas tank or copper coil idea in conjunction. If you use cedar allow it swelling to be why its water tight and try to minimize using any Flex seal or caulking as it seems like it will eventually fail. It all takes a little experimentation and perseverance. Good luck!

Also this makes me never want to be a landlord in a college town hahaha

Thanks!

@@topher8642 shhhhh!!!

Glad it helped. Yes you can use whatever you want. Thanks!

@@DIYSCOTT Nice thank you

Thank you! Yeah I definitely learn a lot and treat most of my projects like experiments. But I agree some more preplanning could make a big difference

Yeah I just didn't want to make another hole in the tub at the time but that is a smart idea!

Yeah cement would still have to be coated though because it is porous

I know - I've just never worked with fiberglass before and have always been hesitant

@@DIYSCOTT This one looks like a really easy one to start with, just the inside of a box. Maybe if you get around to a revisit of this concept you could give it a try. I am planning on building something like this one day, and I no matter what I make the tub out of I am planing on lining it with a simple fiberglass kit, just for simplicity and reliability. My only concern would be resin embrittlement, which is a known issue with cheaper kits. I figure as long as I keep it covered while not in use that issue should be minimal. Either that or I pony up for a UV resistant kit. I would also keep an eye out for old used fireplaces/stoves. If you can find one that is past its useful life for indoor application it might be a cheap solution to your space issue with heat generation. You could probably heat a tub to the same temp with half the fuel if you stuff a coil in both the fire box and the flue.

Yup I’m liking that idea

It reincarnated as a treehouse and is quite happy. Yes a propane heater would’ve helped a lot probably

...and putting a lit torch RIGHT BY your buddy's head as he was unaware.

Yeah someone else recommended pool foil?

I like that using tile never even crossed my mind. I did look into the wood burning hot water heaters and tried to steal some ideas from them without the price tag attached

I wish I did. I don't have any experience with fiberglass so I didn't know where to begin with it

Yeah epoxy or maybe fiberglass? I don't have much experience with either so that's why I didn't go that way with it but probably could work better

@@DIYSCOTT If you are doing no fiberglass, go epoxy only. If you are doing fiberglass, go ahead and do polyester instead of epoxy. What I learned is that you MUST apply a gel coat on the top layer, since polyester resin is going to diffuse water through ti and will cause the resin to eventually bubble and flake off. The reason for polyester+gelcoat vs just epoxy fiberglass is cost. In addition, you could do plywood on the inside, since you will hide it with a layer of gelcoat which will save money and look good.

I know... next time

Yeah I’ve just never worked with fiberglass before but that definitely would’ve been best

I did :)

Probably haha

Patio was too small for the set up. The hot tub was charring from the heat and the house was gonna be next. Everything comes to an end that's what makes it fun while it lasts. Also it became a treehouse so...