The wooden hot tubs are by far the most popular variety of hot tubs. The hot tub is actually constructed like a large barrel. It has wooden staves and steel bands. Redwood, cedar and teak are commonly used to make the staves. Most of the older hot tubs are made of redwood.
The wooden tub is quite deep inside, approximately between 36 to about 48 inches in depth. There is an inset within a wooden deck, so that it is easy to enter the hot tub. There is a seating arrangement inside the tub, and this is generally in the form of wooden benches. The bench forms a ring around the inner circumference of the tub.
Nowadays, the one-piece hot tubs are also quite common and have many advantages as well. They are also known as unibody spas. The tub is actually a formation of one piece with shapes and various seating arrangements are provided inside the tub. There are one or more water jets attached to each integral seat. In this way the water is directed to all the parts of the body and provides the massage. Sometimes all the water jets may automatically move or rotate, again providing the effect of a massage.
The exterior of the tub is the spa shell, composed of two units - a surface and an understructure. The surface gives the color and resistance against sun, chemicals and normal wear and tear. There may be special coatings too. The understructure gives the support and strength to hold the large amount of water and the weight of the bathers. In the manufacturing process the surface and the understructure and molded together.
One-piece hot tubs are popular because their manufacturing cost is lower than the wooden hot tubs. They are easier to install and more energy efficient. These hot tubs are sometimes called Jacuzzi or Whirlpool tubs, though these are actually brand names.
The depth of one-piece hot tubs is less than a wooden tub, between 32 and 36 inches. It can fit through doors and narrow hallways. If they need to be placed in a backyard or some other location which does not have enough clearance for carrying the tub, a crane is usually used to place it.
Several water pumps are used in the modern hot tubs, maybe one to about four of them. The circulation pump serves the heating and filtration of the water. The other pumps take care of the hydrotherapy jets. Computer controls are not uncommon in today's world and to add further sophistication to the hot tubs several accessories are also used. These could include special lighting, sound systems, flat panel TV sets and DVD players.
