How to Make a Portable Hot Tub Cover for RV Living
People have said all kinds of mean things about my tub. They’ve called it a hillbilly hot tub and a redneck hot tub, among other colorful names. But this is a portable spa; it’s luxury! We use our portable hot tub all the time, and we love it. We even made a lid for this thing!
Putting the cover on top of your portable spa is a great way to keep out junk. It’ll look good, and it can serve as an outside table. It won’t entirely keep the heat in, but it’ll help to keep your tub a bit warmer overnight. It’s also a great safety feature if you have children around.
Here are a few steps to follow if you want to make a hot tub cover of your own:
What you’ll need:
Oil-treated boards
Two long untreated 1x3 wood strips
A jigsaw
A tape measure
1 1⁄4 – inch Screws
Wood stain
A pen
Steps to follow:
Cut the oil-treated boards to about 24 inches. These boards are perfect because they’re almost waterproof. The number of these will depend on the size of your portable hot tub.
Place each board horizontally across the hot tub to see if they fit evenly. We used boards from previous projects, which were shorter than 6 feet. So, if you have longer boards, you can place them vertically.
Use a pen to mark where you need to cut your boards to fit the hot tub. A pen won’t easily wash away from the wood. Plus, you can paint over it if necessary.
Cut the 1x3 wood strips lengthwise to 49 inches. You can use a miter saw to cut these and the oil-treated boards.
Place the wood strips on both sides of the oil-treated boards. They’ll act as “frames” for the boards. Make sure there are 1.5 inches of extra space on either side of the oil-treated boards, leaving your hot tub cover with a 21-inch diameter. The lid’s diameter may differ based on the size of your hot tub, of course.
Screw in the 1x3 wood strips using the cordless drill and screws. Close your hot tub with the cover to check if it fits evenly. If it doesn’t, make the necessary adjustments.
If your cover is not long enough, add more oil-treated boards and 1x3 strips. When adding more 1x3s, make sure to add them to the inside of your first frame. This will help you to avoid making an ill-fitting portable hot tub cover. With every change, check if your cover fits evenly!
Using a jigsaw, trim the edges to fit the shape of your tub. Then, use a cordless sander to smooth the edges. Stain the edges of your oil-treated boards if they’re not all the same color.
Seal the bottom of the lid to reduce water evaporation through the cracks of your boards.
Is this the right way of making a hot tub cover? We have no idea, but it does the job. This was my first time making a portable hot tub cover, and I’d consider it a success. We hope these help you build your own portable hot tub cover to suit your RV lifestyle.
As always, we look forward to sharing more of our adventures with you.
If you’re more of a visual learner, you can follow along with our video below:
