Structural Support
Rust free Wood Frame is Still the Best Choice
in a Spa Environment
For many years portable spas and Hot Tubs manufacturers have used wood frames for
the spa shell's structural support. Some companies have deviated from wood frames and
started using metal frames. Rusting will occur with all metal frames unless the
frames are made of Titanium or weld free 316 Stainless Steel. Some companies are
also using thin gage aluminum, but the aluminum will collapse after a period of time under the
weight of the water and the resonance vibrations caused by the motors and pumps. Throughout the
years we have used powder coated galvanized steel for electrical control and heater enclosures, but
after a few years, the metal was rusting when exposed to water.
Why did some companies change from
wood frames to metal frames?
- Maybe those spa manufactures were not using pressure treated wood at the bottom of the frame. If the wood is not pressure treated then the wood will rot. Are they trying to clean their image with their dealer base by changing to metal now?
- Maybe they were having holes drilled for motor(s) ventilation at the bottom of the frame. Mice and rats can climb through these holes. Mice and rats are known to eat first electrical cables, then the foam and finally the wood.
- Maybe welded metal frame is less expensive then pressure treated wood?
- Maybe it is purely marketing. Possibly a salesman could more easily convince a consumer that metal is better then pressure treated wood?
- Maybe they have better scientific explanations to the problems then we do???
- After all it is their products and they can build it as they wish.
At Regal spas we believe that wood frame still is the best and the most economical choice. Our cabinet is totally
isolated from the outside environment so mice and rats can not crawl inside the cabinet unless the doors are open
or a panel is off. We do not need air vents in our cabinet. Pressure treated wood is very expensive but not as much
as Titanium. Pressure treated wood is the only material used on the bottom of our spa frames.