How AlumiTubs Sources Sustainable Materials for Wood Fired Hot Tubs

AlumiTubs are built to last for generations, and that is the starting point for everything on this page. A tub that does not need replacing is the most sustainable tub there is. This is where the materials come from and how the design keeps the running footprint low.

For the wider picture, including energy, water and how a wood fired tub compares to a conventional spa, see how sustainable a hot tub really is.

Three materials, and no more

Plastic, fiberglass and foam are hard on the earth and eventually go to landfill. An AlumiTub is built from three:

• Marine-grade aluminum, which is recyclable indefinitely
• Sustainably sourced Canadian Western Red Cedar
• Stainless steel

Each is chosen for durability and performance first. The fact that all three can either be recycled or returned to the ground at end of life is what makes the whole tub a different proposition from an acrylic shell over foam. Hot tub materials compared sets the four options against each other.

Where the cedar comes from

One of the most important decisions we make is choosing sustainably harvested wood. We source Canadian Western Red Cedar from a neighbor, Robert, who lives down the road in Gibsons, British Columbia.

Robert's approach to harvesting is as mindful as it gets. He mills only trees that have already fallen or that pose a fire hazard, pulling them from the forest with a small tractor and a logging arch. It is slower and more labor-intensive work, and it leaves the ecosystem intact.

We have sourced wood three times now from a single 110-year-old cedar that came down on his property during a winter windstorm. Repurposing one tree into tubs that will outlive most of the people reading this is a small way of honoring the forest and wasting nothing. Every board is milled on site, which keeps emissions low and the chain of custody short.

More on the species itself, and why it suits a tub, in why AlumiTubs use Canadian Western Red Cedar.

Design that lowers the running footprint

How a tub is made matters. So does how it behaves once it is in the ground.

The Wood Fired has an internally submerged firebox that heats the water directly rather than through pipes, which is where the efficiency comes from. It is the largest of its kind, so it takes regular size logs and there is no cutting to a special length. A larger, hotter, better-drawing fire produces less smoke once established, and holds temperature on roughly an armful of wood a day. The art of heating a wood fired hot tub covers how to run it well.

What to look for in any hot tub

• A structure that holds water without depending on the wood swelling to seal
• A non-porous interior, for better hygiene and fewer water changes
• Insulation on all sides, the base and the water surface, so heat is retained rather than replaced

Conserving water

Water conservation and hygiene are the same problem. Water that stays clean longer is water you do not have to replace.

A Wood Fired tub run with Good Clean Living Water Care holds a fill for around two weeks. With filtration fitted, or on an Electric or Hybrid, that extends to three to four months. How often you should change hot tub water breaks it down by setup.

Because the structure is marine-grade, no water source is off limits. It can be filled from a lake, a river or directly from the ocean, and it is light enough to be positioned near the water it draws from. Ocean fills are changed every five to seven days rather than left standing, and the tub is rinsed between fills.

Reducing energy consumption

We spent years on the Electric and Hybrid before building them for customers. The humming, jet-packed conventional spa is the antithesis of what an AlumiTub is for, and we were not willing to trade quiet for convenience. The electrical noise is close to inaudible, working in the background to keep the water clean and hold temperature without wasting energy.

• 360 degrees of insulation: the sides, the base and the water surface beneath the lid
• Cedar, which is naturally insulating in its own right
• Three heating systems, so every property can run the one that suits it, and change later as needs do
• A submerged firebox that takes regular logs and burns cleaner once established
• No lights, no speakers, no jet packs. Less to power, less to fail
• WiFi scheduling on Electric and Hybrid, so heat goes in before a soak rather than around the clock

Nothing is imported and re-shipped. Each tub is built by hand in British Columbia from locally sourced materials, and can be moved to a new property or adapted to a different heating system rather than replaced. The structure carries a 25 year structural warranty.

Tips for a lighter soak

Use what has already fallen

Fallen branches, logs and stumps from your own property are the lowest-impact fuel there is.

Dry it properly

Seasoned wood below twenty percent moisture burns hotter and cleaner, cuts heat-up time, and means less fuel overall. Wet wood is where most visible smoke comes from. The best firewood to use goes through the species.

Repurpose timber

Log booms and four to six foot butts that have soaked in salt water are no longer viable for lumber and are often discarded as pulpwood. They heat a tub perfectly well.

Burn only when you soak

A wood fired tub consumes nothing when it is not in use. That is less convenient than pressing a button, and it is also the point. On Electric and Hybrid models, scheduling does the same job.

Keep the lid on

The insulation and the lid do more for efficiency than anything else. With them in place, an armful of wood a day holds temperature through a weekend.

For water care, see how to keep hot tub water clean, or browse the Good Clean Living Water Care range. For everything else, the Ultimate Guide to Wood Fired Hot Tubs.

AlumiTubs are built by hand on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, using sustainable materials from our own community.