how many gallons in a hot tub

If you’re new to the world of hot tubs, you may be concerned about whether or not your patio or deck will be able to support the weight of a standard hot tub. You also may have just bought a hot tub and you’re wondering about how many gallons it will hold to get a better idea of your future water usage.

Of course, there are many factors that go into figuring out how many gallons of water are in a hot tub, including the size, shape, and capacity.

To help you get a better understanding of how many gallons it takes to fill your hot tub, we’re going to explore the various sizes so that you can prepare for the amount of water you will need to use.

Calculate How Many Gallons of Water Your Hot Tub Holds Based On Size

On average, the smallest hot tubs that you’ll find from manufacturers are two-person hot tubs. Typically, two-person hot tubs will hold anywhere from 150-220 gallons of water. A standard deck should not have any problem supporting the weight of a two-person hot tub.

For those who want to take it up and get a three-person hot tub, you should expect it to hold anywhere from 200-300 gallons of water. Similar to a two-person hot tub, a three-person hot tub should be fine on a standard deck.

If you’re looking at a 4-6-person hot tub, you may need to start considering some reinforcements. An average 6-person hot tub typically holds anywhere from 320-475 gallons of water. A 6-person hot tub may present challenges for those who place their hot tub on the deck depending on the number of people who are in it at one time.

How To Figure Out The Precise Number of Gallons Your Hot Tub Can Hold

If you can’t find that information, you can also calculate the number of gallons of water your hot tub can hold manually.

To get started, you’ll first need to grab a tape measure.

• If you are dealing with a square or rectangular hot tub, you will need to use your tape measure to figure out the length, width, and depth. Once you have those measurements, you will need to multiply the width by the depth. Divide that number by 1,728. (1,728 is the figure that we use to convert the number of cubic inches to the number of cubic feet)
• Round hot tubs are different. If you have a round hot tub, you must measure the width across the central point of the tub and measure the depth. Once you have the diameter, you will multiply the diameter by the depth. Divide that number by 1,728.
• If your hot tub has seats, multiply your result by 2.4.

• If your hot tub does not have seats, multiply the result by 4.8 instead.

• Once you have finished, you will know how many gallons of water fit in your hot tub’s interior.

Filling Method

Lastly, you can use the timed fill method. You can figure out the capacity of your hot tub and how many gallons it holds by filling your hot tub with a hose. Make sure you time the filling process so you know how long it took to fill.

• Start by turning your hose on and running it in your hot tub.
• Use a timer to keep track of how long it takes to reach capacity. Enjoy a glass of wine while you wait. You deserve it!
• Once the hot tub is full, you will need to calculate how many SECONDS it took to fill.Get a single gallon jug

• Use your hose to fill up the jug with water and time and stop the timer when it is full. The number you stop at when the jug is full is your flow rate per gallon.
• Divide the time it took to fill your spa with water by the time you just recorded with the jug. This number will give you an approximation as to how many gallons are in your hot tub.

Figuring Out How Many Gallons Your Hot Tub Can Hold

A few takeaways here:

We hope that this was helpful in giving you an idea of how many gallons you can expect to find in the average hot tub!

If you’re ready to buy a new hot tub and you want to find the best price, save yourself some time and fill out the free questionnaire below. Once you provide us with your hot tub preferences, we’ll deliver several quotes from hot tub dealers in your area to help you find the best deal at the lowest price!

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If you’ve ever filled up a hot tub or been concerned about water usage, you may have asked how many gallons are in a hot tub.

Here’s what I’ve learned from owning 4 different ones:

A small 2-3 person hot tub will hold approximately 300 gallons, whereas a large 7-7 person hot tub will hold up to 675 gallons or more.

Hot tubs range in both size, shape, and depth. All of those factors affect how many gallons they hold.

But there are so many different sizes, shapes, and styles of hot tubs. So below we’ll into a few different ways to accurately calculate yours. So let’s keep going!

There are plenty of good reasons to calculate how many gallons of water are in your hot tub.

Once you get an idea of how much it holds, you can figure out all sorts of useful information. You can learn how much money it should take to heat, the correct amount of purity chemicals or cleaning products to add, or the final weight of your hot tub.

We’ll go over two tried and true calculation methods in this article. First is the timed filling method, a slower but simpler way. And second is the dimension calculation method, an instant but slightly more complex way.

Let’s get started!

Ready to Spend Less Time On Maintenance and More Time Enjoying Your Hot Tub?

Let’s face it. Balancing the water, cleaning filters, dealing with rashes, and trying to figure out which chemicals to buy and add can make you feel more like a chemist than someone who just wants to relax after a long hard day!

That’s exactly why The Hot Tub Handbook and Video Course is so valuable!

This is from Matt over at Swim University and he developed it for people looking to save money, time, and frustration. His tips on chemicals can save you $100/year just by making sure you buy only what you need.

So if you’re ready to stop being confused or frustrated with your hot tub and start spending more time in it, check out The Hot Tub Handbook and Video Course.

Just click that link to learn more on their website.

If you’ve got a space, you can pretty much guarantee we’ve got a hot tub that will fit! This Miami fits beautifully, and we’ve got a whole host of other shapes and sizes to suit every need! https://t.co/OnxSoeESsk#miamispa #miami #artesianspas #holegoals #perfectfit #azurelife pic.twitter.com/LN19ND13yX

— Azure Pools&HotTubs (@Azure_Pools) August 31, 2018

How do I figure out how many gallons my hot tub is?

Calculate the gallon capacity of a hot tub by multiplying the width, length, and depth of the hot tub in inches. Divide the result by 1,728. If the hot tub has seats, multiply the result by 2.4. If not, divide by 4.8. But there are different calculations for non-standard-shaped hot tubs.

As mentioned above, there are two methods for determining a hot tub’s approximate capacity.

There’s the timed fill method and the dimension calculation method. They both involve a bit of math but the timed fill method seems to be the most simple. So, let’s start there.

The Timed Fill Method

We’ll use the following steps to easily figure out your tub’s capacity:

1. Fill your empty hot tub from a hose
2. Time how long it takes to fill
3. Basic math!
4. Figure out your hose flow rate
5. More math!

You’ll need:

• Empty hot tub
• Garden hose
• A 1-gallon jug
• The timer app on your phone

1. Turn on your hose to full or a set point and leave it running in your tub.
2. Set a timer and wait until it’s filled. This could take some time so it might be a good time to grab an adult beverage with a nice novel and relax.
3. Stop the timer when it’s full. Not much more to this step than being patient!
4. Calculate. First, we need to convert to seconds. So multiply the hours by 60 and add the remaining minutes. Next, multiply the total minutes by 60 and add the remaining seconds. This is the total amount of time it took to fill your pool in seconds.
5. Record this number somewhere and go to the next step.

If you want to know about how long your hot tub will take to fill up, check out my filling guide here for a rough estimate of how long you’ll be waiting.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

How often should you drain your hot tub? Divide the number of gallons your hot tub holds by three, and then divide that number by the number of people you will have in your hot tub every day. pic.twitter.com/Z4oZ9uTrKc

— The Hot Tub Store (@hottubstoreNC) July 12, 2018

Example 1 for the timing filled method:

It took 1 hour and 30 minutes to fill the hot tub. 1 hour x 60 = (60 minutes + remaining 30 minutes) x 60 = 5,400 seconds.

Get your 1-gallon jug and timer ready. Make sure your hose is set at the same pressure as it was to fill your hot tub. If there’s a variance here, it will mess up the final calculation.

1. Start the timer and fill the jug.
2. Stop the timer as soon as it’s full. Once again, convert this number into seconds if it’s over a minute. (Just multiply by 60 again, add the remaining seconds.) You now have the flow rate for 1 gallon of space in seconds. Record this number.
3. Time for more math!  Divide the total time it took to fill your entire hot tub and divide it by the time it took to fill up the jug. This will give you the approximate number of gallons.

For the severely math impaired, (i.e. me) the timed fill method is the way to go. It will take a bit more time, but filling your hot tub is part of the required maintenance anyway. It’s a good opportunity to take advantage of this easier solution.

If you need an answer NOW and don’t mind a bit more complex math read on to learn the dimension calculation method.

Find out how to choose the best hot tub size with this guide by Hot Spring Spas! https://t.co/XxRxbZGHMo#hottub #hotspringspas #guide #spa pic.twitter.com/3fJtB9nFu9

— Hot Tub Spa Supplies (@Hottubsupply) February 23, 2020

The Dimension Calculation Method

We’ll use the following steps to calculate your hot tub’s capacity:

1. Measure the external dimensions of your tub
2. Multiply!
3. Divide!
4. Multiply again!

You’ll need:

• Tape measure
• Calculator if you’re me or…
• Pen and paper if you’re a book learnin’ smarty pants

This method varies slightly depending on if you have a square or round hot tub. Let’s start with a square tub.

Square Tub Method

1. Use your tape measure to check the width, length, and depth of your tub.
2. Write down all the numbers in inches,
3. Multiply the length by the width by the depth.
4. Take the result and divide by 1,728 (this is the number that converts cubic inches to cubic feet).
5. Multiply again. If your hot tub has seats, multiply the result by 2.4.
6. If it does not have seats, multiply by 4.8. This figure is the total capacity in gallons.

Next, let’s check out the round tub method.

Round Tub Method

1. Measure the diameter of the tub (center your tape measure straight across the middle of the tub). Next, take the depth and record these numbers.
2. Multiply the diameter by the diameter by the depth.
3. Divide by 1,728 to get the capacity in cubic feet.
4. Multiply again by 2.4 if your tub has seats or 4.8 if it doesn’t.

Math is hard! How many gallons of water are in my hot tub roughly?

You’ll find a few rough estimates below. But you absolutely should measure yours accurately. 

For more on measuring hot tub weight, along with estimated weights empty, filled with water and occupied with people check out my full guide here.

It’s full of quick answers in case you need to move a hot tub, or if you’re placing one on a wooden deck and aren’t sure if it can take the weight.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Check out our 10 person 675 gallon Hot Tub on display in Yonkers NY #hotspringspas #hottubs #spas pic.twitter.com/F4N3E1vPeV

— Prisco Hot Tubs (@priscom1) October 14, 2015

How many gallons is an 8 x 8 hot tub?

An 8 x 8 hot tub can hold anywhere from 550 to 625 gallons of water.

How many gallons is a 5 person hot tub?

A 5 person hot tub contains about 300-350 gallons of water.

How many gallons is a 6 person hot tub?

A 6 person hot tub is similar in size to a 5 person tub. So there are about 325-375 gallons of water in a 6 person hot tub.

How many gallons does an 8 person hot tub hold?

An 8 person hot tub can hold about 615-675 gallons of water. These behemoths can weigh as much as 7800 pounds when filled! So think twice before installing one of these bad boys on your deck.

I have a full article about safely putting a hot tub on a deck.

I get into how to easily calculate whether your deck can hold one, but also how to retrofit your deck to take the extra weight.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

A hot tub cover is essential to ensure safety, maximize energy efficiency, prevent evaporation, and maintain chemical balance. #HotTubTip pic.twitter.com/i5gQSeH6LD

— Spas Unlimited (@SpasTX) May 6, 2018

Does water evaporate from hot tubs?

Water does indeed evaporate from hot tubs.

This is one important reason to know precisely how many gallons your hot tub holds. You’ll have to add water accordingly from time to time. When you do, make sure to check the chemical levels to prevent bacteria growth.

Keep in mind that there are a lot of factors that determine how quickly water will evaporate from your tub. Some of those include:

• The hot tub’s temperature setting
• The outside temperature (colder air means faster evaporation)
• Frequency of use
• The quality of your tub’s cover
• Humidity

Want to learn more? Check out a full write up here about water loss in hot tubs on one of my other websites.

Did I cover all you wanted to know about hot tubs and how many gallons of water they hold?

Using the above estimates might be okay temporarily.

But we do hope you’ll consider measuring your hot tub’s capacity accurately. As you can see, it’s not very difficult or time-consuming. Doing it the right way will set you up to enjoy your hot tub exactly as it was meant to.

You’ll also get plenty of valuable insights like your hot tub’s weight, electricity costs, and proper chemical amounts when cleaning time comes around.

Try the timed-filled method next time you change your water for the most painless way to go. Or grab a calculator and use the dimension measuring method if you need an answer now.

It’s not too hard. I promise!

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Photo credits that require attribution:

Redwood Tub by David Goehring is licensed under CC2.0