System 06 · Timber · private homes
Timber cold tubs for private gardens: a white liner, no hoops, room for an adult
The outside is warm, vertical timber. The inside is a smooth white liner you can see past the waterline, and the chiller that holds it at 3–5 °C sits out of sight.
A timber tub is the quiet choice for a private garden: it looks right on a terrace, it is warm to the hand and it does not announce itself as equipment. We make ours in the way that suits a Gulf home, which means a white liner so you can see the water is clean, no metal hoops to heat up in the sun, and proportions built for adults rather than for a photograph.
How it is made
- A liner holds the water. A smooth white fibreglass shell forms the inside and rises above the waterline, so the rim you lean on is smooth and the colour of the water is honest.
- Timber clads the outside. Vertical staves of thermally modified ash, treated for outdoor use, form the visible body. They are the finish, not the structure, which is why the tub needs no metal hoops.
- Dimensions for adults. Depth and width are set so that a tall man sits shoulder-deep and a shorter person can sit upright without being afloat.
- Plant out of sight. The chiller stands in a shaded niche or on a screened service bay, with insulated hoses to fittings low on the tub. Only a small plain display shows the temperature.
Sizes and what they hold
| Tub | Volume | Seats | Chiller (minimum) | Tub | With chiller |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact solo | 250 L | one adult | 1 HP | $2.6–4k | $5.7–8.2k |
| Oval | 420 L | one adult | 2 HP | $3.6–5.3k | $7.8–11.5k |
| Round | 520 L | one adult, roomy | 2 HP | $3.1–4.4k | $7.3–10.6k |
| Twin | 800 L | two adults | 4 HP | $6.2–9.4k | $12.9–19.4k |
| Stone-set sunken | 1,000 L | two adults | 4 HP | $7.6–13k | $14.3–23k |
The chiller column is the nominal minimum from the sizing table. For a tub standing outdoors in Gulf summers we add a margin (the next size, or a second machine for the largest tubs) and a shade structure or a lid; the project engineer fixes the final choice after the survey. Chillers built for heat shows why.
The stone-set sunken tub is the one exception to the timber rule: a 1,000 L tub body set into a stone terrace with a timber step, for a private garden that wants a larger plunge without building a full pool. It is drawn and priced like the others, with a 4 HP chiller.
Private homes only, and why
Timber is a lovely material for a home and a poor one for a busy commercial deck: it dries, it needs oiling, and a tub that fills and empties every few minutes needs filtration and sanitising that a household unit does not. Hotels, clubs and clinics get built-in pools instead (cold plunge pools, hot and cold pairs), which are designed for 16 hours of duty a day.
Placing it
- Shade. A pergola or a tree is worth a size of chiller. In full sun, the lid is not optional.
- Floor. 520 L is half a tonne of water plus the tub itself; on a terrace or a balcony, check the load with the building.
- Drain. A floor drain or a pump-out point for emptying and a place for the rinse water to go.
- Power. A dedicated outlet for the chiller, within a few metres, in a protected position.
Care
Wipe the rim, keep the lid on when the tub is not in use, rinse the filter and re-oil the timber on the schedule in the care sheet that comes with the layout. Water stays clear because it is filtered, sanitised and kept cold, not because of ice. Nothing in the tub needs ice.
Why is there no metal band around the tub?
Because the timber is not holding the water. A fibreglass liner does that, so the outside can be a clean cladding without hoops that heat up in the sun or rust on a coastal terrace.
Can two people use the 520 L tub?
It is sized for one adult with room. For two adults sitting together choose the 800 L twin.
Which timber do you use?
Thermally modified ash for the staves, which is stable in heat and takes outdoor oil well. Another species can be discussed if the design needs it.
Can I put it indoors?
Yes, in a wet room or on a covered terrace with a floor drain. The free-standing ice bath is the more usual indoor choice.
Other systems
If you are choosing between cold options
Free-standing ice baths
A slim stone-white tub and a plug-in chiller: 3–5 °C in a wet room, a balcony or a villa corner.
Open the page
Built-in cold plunge pools
Round or square, flush or with a seat edge, 3–5 °C all year. Built into the floor, with the plant out of sight.
Open the page
Terrace and rooftop saunas
Free-standing cabins with one or two glass faces, flat roof, screens and shade. Made for 45 °C summers and cool winter evenings.
Open the pageWhich size?
Tell us how many people and where the tub goes: we match the litres to the chiller
A photo of the corner and the nearest power point is enough for a first layout.
One message starts the layout
Send a plan or three photographs of the space and say who will use it. The project desk answers with questions first, then a 3D layout and an indicative range.
Message on WhatsAppBuild the suite first