We used to make a cedar wood surround kit to give the stunning wood look of a traditional hot tub, but still with the smooth shaped curves, MUCH better foam insulation and easy mobility of our polyethylene plastic tub. However, Covid-19 and interruptions to shipping have meant that the cedar from Canada has become difficult to get and extraordinarily expensive. So we've shifted (in 2022) to New Zealand grown macrocarpa, also known as "poor man's kauri". This is a variety of cypress with a lovely grain which handles water really well; rated as naturally equivalent to H3 tanalised timber. Photo shows the earlier cedar surround but you get the idea.

The wood staves are 20mm or more thick, sanded smooth and with a half-rounded top edge so you don't scratch yourself getting in and out of the tub. You just slip the individual wood staves into the two very tough climbing webbing straps tightened around the tub - takes five minutes or so. Photo shows our earlier 25mm straps, but we've shifted to 38mm which are much tougher again. The surround can be taken off in only a minute if you want to move the tub.

The price for a macrocarpa surround kit is $1,300 incl GST. However if you're at all handy with wood, there are DIY instructions in the Kiwitub manual on how to make your own wood surround - this isn't difficult. Macrocarpa looks great and resists water really well, and Kiwitub owners have also used oak, kwila, cedar, redwood, and in one case a collection of old Australian hardwood fence posts which cut and sanded up wonderfully. See another thumbnail image on this photo gallery page for an earlier DIY macrocarpa example in our courtyard.