Your Firetub arrives fully assembled; no assembly or “swell” time required. If left empty, cedar tubs can dry out and shrink, losing their ability to hold water, especially in drier climates. Freezing temperatures in a cedar barrel tub can cause damage.
Cedar is beautiful and it’s aesthetic is undeniable. However, as a building material it is soft and marks easily. If you plan to move your tub, cosmetic damage is inevitable. It will also likely lose its “swell seal” when moved. Cedar dries and fades over time without significant maintenance efforts. It’s is prone to “checking” where it dries and splits along the grain. There are reasons people don’t build cedar decks anymore!
Your Firetub provides the benefits of the look and aroma of a Cedar, with our safety fence. We avoid using cedar for applications that will require maintenance or need to be durable.
A galvanized tub is easily cleaned and sanitized. Cedar surfaces are more delicate. If you do forget water in a tub for long enough, and algae does form, it can be very difficult to remove from cedar.