thinking about changing out ladder steps

[rajung]

Starting to contemplate switching from our current confer plastics ladder steps.
They have been very good for the 5 years we have used them, just thinking there might be something a little more comfortable and easier when getting out of pool, avoiding the narrow step pattern and incline.
I do remove the ladder each fall when winterizing and prefer to still do that with any step.
I do use a bath mat under the last step to help save the liner but I do have a healthy son in law, I will leave that alone for now irat:
My deck top surface is about 6 inches from top rails.
Thinking about steps that would work and are still easy to remove in the fall and on top of all a good quality set that wont damage a liner floor, Anyone switch from a ladder to a step, or have a recommendation
for a good version?
Looking at the Confer brand again but was wondering since my deck is above the rail and not flush if there is enough adjustment on any step to still be able to sit flat on pool floor?

 

[jmcdtucson]

My deck is an inch or two above the pool and I had no trouble with adjustment. I have these which are super nice and wide. $200 on Amazon.

Confer Staircase Style Above Ground Pool Steps Warm Grey - STEP-1-X

Note my signature picture is very old and doesn't show the steps or deck!

 

[rajung]

Thanks, I checked that style and it says it fits decks up to 60", I measure my deck to pool floor today and it is right at 60".
Wish I knew what type of adjustment there is since it would be cutting close, hate to have bottom step bouncing off floor with a inch or so space it that would be the case.
I also checked out the Model #CCX-AG but it does not list deck height as they do for the other step mentioned .
I wonder why the higher price for the CCX-AG since both are rated for the same weight and step size the same.

 

[CJadamec]

Funny you should mention it but the top of my deck is 60" from the bottom of my pool. I have the confir curve steps and they work great for me.

 

[Jamison04]

The confer stairs are great. Best investment so far. The 60" height is limited to the arms that secure them to the deck. That arm can only slide up so far before it will hit its limit. Oh and they also hold up to 400lbs.

The adjustments that it speaks of refer to the feet that snap onto the bottom of the stairs. They allow for leveling of uneven floors.

 

[rajung]

Thanks, trying to decide between those two Confer versions.
Do you guys fill them with sand and still able to remove when winterizing?
I was looking in the manuals for them about sand filling and thought the sand might escape to pool with top plugs open?

 

[CJadamec]

From my deck I can take them out of the pool and put them back in and they are full of sand. I have no problems pulling them up by the rails. I've never had any sand get out of them

 

[Jamison04]

No I don't fill mine with sand, they remain empty. What I did was slide some 1.5" pvc pipe through the slots in the side of the stairs and thst makes a shelf for my pvc weights to lay on. They're 4" sewer pipe filled with pea gravel and bleach and the ends were glued on. They're about 20-22" long and 5 of them fit side by side on the pvc shelf under the steps.

 

[jmcdtucson]

I used sand. It doesn't come out.
The Confer stairs I have look like they could easily work with your deck, the attachment arms look like they can slide all the way to the top (probably close to 80")

 

[rajung]

Are you folks with the Confer steps using pads under them ?
I ordered the step 1 x version and noticed it has long side rails that sit on pool floor as compared to just the corners and bottom step on my current ladder, so essentially a bath mat on ea. side, or would it even be needed?

 

[Jamison04]

It's going to be a personal preference. I don't use anything but mine has the 4 feet at each corner that are about 5" square and I can't think of a way to get a pad under each foot and keep it in place that doesn't also cover the entire footprint of the stairs themselves.

Year 2 and no noticeable wear or rubbing and I have some heave ppl that frequent the pool.

 

[jmcdtucson]

I do use a mat. Can't find the exact one I use at the moment, but it's made for the purpose and covers the entire area under the stairs.

 

[HousePlumber]

I cut up an old pool noodle to roughly 6” pieces and then cut slits the long way (mimicking pipe insulation) and used them as “feet” for my confer steps. I used 4 pieces. Electrical tape holds them now since it was just a test when installed.

It is much better than the mat I used last year which was when I bought the steps. The mat was tough to clean under and around. Also it didn’t want to stay in place. But the Electrical tape needs to be replaced with a better tape or something different.

 

[mariane]

Can't find the brand name of the steps we use but here are some pics. We use big pvc pipe filled with sand and the caps are glued in place. We zip tie the pipes together under the stairs and they stay in place. Without them the stairs would float away. :lol: I can move them to vacuum but it is difficult and I usually just leave them in place. We do not get an algae bloom so moving the stairs to brush usually is not needed.

 

[rajung]

No I don't fill mine with sand, they remain empty. What I did was slide some 1.5" pvc pipe through the slots in the side of the stairs and thst makes a shelf for my pvc weights to lay on. They're 4" sewer pipe filled with pea gravel and bleach and the ends were glued on. They're about 20-22" long and 5 of them fit side by side on the pvc shelf under the steps.

Did you fill the support PVC tubes with anything so they keep from bowing? I may do this as I usually am alone at setting up and removing stairs and would eliminate 40 pounds of weight when pulling back out. Curious on why bleach with the pea gravel.

 

[Jamison04]

Did you fill the support PVC tubes with anything so they keep from bowing? I may do this as I usually am alone at setting up and removing stairs and would eliminate 40 pounds of weight when pulling back out. Curious on why bleach with the pea gravel.

No I didn't fill the support pvc. It's only about 3ft in length and it is pretty rigid.

I decided on pea gravel and bleach for the weights just because in case they happened to break open while being put in and taken out that it would be easy to clean up. And bleach was added just to keep anything from growing. Really the bleach probably wasn't needed but I think it's just a nice precaution.

 

[rajung]

Thanks for the reply, I have the steps built , the 1x arrived today but the slots on the sides only allow for 1" PVC. The 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 I have is pretty solid but the 1" does flex and even so, if I cap the ends after filling to stiffen they would also not fit

 

[Jamison04]

So the 1 1/2“ or even 1 1/4" doesn't fit? It actually may have been 1 1/4" that I used for the shelf pieces as 1 1/2 does look too large looking at it and I'm almost positive now that it is 1 1/4" because I remember using the pipe for the previous pool's fountain which I made out of 1 1/4 pvc. Here's what mine looks like from a side view.

 

[rajung]

Ok, thanks, those look like the Confer curve type step and maybe the slots are little larger than the step 1x.
I decided to go the sand route and it was not too difficult by myself, removing I may get my son in laws help with water in them adding to the weight.
Not sure why they state 60 inch max deck height, there is still way over 1 foot of upward travel for the deck surface mount tabs. These fit perfect.
Though instructions say to add 40 lbs of sand, one needs to make sure even after tipping and shaking the steps when filling to disperse the sand into the channels better, that you do not fill past the railing upright posts stops or they will not fit down far enough to the marked line on them. Thank you all for taking time to take and post pics of your steps.

 

[Jamison04]

Yes these steps are the confer curved. I forget that they make different styles and not every implemented idea works for every design.

Glad you have them installed so you can start enjoying them. As for the 60" height I would imagine it has something to do with getting in and out off the top step comfortably with out feeling like one is climbing/falling off a cliff. Lol