- Jul 20, 2022
- 1,052
- Pool Size
- 13500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Turbo Cell (T-CELL-5)
Last year I Macgyvered our Confer step system and it was solid enough but it wasn't on a base and it was just so we could get into the pool for the 2 to 3 weeks it was going to be open. Drilled a couple of holes in the steps to help eliminate air when submerging the steps and thought I got it right.
Fast forward to this year, I installed the outside pool step base, put the ladder on it and low and behold when we stepped on the first step the system would float up slightly; as soon as you reached the second step it was fine. I believe it's because the first step is slightly cantilevered away from the step base and it causes the step to rise slightly on the opposite end. Confer's way with dealing with it is to add sand into the base - no! not having free filled sand in base to escape into the pool. Also, not making it heavier to get out of the pool in the fall. Unlike some steps or ladders the Confer Step system is all closed plastic sides and unlike their pancake steps no ledge to put weight.
Watched some videos about it and they all talk about 3 or 4 inch filled PVC attached to the steps/ladder with zip ties or whatever. Except for one which I saw last year but I didn't save it and couldn't find it again. They did use the 3 or 4 inch PVC piping but they slipped the piping behind the step and held with plastic pipe hanger strap. Great idea! I started pricing out the items and I decided not to use 3 or 4 inch PVC pipe so I improvised a little and came up with using 1/2 inch PVC and hang the plastic liquid chlorine jugs from the PVC. Since you can't see the jugs it doesn't matter but I would think the 3 or 4 inch PVC would look better if you can see them assuming you use clear primer and glue.
My materials are not unique but at least for the Confer steps it holds them down and you can't see them. For anyone interested who needs a fix to floating steps this is what I used.
- 1/2" Schedule 40 PVC used as hanger, you can use larger PVC if you want to fill the PVC but don't forget the caps. I bought a 5' length of pipe thinking we would need 4 jugs but 2 worked fine so they are available 2' long as well.
- 8 x 3/4" Stainless steel sheet metal screws. Probably should have gotten marine grade but just bought whatever they had at Lowes. I used 2 screws per hanger.
- Plastic pipe strapping - https://www.lowes.com/pd/7-16-in-to-7-in-dia-Plastic-Adjustable-Pipe-Hanger/1244183 You can make the opening to hang the PVC as large as you like with this.
- Pea pebbles - small enough to use a funnel, I've read that they are slightly heavier than sand - probably doesn't make much of a difference. Used less than 1 bag for 2 1 gallon jugs. If using larger diameter PVC some people mixed concrete and pour it into the PVC.
- Liquid chlorine jugs to hold the pebbles. I found they feel sturdier then water jugs. I used 2 and put them on 1 step, can add more to add more weight to other steps. Probably can use laundry detergent or any sturdy bottle that has a handle that can fit the PVC pipe through.
I measured the step width (27"), measured the 2 bottles side by side width (13"), cut the pipe to have overhang on both sides (19"), measured how long I needed the pipe strap to be (11" long bit probably should have made it 13" long). I marked the pipe where the ends of bottles side by side would stop (13") and attached the straps about center on the step using these marks. For the Confer steps there is one ridge of the step that is behind the riser, putting a screw on the top hole and 3rd hole in the hanger I used gives you a screw on the top and back of the step, line up the holes on the bottom of the strap when screwing in (bottom and 3rd from bottom) to keep it even and supported by both screws (this is where I screwed up and may fix it in fall when the steps come out). The loops of the hangers are below the step, the pipe can slide into one hanger, put the 2 jugs on the pipe and slide the pipe into the other hanger, make sure you have enough overhang on both sides - done. Larger filled PVC tubes work the same way. In the fall I can take the jugs off to make the inside steps lighter even though they are still heavy when filled with water.
As I'm writing this it sounds like overkill and it may be. We would not be pleased to strap jugs/PVC pipe to the outside of the steps because of how it looks so we wanted whatever to be hidden. Yes, jugs are ugly but you can't see them with our steps and they are free; I wouldn't use flimsy jugs after feeling how heavy 1 gallon of pebbles is. Filled PVC pipe is definitely a better look.
I know every so often AG pool people look for how to keep their stairs from floating, if anyone looks for how to stop Confer steps from floating this is what I did and will probably work for other steps as well. Sorry, I didn't think to take photos as I was doing it!
Fast forward to this year, I installed the outside pool step base, put the ladder on it and low and behold when we stepped on the first step the system would float up slightly; as soon as you reached the second step it was fine. I believe it's because the first step is slightly cantilevered away from the step base and it causes the step to rise slightly on the opposite end. Confer's way with dealing with it is to add sand into the base - no! not having free filled sand in base to escape into the pool. Also, not making it heavier to get out of the pool in the fall. Unlike some steps or ladders the Confer Step system is all closed plastic sides and unlike their pancake steps no ledge to put weight.
Watched some videos about it and they all talk about 3 or 4 inch filled PVC attached to the steps/ladder with zip ties or whatever. Except for one which I saw last year but I didn't save it and couldn't find it again. They did use the 3 or 4 inch PVC piping but they slipped the piping behind the step and held with plastic pipe hanger strap. Great idea! I started pricing out the items and I decided not to use 3 or 4 inch PVC pipe so I improvised a little and came up with using 1/2 inch PVC and hang the plastic liquid chlorine jugs from the PVC. Since you can't see the jugs it doesn't matter but I would think the 3 or 4 inch PVC would look better if you can see them assuming you use clear primer and glue.
My materials are not unique but at least for the Confer steps it holds them down and you can't see them. For anyone interested who needs a fix to floating steps this is what I used.
- 1/2" Schedule 40 PVC used as hanger, you can use larger PVC if you want to fill the PVC but don't forget the caps. I bought a 5' length of pipe thinking we would need 4 jugs but 2 worked fine so they are available 2' long as well.
- 8 x 3/4" Stainless steel sheet metal screws. Probably should have gotten marine grade but just bought whatever they had at Lowes. I used 2 screws per hanger.
- Plastic pipe strapping - https://www.lowes.com/pd/7-16-in-to-7-in-dia-Plastic-Adjustable-Pipe-Hanger/1244183 You can make the opening to hang the PVC as large as you like with this.
- Pea pebbles - small enough to use a funnel, I've read that they are slightly heavier than sand - probably doesn't make much of a difference. Used less than 1 bag for 2 1 gallon jugs. If using larger diameter PVC some people mixed concrete and pour it into the PVC.
- Liquid chlorine jugs to hold the pebbles. I found they feel sturdier then water jugs. I used 2 and put them on 1 step, can add more to add more weight to other steps. Probably can use laundry detergent or any sturdy bottle that has a handle that can fit the PVC pipe through.
I measured the step width (27"), measured the 2 bottles side by side width (13"), cut the pipe to have overhang on both sides (19"), measured how long I needed the pipe strap to be (11" long bit probably should have made it 13" long). I marked the pipe where the ends of bottles side by side would stop (13") and attached the straps about center on the step using these marks. For the Confer steps there is one ridge of the step that is behind the riser, putting a screw on the top hole and 3rd hole in the hanger I used gives you a screw on the top and back of the step, line up the holes on the bottom of the strap when screwing in (bottom and 3rd from bottom) to keep it even and supported by both screws (this is where I screwed up and may fix it in fall when the steps come out). The loops of the hangers are below the step, the pipe can slide into one hanger, put the 2 jugs on the pipe and slide the pipe into the other hanger, make sure you have enough overhang on both sides - done. Larger filled PVC tubes work the same way. In the fall I can take the jugs off to make the inside steps lighter even though they are still heavy when filled with water.
As I'm writing this it sounds like overkill and it may be. We would not be pleased to strap jugs/PVC pipe to the outside of the steps because of how it looks so we wanted whatever to be hidden. Yes, jugs are ugly but you can't see them with our steps and they are free; I wouldn't use flimsy jugs after feeling how heavy 1 gallon of pebbles is. Filled PVC pipe is definitely a better look.
I know every so often AG pool people look for how to keep their stairs from floating, if anyone looks for how to stop Confer steps from floating this is what I did and will probably work for other steps as well. Sorry, I didn't think to take photos as I was doing it!
My wife and I were in the pool doing the modification and it was interesting to work on a half floating structure trying to drive screws into plastic. Maybe in the fall when I take the steps out I'll revisit this thread and post better photos. I would also like to know where all this crud on the floor came from, I vacuumed yesterday!