Spa Stairs Redesign Advice Needed

[scrumpto]

When my pool was designed and built the last thing added were some stairs to the spa. Unfortunately, the guy just created some without thinking through the design and three people have taken a hard tumble down them including me. It doesn't help that they're too small, poorly matched, in the dark, and potentially slippery. We've had the pool for six years but it was only this year all three people have fallen. By coincidence (or not), this was the year we had the concrete stained and maybe there's not enough grip once you get to the bottom.

So, I need to fix this and I'd like some advice. I need either a stair or two stairs and I need to know the best heights, depths, etc., and also the best material. Should we concrete over these rocks, rip them out, what? Whatever I do, it needs to not be slippery. I really don't want to have to put in a handrail as it will look ugly but I'm open to suggestions.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Wow... I've just gotten out of a chest/back and neck brace worn for the past 6 months after breaking my neck and back in a freaky fall. Your steps give me the heebie jeebies just looking at them!! That bottom step isn't flat, not enough depth and the deck finish may be also contributing to those accidents.
These links are common for spas and hot tubs. You might buy one as is, or have a carpenter build something similar from these.
Handrails *can* be a godsend, and perhaps you can fake one by cementing a big flower pot to the ledge or next to the stairs (with lots of nice flowers, of course) but since it is held down people can grip the rim for stability when climbing out?
Good Luck!
Spa/Hot Tub Steps

Maddie

 

[kimkats]

Those have to go! Like NOW! It is a wonder there has not been more falls with how uneven they are. To start with I would get one of the simple ones Maddy shared. Get them in a color that matches your stone on the wall of the pool. Order them asap and stop using the rock ones. Until the new steps just sit on the side of the pool and rotate in and out. I would remove the rock steps using a jack hammer. Make sure to wear safety glasses when you jack them out.

 

[Newdude]

Different situation but still how I'd handle it. Build forms for a concrete base. Then match the spa wall and coping.

Your choice if you go with wedding cake style and only have to wrap the stair risers with the faux wall stone, or if you go square and wrap the sides and front.

Cut the height into thirds with 2 steps using the existing coping as the 3rd step.

 

[Bperry]

When my pool was designed and built the last thing added were some stairs to the spa. Unfortunately, the guy just created some without thinking through the design and three people have taken a hard tumble down them including me. It doesn't help that they're too small, poorly matched, in the dark, and potentially slippery. We've had the pool for six years but it was only this year all three people have fallen. By coincidence (or not), this was the year we had the concrete stained and maybe there's not enough grip once you get to the bottom.

So, I need to fix this and I'd like some advice. I need either a stair or two stairs and I need to know the best heights, depths, etc., and also the best material. Should we concrete over these rocks, rip them out, what? Whatever I do, it needs to not be slippery. I really don't want to have to put in a handrail as it will look ugly but I'm open to suggestions.

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I’m sorry, that’s terrible. By code, each step needs to be the same tread length and height. Height of each should be about 7”. Length of each riser needs to be at least ~10”.

Remove those and build them right, or use of of the pre-fab styles referenced above.

 

[SJPoe]

I'd be tempted to make concrete steps, with the risers faced in the same yellow stone, and the treads in the same stone as your existing coping, continuing up from the existing step. You could then incorporate a sleek metal railing, which would make it far safer. Ideally the pitch of the steps should match the existing deck-step that is there, width would be up to you, but with the railing you could keep it fairly compact if needed.

Picture as an example below - think the first three steps in this pic, maybe half the width - yours would just continue the existing radius and riser pitch up to the spa level, with a rail on the outside to enhance safety (you could even get cute and add low-power lighting for those to help in the dark - batteries + LEDs mean you can put lights just about anywhere these days)

 

[Newdude]

Or the free option. Walk up to the spa, back up and sit on the coping, swing your legs in and skootch into the spa. To get out, stand on the bench, sit on the coping, swing your legs and stand up outside.