Wedding Steps - A Few Questions

[joseywales]

As you can see below, I have an 18' pool and the option now to pick up a set of used wedding cake steps, from an 24' pool owner. Here are my questions on wedding steps:

1 - is there a size difference that maybe the wedding cake steps from a 24' won't fit, or cotour porperly, in my 18' foot pool?

2 - will the wedding steps take up "too much" room in my 18'?

3 - if I dont't maintain my pool year-round, is there anyway to leave the wedding steps in without algae and other issues?

4 - WE DON'T have a deck. Will in-water weights be enough to hold the cake in place?

5 - What we really want the wedding steps for is to sit in the pool. I can either keep my ladder/steps and use the wedding steps just to sit on. Or, I have seen some wedding steps with outside ladders. Not sure if I can match these ladders with my wedding steps, or if they must come as a pair from the manufacturer. Thoughts?

6 - I know other steps can be put in/out without having to enter the pool. I'm a Mary when it comes to cold water, so is ther a way to place wedding cakes in/out with entering the pool? I'm guessing no. BUT, I do have neoprene fishing waters

I have read other posts and know to get a plumber's pad, vent more holes and push water through to prevent algae buildup, etc. I have told the friends to sell the steps, but they are pushing hard for me to take them. I just don't want to take them and find out they won't work for me.

thanks for the help.

 

[Bama Rambler]

It would really help if you could post a pic of the steps or at least provide a mfg and model.

• 1-I don't think there will be an issue with size.[/*:m:36kngd4g]
• 2-That's a judgement call you'll have to make. I'd say no but you might think different.[/*:m:36kngd4g]
• 3-If you don't maintain you pool properly you'll have algae whether you have steps or not. If you cover the pool in the winter you'll probably have to take them out though you might be able to lay them over under the cover.[/*:m:36kngd4g]
• 4-Our cake steps aren't anchored to anything and they stay pretty much in place. They have two steps that hold sand & water for weight.[/*:m:36kngd4g]
• 5-if you're ingenous there's probably a way to adapt your ladder to the cake steps.[/*:m:36kngd4g]
• 6-There's no way, short of lifting them with the loader and possibly ruining them, to take our steps out without getting in the water.[/*:m:36kngd4g]

We don't have a pad under ours and I inspect it closely and there's no signs of any wear. I've heard that the pad is just another place for algae to hide.

 

[joseywales]

Thanks for the quick response.

last year was our first winter. I closed in October and opened late April. The pool was covered and I did not maintain during the winter. There was dirt/pollen collected at the bottom. But after the vacuum did it's job, I backwashed our filter and we have no issues. I don't see any algae or other issues and chems seems fine. I did increase the CYA a bit, but so far FC is holding. Not sure that would happen if I left the stairs in though, since they'll collect something during the swin season and probably cultivate worse during the off-season - just a guess though.

I might head over and take a look at the cake to see how I can attach a ladder. I'm pretty clever that way and sites do sell the cake ladders for about $160., which I am willing to pay. http://www.poolcenter.com/aboveground_p ... confer.htm

 

[woodyp]

My cake steps have one swing out arm that fits around the one handrail it has on it. It is weighted down by two 50 lb. bags of sand---one each in a velcro closed bag that came with them. The arm has predrilled holes to attach to a deck or step or whatever you choose to bolt it down to. The 4 steps it has narrows as they come to the top. Hope this helps.