If you’ve got a sweet set of pool steps, you know they’re a vital part of your pool setup. Not only do they keep you safe and steady as you enter and exit the pool, but they also add to the overall pool experience.
But let’s face it, we’ve all had those annoying moments when those bad boys just won’t stay put and keep floating to the surface.
Well, fear not! We’ve got you covered with some tips on how to keep your pool steps from floating away.
Fill them up
Most pool steps come with a nifty little fill hole built right in. This feature makes it super easy to add weight to your steps to keep them from floating away. If you’ve got a ladder with a fill hole, the first step is to remove it from the pool and locate the cap or screw that leads to the fill hole. Once you’ve found it, go ahead and unscrew or open it up.
There are two options for filling up that hole to keep your steps weighted down.
First, you can use sand. But let’s be real, sand can be messy and a pain to deal with when you need to empty your ladder.
So, the better choice is good old H2O. Just open up that fill hole, stick a hose inside, and let ‘er rip! Once you’ve filled it up with water, screw that cap back on tightly.
By adding water, you’re increasing the overall density of the ladder, making it more difficult for it to float away when you put it back in the pool.
No Fill Hole? No Problem!
Now, some pool steps don’t come with a fill hole. That’s okay, we’ve got a solution for that too. Your best bet is to anchor the ladder to the bottom of the pool.
Start by finding a waterproof container that can be sealed up tightly. If you don’t have one, you can easily pick one up at your local pool supply store. Fill it up with sand, then seal it up tightly. Rinse it off to get rid of any excess sand particles that could cause problems with your filtration system.
Once your container is ready, position it at the base of the ladder to add some extra weight and keep it from floating away. If you can’t place it at the base, try tying it to the bottom of the steps with some fish string or other pool-safe material.
If you’re still having trouble, don’t worry! You can always add more sand-filled containers to your ladder to add more weight and keep those steps anchored down tight.
In the past, I have used some spare plastic-coated exercise weights and tied them to the bottom of the steps. They worked well.
Weight them down outside
As well as weighing down your pool steps from inside the pool you can also anchor the steps outside the pool.
This will help to stop the steps inside from floating and also make them much more stable when using them to climb into or out of the pool.
If the pool is level with a deck then you can probably screw the stairs to the deck to prevent them from floating.
In Conclusion
Pool steps are a crucial part of your pool setup. They make it easy to get in and out of the pool safely, but they can also be a pain when they float away.
By using some of the tips we’ve laid out here, you can keep those steps from floating away and enjoy your pool to the fullest.
I have had hot tubs for over 20 years and a pool for the last 9 years. I had to learn how to clean, maintain and fix them the hard way. Since then I have helped many friends and neighbors with their pools and now I want to share everything I have learned with you. About Me
