Cracked Stairs!

[kain]

IG 22,000 gal, vinyl lined, built in stairs

This was not a good weekend for the pool. I noticed the pool water level down about 3 inches on Sunday morning and found a crack in one of my pool stairs. It appears that there is no support under that one stair, all of the other three are solid as a rock where the cracked stair is sagging. I used some 2 part epoxy putty that cures under water to patch the crack so the pool will at least hold water, which it is now. Is it at all feasible to assume that at the end of the seasone when I lower my water level that I could pump cement/grout into the void under the stair through a small hole or two in the stair to give it some support? Or do I have to stay off the stairs and just use the ladder until I plan on replacing the stairs and liner?

Thanks.

[kain]

Anyone??? No one out there knows of anyone or knows how to repair cracked pool stairs. Again, it isn't just the stair that is the issue it is also the support under the stair. Any help would be appreciated.

[discobis]

Anyone??? No one out there knows of anyone or knows how to repair cracked pool stairs. Again, it isn't just the stair that is the issue it is also the support under the stair. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm running into the same problem. One of my steps has a small hole (about the size of a pen cap). Everytime you step on that step with the hole in it, a little bit of water comes out.

I was just about to get a new liner installed when this was discovered. My pool guy told me that he could patch it, however that's a temporary fix. I should replace my steps. I also have some horizontal cracks running on my steps as well.

My issues is that I don't want to fork up $6500 to replace my steps after i just paid for a new liner. I'm thinking about just patching it. Any ideas?

[jkusmier]

Hope you can repair, and avoid replacement. If it is necessary to replace (now, or sometime in the future), consider this. We had a new vinyl-lined inground installed last year. My builder backfilled the step section w/ concrete instead of rock (3/4 clean limestone). He's done this for years, says steps won't flex/give/crack as a result. Hopefully he's right, since it would be a bitch to remove them - but I can say my steps do not flex.

[swimmerboy]

Swimming pool stairs manufactured prior to 1996 were meant to be supported by the by the ground underneath. Unfortunately, the ground settled over time, causing the stair treads to flex with the weight of bathers. The flexing causes cracks to form in the treads, and then water loss. We found epoxy is not the best material to use, because it seemed too hard, and over a short period of time, it broke away from the original step, and caused our second tread to break elsewhere, and the leak started again. We used a product from poolstepspecialists.com, who were very helpful, and for under $200,we were able re-support and fix our treads, and made the pool look great.

[yerdnaw]

Do any of you know how the pea gravel was compacted into the stairs during this repair procedure.

I have seen many sites that show holes being drilled to add gravel to support the steps.

Curious if there are any tricks to this.

Also, what is the right paint to use when finishing the steps?

[PoolGuyNJ]

The steps can not be painted, AFAIK.

Pea gravel self compacts.

I normally go through the decking to add gravel.

Scott

[Just4fun]

My neighbour had a repair guy fix and paint his stairs. (25+year old IG vinyl lined pool, concret deck all 'round') This was done 3 yrs ago.

The pool was drained to below the bottom stair tread. The repair guy drilled 3/8" holes in the "flexing stairs" about 4 / step spaced evenly. Thru the holes he sparyed / filled the space below the stairs with expanding foam. the foam expands and oozes out the holes. Told me he had to be careful not to over fill else it could buldge the stairs. Next day, cleans up the holes, then mixed up some Polyester resin and glass fibers, fills the holes. Sands and paints using Gel coat (polyester 2 part paint). The steps are still fairly solid, although i've not been in the pool to test em in the past 2 yrs. Seems a decent solution to me.