|
SECTION 17: OPTIONAL WALK-IN STEPS
THE STEP UNIT IS LOCATED IN THE SHALLOW END OF THE POOL. IF YOU HAVE ORDERED STEPS WITH YOUR POOL, YOU HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED A WALK-IN STEP ASSEMBLY AND TWO (2) SHORT WALL SECTIONS TO FILL THE END OF THE POOL.
THE STEPS ARE INSTALLED AT THE TIME THE POOL WALLS ARE ASSEMBLED. FOR 16 x 32, lB x 36, 20 x 40 AND 24 x 48 RADIUS EMERALD POOLS, THE TWO (2) SPECIAL SHORT WALL SECTIONS BOLT TO THE CORNER PANELS IN THE USUAL MANNER, THE WALK-IN STEP ASSEMBLY MUST BE CLAMPED TO THE SHORT WALL SECTIONS AND ALIGNED SO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE STEP ASSEMBLY IS FLUSH WITH THE WALL PANEL. FOUR (4) VICE GRIP CLAMPS WORK NICELY FOR THIS. AFTER THE STEP ASSEMBLY IS ALIGNED, USE THE END CHANNEL ON THE SHORT WALL SECTIONS AS A GUIDE AND DRILL SEVEN (7) 7/16" DIAMETER HOLES THROUGH THE WALK-IN STEP ASSEMBLY. ATTACH THE STEP ASSEMBLY TO THE SHORT WALL PANEL USING 3/8-16 x 1" HEX BOLTS, 3/B-16 S.S. FlEX NUTS, AND TWO (2) 318" ALUMINUM WASHERS AS SUPPLIED.
FOR SOME POOLS, THE STEP ATTACHES DIRECTLY TO THE CORNER PANEL.
IF THE STEP ASSEMBLY YOU HAVE COMBS WITH A SUPPORT STRUCTURE, IT SHOULD BE ASSEMBLED AND INSTALLED AS PER THE MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS. IN THE EVENT THAT YOUR STEP ASSEMBLY DOES NOT INCLUDE A SUPPORT STRUCTURE, PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUPPORTING THE STEPS GIVEN IN THIS MANUAL AS FOLLOWS:
THE STEP ASSEMBLY MUST BE SUPPORTED BY TWO COLUMNS OF PATIO OR CONCRETE BLOCK. SEE FIGURE 26. THESE MUST BE CEMENTED TOGETHER AS SHOWN. A PATIO BLOCK SHOULD BE PLACED UNDER THE JOINT OF THE FIBERGLASS STEP ASSEMBLY TO THE WALL SECTION. SEE FIGURE 26. THIS WILL MAKE LEVELING MUCH EASIER.
WHEN THE CONCRETE IS POURED FOR THE FOOTING, THE BOTTOM OF THE WALK-IN STEP ASSEMBLY MUST HAVE CONCRETE POURED AROUND THE BASF.. SEE FIGURE 27. THE POOL CONSTRUCTION PROCEEDS IN THE USUAL MANNER, PRIOR TO THE INSTALLATION OF THE LINER THE FACE PLATES MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE STEP ASSEMBLY. SEE FIGURE 27.
THE FACE PLATES AND THE TOP RUBBER GASKET ARE TO BE REMOVED. THE BOTTOM GASKET IS GLUED TO THE STEP ASSEMBLY AND IS TO REMAIN IN PLACE. DURING THE LINER INSTALLATION, THE LINER MUST BE KEPT NEAR THE END WALL OF THE POOL. SEE FIGURE 27.
FILL THE POOL WITH WATER, WHEN THE WATER IS ABOVE THE COVE AND THE LINER IS SEATED AGAINST THE COVE AND WALL, BEGIN INSTALLING THE FACE PLATES AND GASKETS ON THE STEP ASSEMBLY. BE CERTAIN THAT THE LINER IS PROPERLY CENTERED AND THAT NO WRINKLES WILL DEVELOP BECAUSE ONCE THE FACE PLATE IS PUT ON, THE LINER CANNOT BE SHIFTED IN THE STEP AREA. IT IS EASIER TO BEGIN INSTALLING THE FACE PLATES AT THE TOP OF EACH SIDE AND WORKING DOWN. THEN INSTALL THE HORIZONTAL FACE PLATE ON THE BOTTOM.
BE CAREFUL SO NOT TO PINCH THE LINER OR TO GET WRINKLES BEHIND THE FACE PLATE. REFER TO FIGURE 27. BE CERTAIN THE VINYL LINER IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE TWO (2) RUBBER GASKETS.
TIGHTEN ALL THE SCREWS UNIFORMLY. AFTER ALL THE SCREWS ARE TIGHTENED, CUT THE CENTER SECTION OF THE LINER OUT OF THE STEP AREA. BE CAREFUL NOT TO SCRATCH OR GOUGE THE FIBERGLASS WITH THE KNIFE. THE FIBER OPTIC BULLNOSE IS INSTALLED IN THE USUAL MANNER. NOTE THE TWO (2) SHORT SECTIONS OF BULLNOSE WILL. GO ON TOP OF THE TWO (2) SHORT WALL PANELS.
THE AREA AROUND THE STEPS MUST BE CAREFULLY BACKFILLED (PREFERABLY WITH SAND), AND TAMPED TO SUPPORT THE STEPS. THIS MUST BE DONE BEFORE THE POOL IS FILLED WITH WATER.
|
