Okay, so I recently got this above-ground pool, you know, the kind you put together yourself? Anyway, the ladder it came with was, let’s just say, a little too buoyant. Every time I tried to climb out, the darn thing would float up, making it a real pain. So, I figured I needed some pool ladder weights.
DIY Time
I looked around online, but the pre-made ones seemed kinda pricey for what they are. Plus, I’m a big fan of “making do” with what I’ve got. So, I decided to go the DIY route.
- First, I grabbed a couple of those empty plastic jugs – you know, the ones that hold laundry detergent or whatever. I made sure to rinse them out thoroughly, even though it’s pool water, I want clean.
- Then, I filled them up with sand. I happen to have a sandbox for the kids, so that was easy. If you don’t, you could probably use gravel or even some small rocks. The point is to add weight.
- Next, I securely close the caps. Then, duct tape. You don’t want sand leaking out into your pool.
- Finally, I used some heavy-duty zip ties to attach the jugs to the bottom rung of the ladder, one on each side. I made sure they were nice and snug, so the jugs wouldn’t be flopping around.
Testing it out
I carefully put the ladder back in the pool, and… success! The ladder stayed put. No more floating away when I try to get out. It’s way more stable now, and I feel a lot safer using it.
Honestly, it took me maybe 20 minutes, tops, and it saved me a bunch of money. Plus, I got to reuse some stuff that would have otherwise ended up in the recycling bin. Win-win!
