Stairs into pond

[bikerdib]

OK people, I need some ideas on how to build some steps into my pond. I dug a pond at my place in the woods and have steep banks all around (I'd guess probably about 8" to 10" rise on 12") except for one corner. The soil is mostly clay so if I get in the water to swim or work on something it's pretty hard to climb back out the steep banks (not dangerously so but just not easy) and of course it feels kinda "mucky" to the feet. I was going to build a floating dock using four 55 gallon plastic barrels but I decided I wouldn't like the look.

I have an idea that I could build a staircase using treated lumber (2" X 10") that follows the steep slope. I would use weight on the deep end to keep it lowered and anchor the top end to some wood posts or even "T" posts. It would just lie on the bank. I'd have a hand rail on one side to guide the swimmer and you would just swim up till you could get your feet on the treads. I'd want the lower end to be at least 5' deep in the water and the upper end would be on dry land at full pond level.

Give me some input please>

 

[koamfps]

one would thing you could secure with rods or dock posts

 

[Mark Page]

I would secure with galvenized pipe and U clamps. I would also leave it in place, as you never know what yo-yo is gonna' fall in while treaspassing or poaching fish and want to sue you.
Caught the biggest bass of my life from under a set stairs like yours.

 

[bikerdib]

I plan on leaving it in place once it's in.

I also thought about sharpening some treated 4X4 and simply driving them in place at the lower end of the stairs then bolting the stairs to them. I don't know how I would stop them from sinking further however other than the stringers lying on the ground.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Take a look at this

Floating Dock with Barrels (UPDATED)

 

[hosspuller]

An Idea ... Sink a concrete mobil home stairway into the pond. They're 4 or 5 steps Attach wooden steps or gangway above the water to the shore.

 

[koamfps]

You could also use an auger on the bottom of the dock pole. then if you do need to back the poles out a bit you can.

 

[tony Cecil]

On our floating dock, the stairs swivel up so that they don`t get covered with slime---and in our case `barnacles` and oysters....they are pretty sturdy....You might give some consideration to `slime` factor.....and another thought is just to use flat rocks, and a rope to hold on to as you pulley yourself up...Low maintenance Tony

 

[bcp]

Make stairs down to a small platform a foot or so above the water, then use a pool ladder or boat boarding ladder down into the water from the platform.

Bruce

 

[bikerdib]

Cat_driver, that is similar to what I had in mind. In fact, I already bought 4 barrels before I decided I want to keep my pond as natural looking as possible and a dock doesn't look natural, IMO of course. The concrete mobile home steps won't work because even below the waterline the bottom slope is too steep until it reaches maximum depth. That's why I thought about building stairs so I could adjust the angle of the treads. The auger idea isn't bad but I think Mark's idea of driving in pipe and then using U bolts to secure the stringers is simpler. Tony, I thought about using the 12" X 12" paving stones but I'm afraid they would slide down the clay bottom eventually. Bruce, the problem is supporting the platform since the pond is already full of water. I can't easily go in and set posts.

Along those lines, I even thought about pouring a 2' wide by however long needed walkway out of concrete, giving the surface a pretty rough finish, then using the tractor to shove it into the water to the desired depth. I could have eyes in the end out of the water to anchor it in place with some footings or something.

Keep the ideas coming though guys, brainstorming usually comes up with ideas that can be combined into a workable solution. ABTW, thanks.