Today's pool owners want their rectangle vinyl-liner pools to look as sleek and streamlined as possible. That’s why they often opt to extend the liner pattern over the steps, rather than allow the steps to stand out on their own too much.
But meeting that vinyl-over-steel demand can be time-consuming for pool builders, who in addition to assembling a steel step system also must backfill the steps before installing the liner.
Enter Endless Step by Atlanta-based ALPS Mfg., which makes acrylic fiberglass pool steps, sun ledges, spillover spas and plunge pools. The Endless Step comes in 2- and 4-foot pieces that span the pool’s width and function as the end wall. Builders simply bolt the pieces together and pour concrete footing to secure the steps in place. A patented liner-locking system is included on the top treads — eliminating the need for a bead system — and the design also allows for comfortable, stadium-style seating.
(ALPS Mfg. offers the Endless Step Sun Ledge, too, which is formed with Endless Step parts. The installation process remains the same, and no excavation deeper than 22 inches is required, the company says; ALPS Mfg. supplies 22-inch steel walls for the length of the ledge, plus all appropriate braces.)
“With the Endless Step system, the step parts cost less than open-top steel or polymer and offer substantial savings in labor and material costs,” says Michael Gibson, vice president of sales for ALPS Mfg., who adds that pool pros accustomed to building their own steps or sun ledges are gradually converting to the system.
The product has been available since 2018, but ALPS Mfg. relaunched the Endless Step in late 2023. The relaunch replaced an original 8-foot piece with the 4-foot piece, making the heavy material easier to handle and install. The company also increased the strength and durability of the Endless Step and Endless Step Sun Ledge with the inclusion of ArmorCore fiberglass panels, which “virtually bulletproof the step,” Gibson says.
He notes that builders willing to give the Endless Step a try wind up convinced of the product’s appeal and advantages.
“While the overall cost of the materials is less than steel, the biggest savings is not needing the end wall, not needing to wash in stone as you do with open-top steel steps — that’s saving hundreds of dollars in labor and materials alone,” Gibson says. “Once [builders] try it, they continue to use it.”
This article first appeared in the February 2025 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
