Urgent help pls! - How high are your spa steps?

Hi all - we're in the process of building our inground pool/spa - they will be pouring our decking tomorrow. We've decided to have a step added inside our spa (basically easing the transition to the bench), but we can't decide how high to make it. The PB will be pouring the spa steps when they come out to pour the decking tomorrow, hence the urgency.

Some details:

- the spa is not elevated, i.e., the spa coping is the same height as the decking around it.
- distance from water line to top of coping is 6"
- distance from top of bench to water line is 18" (which makes the distance from top of bench to top of coping is 24")
- distance from spa floor to top of bench is 24" (the spa floor will be in 42" of water)

From what I understand, these are pretty standard depths, but nonetheless, DW found it difficult getting in and out of the spa (granted, without the bouyancy of water working to her advantage).

My questions :)
- what's a good height for the step on the bench? I've heard 8" below the water line's a good height, which would make the step 10" above the bench, and 16" below the top of the coping? What's yours?
- should we have a step added to the spa floor as well? My PB suggested no, because at that point you'll be in the water already, and your bouyancy works to your advantage, not to mention the step taking up space on the floor.

Thank you very much! We certainly would not have been able to get this far without this site (as well as Garden Web)! :)

I think that if you want a step - you should do a 8"-9" step - halfway to the bench.

I agree with your pool builder that you should not have a step at the bottom - I do not know the size of the spa - but if I added a step from the bench to the "bottom" then there wouldn't be any room for your feet. Also - you will be sitting on the bench - so getting up shouldn't be an issue - unless your DW has difficulty getting up from a couch/chair too.