Anne, nice set up!

[tileman]

  Wow Anne, I just clicked on your username and saw the expanded pic of your setup. Very NICE. 8-) I absolutely love the wrap-around steps. I got a quote from my dealer on a similar set that was the same color of my cabinet and made from the same synthetic material for $950. I almost started laughing. That's ridiculous. Luckily, I'm a handy guy and my local Home Depot carries a similar shade of gray synthetic wood that matches my spa. I figured all materials would run about $175 and take a good full day of hard work. Btw what kind of spa is that?

  Chad

[anne]

Why thank you!!!

$950? crazy! I do love the steps, but they are not THAT well-made. Up close, they look like the pre-fab steps that they really are, but they are still of very pretty cedar, and match the cabinet, so I'm happy with them. The tub is Arctic, and the steps are made by them, too. Everyone who sees them really likes 'em. The only reason I sound a little picky about the workmanship is that my father is a carpenter at heart, and I picked up his critical eye, if not his actual talent.

[anne]

I know a lot of people prefer synthetic materials because of the extra upkeep of wood. Staining/sealing the steps is a bit of a pain, but if I only have to do it every year or other year, it's fine, and I'm a sucker for natural wood. I used Olympic "3 year" outdoor stuff, and I'd say based on my first 8 months, it wont last 3 years, but it still does a good job.