Helical foundations have been around since the early 1800’s so the technology behind them is certainly not new. A picture is worth a thousand words. The other end - the part that sticks up - is capped with a circular platform on which the house frame rests. The next step into installing concrete sonotube is to prepare the perfect concrete mix to be poured into the hole we prepared. Very hard to install a straight and solid structure on uneven posts you agree? As fast as I put the screw piles in they were buil, Proud to have installed Postech Screw Piles for th, This error message is only visible to WordPress admins. One major benefit that screw piles possess over traditional concrete foundations is that they don’t require any sort of curing time. Screw Piles vs Concrete. These are the most cost effective type of piles found in the domestic as well as commercial construction regions/industries. This licence confirms engineers, architects, cities, and municipalities that our piles are in conformity with the latest edition of the National Building code in all provinces of Canada. However, if one was to evaluate which method is better than the other, it is clear that the steel pier method is the preferred method for long-term, high-quality foundation repairs. In Alberta’s frost and thaw environment, screw piles are the ideal foundation solution. 39 Postech Screw. Clean, no excavation needed for auger-driving operation. Stop Digging’s ground screw works the same way as a concrete foundation, whilst outperforming it across the board. Screw piles come in a variety of diameters for both the pole and the helical plate. What a nice set up on Postech screw piles. Truth is, there is no one foundation that does it all. Concrete piles have been known to crack at the frost line causing the pile to slowly lift above grade. Easy as it is. Also, not all concrete piles are created equal; a 6 or 8 foot deep concrete pile will support your deck but it will not … Screw piles are used to support buildings like your future cottage, gallery, extension, patio or shed. The piles can be used to support new or existent structures. Cross laminated timber. The residential construction industry is starting to get out of concrete and sonotubes and getting into a newer, cheaper, and faster option. The pouring of concrete not to be interrupted to make sure there are no different aggregate or curing periods in the layers of the concrete post. Helical screw pile foundations will not always be more than concrete foundations. Unfortunately pouring concrete in a hole by an inexperienced crew can result in different shapes from one concrete post to another. An estimating tool designed to give you an indicative cost of screw piles vs concrete piers for residential house foundations in Sydney & Brisbane. Installed using a mini Kubota tractor, our polyvalent equipment will not damage your lawn as it has turf tires and allows to extract obstacles from the ground when necessary. By deciding to use sonotube filled with concrete, you need to plan accordingly and supervise the work done in order to avoid those common pitfalls associated with concrete : To save money, some installers will offer you to pour concrete directly in the hole. Excavation, formwork, concrete and many hours for installation. Screw-piles and helical anchors are unique among most other types of foundations or anchoring systems in that they can be loaded immediately after installation. Sonotubes filled with concrete are and can be a solution as a foundation for your project. Source : SCREW PILES AND HELICAL ANCHORS ARE UNIQUE AMONG MOST OTHER TYPES OF FOUNDATIONS OR ANCHORING SYSTEMS. Helical piles have been proven to support larger, heavier loads than other foundation systems, and use fewer materials to do so. No more excavating, concrete, delays due to weather, heavy machinery… Say goodbye to your hassles! We’ve compiled some of the reasons to go with Postech. Screw piles are wound into the ground, much like a screw is wound into wood. Helical Pile Systems. You must as well avoid all the pitfalls associated with digging the hole and mixing the concrete itself. No land site damage or pollution. Here are a few of them: Screw Pile. One alternative is a helical pier or screw pile which is an engineered metal post that has a helical blade welded to it that allows the post to be literally screwed into the ground. THEY CAN BE LOADED IMMEDIATELY AFTER INSTALLATION. In order to provide for concrete resistance and not affect its quality, you need to isolate the water from concrete therefore adding time and extra costs to your project. All screw piles have the same shape, no need to worry about its components as Pro Post Foundations has quality control management on its product. So many of us manage to install sonotubes ourselves or hire companies that are willing to install concrete posts at a real cheap price thus saving money but by doing so, the real question is: Is your investment/structure protected against heaving, cracking and is it solid? Drawings : Don Mannes. The easiest way to see these differences, is to stack the foundations up against each-other and see how they come out. Port Hood Boardwalk on Postech Screw Piles, All set up for the Pool, Patio and Garden show in, CLT home. To consider endless trips to the hardware store for heavy bags of concrete and perhaps a concrete mixer rental, plus the back breaking task of excavating each hole and discarding the debris or the added expense of hiring a contractor to handle the sonotube process. A problem remains however: Even though we can find information about bearing capacity of concrete, footing size and frost depth in the National Building code, it does not provide on how to dig a proper footing hole. That is where most of the problems begin. No atmospheric condition limitations except frozen soil.Easily moved or removed at a later date with no mess. A screw pile is a giant screw (around 890mm long) which winds into the ground using a portable hand drill. For a solid and long-lasting foundation, require the PRO, require Pro Post Foundations. A full-time on-site manager to plan operations and direct work. Not to mention that you now need to find an area to dispose of the earth excavated or have it removed from the site. My view today! Multiple pieces of equipment, more than one worker on site. Not easy to dig a perfectly vertical hole. © 2021 Postech Northern | 902-968-1200 | Contact Us, | Website by Simply Ducky Designs | Log in. A helical screw pile foundation can often be comparable (or less) than a concrete foundation. Build site planning is reduced to marking for exact location and desired height. When installed properly by professionals, they will not be affected by frost. Excavation required, land site damage, long delays and limited life expectancy. There is no need to wait for concrete or grout to harden, or in the case of driven piles, no need to wait for excess pore water pressures to dissipate. Pro Post Foundations piles are galvanized therefore resistant to corrosion. HISTORY OF HELICAL PILES. They therefore offer unparalleled stability even in poor soil quality and on inclines. Pro Post Foundations piles are galvanized therefore resistant to corrosion. When no form is used to save money, debris such as rocks, roots and other material close to the concrete post, will impinge on the side of the concrete post therefore creating uneven sides which allows movement due to frost heave. For every foundation, you need a proper footing below the frost line. In many cases, the screw pile is a product that is more advantageous to use than a concrete foundation. They can even be installed in places where the ground level is poor and that quality soil is less. From the Healthy Homes show in Australia. Installation can be done in almost all types of soil (except for frozen soils) and in all weather conditions. THERE IS NO NEED TO WAIT FOR CONCRETE OR GROUT TO HARDEN. Environment friendly as they are reusable and do not contain phosphate like concrete does. (02) 9725 5522 (02) 9725 5522 Longer pile size and screw pile extensions are made available to allow installation to a stable layer ensuring quality of foundation. Screw Piles VS Concrete Screw piles perform exceptionally better than traditional concrete piles (also known as sonotubes). There are many advantages of using screw piles rather than traditional concrete foundation methods. Smooth surface and sides not allowing the frost to grab and lift it as helix sits below frost level; Pro Post Foundations expert installers will at all time monitor the pile installation so that it is perfectly levelled not slanted. Our flexible product offers a solid, lasting foundation without the issues associated with the traditional concrete method. Pro Post Foundations certified installers have access to engineer services that will provide the necessary documents required by cities and municipalities such as engineer reports that illustrates the structure to be supported by screw piles and details of each Pro Post Foundations screw pile to be installed such as pipe diameter, blade size, depth and compressive bearing capacity thus ensuring quality of your foundation. Ground screws, screw piles, helical piles, earth screw, screw anchor, or earth anchor – this simple and effective foundation has many names. Screw piles are a type of deep foundation that can be installed quickly with minimal noise and vibration. Moreover, the angled posts will allow frost to grab it and to move vertically during the heaving period. Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. They offer a far more eco-friendly alternative to the traditional methods and are also lower in cost and thus have become increasingly popular in the last decade or so. Screw piles were first described by the Irish civil engineer Alexander Mitchell in a paper in Civil Engineer's and Architects Journal in 1848 - however, helical piles had been used for almost a decade by this point. No atmospheric condition limitations except frozen soil.Easily moved or removed at a later date with no mess. Ready to start building the cottage, 39 Postech Screw piles installed. Now for the move on the Pos, Can't wait to have a beer on the deck of this beau, Postech piles used here to support large fans for, A tiered solar project completed a couple of years, Cottage and boardwalk to the water on Postech Scre. Therefore, we need the concrete preparation mix: Be exempt from soil contamination that will weaken concrete, Be exempt from rock that may create air pockets in concrete post. Pro Post Foundations screw piles are all about engineered product therefore your expert installer can provide engineered documentation on the product. Sometimes, a helical screw pile foundation may cost a more than the concrete alternative. However, there are significant differences between Postech Screw Piles, ground anchors, and concrete piles. Photos : Dan Thornton. While digging many of us may hit a shallow water table or a damp area. Check it out. In this article, we present the main reasons why the industry now wants to go on a more efficient technology demonstrating all you need to think about when choosing to install a sonotube filled with concrete and then choosing helical piles. Contact us for a list of certified partners or work with us. This is an efficient means of installation and coupled with their mechanism of dispersing load, provides effective in-ground performance in a range of soils, including earthquake zones with liquefaction potential. The larger the diameter, the more weight it will support. Concrete poured in an angled hole, will result in the load to be on the side rather than on the total concrete post. Ground screw, earth screw, screw anchor, earth anchor or pier anchor - this simple and effective foundation has many names. Screw piles are not always cheaper, because some concrete companies are willing to price themselves out of business (you’ll find some in the screw pile industry as well). Longer pile size and screw pile extensions are made available to allow installation to a stable layer ensuring quality of foundation. With traditional foundations, there is a cure time to let the concrete dry in place before it can be built upon. Environment friendly as they are reusable and do not contain phosphate like concrete does. Concrete piles can also sink if ground conditions are not ideal. Simplify the difficult with ground screws! Screw piles for lightly loaded structures are most often cheaper than a concrete sonotube (CIP) or belled (big foot) piles. Pro Post Foundations screw piles in return, should be considered as your best alternative to concrete sonotubes. Deck Footings Done Right, by Mike Guertin Home and decks supported with Postech Screw Piles. The decks on this beautiful home overlooking the w, Installation complete! Our ground screw foundation solution provides a quicker, more efficient, and sustainable alternative to concrete foundations. The screw is also known as screw anchors, helical piles, or helical anchors. Limited to dry periods and temperatures above freezing point.Must be dug out to remove leaving a mess to the property. Protection barriers and a small fence to be built. Log in as an administrator and view the Instagram Feed settings page for more details. You will have seen for yourself, the criteria for a successful concrete sonotube installation are numerous. Screw piles can be referred to as screw-piles, steel screw-in foundations, screw piers, helical piles, helical anchors, screw anchors, screw foundations and helical piers. Reduced costs, reduced delays. We’ve compiled some of the reasons to go with Postech. Often no guaranty. Both the Steel Piers and the Pressed Concrete Piling Method are commonly used for foundation repair. Leftover soil, excavation is required, Heavy concrete mixers – damage to lawn and asphalt driveways. We welcome you to visit our website for a complete description and installation video on our helical piles. Screw Pile vs Concrete. Have you ever dug to the required frost line level? Be rod or vibrated during pouring to ensure that layers are intermixed. You did not pour enough concrete in the hole and as a result the top of the post is below grade? Using a prefabricated screw pier, installing a helical pile makes creating a foundation quick and precise. It sounds easy but adding too much water or too much concrete will suffice to affect the concrete post quality and bearing capacity. finehomebuilding.com Messy and endless in comparison to the efficiency of screw piles. There is a growing trend to move away from the traditional process of installing a sonotube filled with concrete to provide a footing for decks, sheds, cottages or home additions. Stop Digging's ground screw works the same way as a concrete post or pier block, whilst outperforming it across the board. (02) 9725 5522 (02) 9725 5522 The piers are long steel tubes with a screw head at one end which is screwed into the ground. Postech Northern’s screw pile foundations have many advantages over concrete. This is the same technology which you may have seen being used on large-scale construction projects (where the hand drill is replaced by a gigantic crane) but the technique can be applied to smaller-scale projects, with the same benefits. Concrete foundations do have their place, however screw piles can be used for a vast amount of the foundation work in modern building. In order to get an adequate bell shaped (big foot) footing, a larger hole is required which means extra excavating and concrete. Pro Post Foundations helical piles are in conformity with the National Building Code and are certified by the Canadian Construction Materials Center under licence 13608-R. Frequently, structural designer cannot reach concrete decision about whether to choose pile foundation or ordinary strip or mat foundation for the structure. This is a home built on 3.5" Postech Screw Piles. Selection of pile foundations based on cost vs. other foundations for construction projects and factors affecting pile foundation cost is discussed. Concrete. I did conclude that the inherent design helical screw piles is a far more reliable than using traditional concrete foundations. How our ground screws works. At this point in time, when digging four feet or deeper, we do not always have space, energy and time to make sure that the bottom of the hole is flat to reduce the probability of the concrete post to sink in the ground due to the base being pointed or round. Your structure is to be installed in a sloped area and now that the concrete is dry you realize that the top of the concrete posts are uneven and not levelled? Ideal Foundations screw pier & pile foundations can be installed into any soil type and faster to install compared to bored concrete piers. New posts will not be retrieved. Concrete will cure in the shape of the hole therefore being uneven and providing grip to frost during the winter season. Waiting for the. Screw piles exist largely because they can be cheaper options than using concrete piers. With our helical screws you can quickly and easily set out a stable foundation and begin construction immediately. This is not recommended as the connectors as well as the base of the structure will be more at risk of corrosion and rotting due to the contact with surrounding dirt. As soon as all the screws are installed in the ground, they can be instantly built on. Through extensive engineer testing on the compressive bearing capacity, tensile and lateral capacities of our piles in different types of soils such as sand/silt and clay soils, Pro Post Foundations helical piles are certified in conformity with the National Building Code under CCMC licence 13608-R and have Minister’s Ruling in Ontario. Screw piers (also known as screw piles) are a great alternative to using traditional stumps. Not only do we have to dig deep enough to install the concrete sonotube below the frost line but we must ensure that it sits on a stable ground layer which is sometimes found deeper below frost level! Depending on the means you have at your disposal, digging using a shovel is quite challenging. Installing foundation under frost line is very important to avoid any movement of the structure but the depth to which concrete is poured is often questionable. One piece of equipment, fast guaranteed professional installation. 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