Screw Pile Design - How to Create a Strong Foundation for Your Home

If you're planning to build or renovate your home, you may be wondering whether you should use a screw pile design to support the house on the ground. Screw pile designs, also known as driven piles, are common and are preferred by many contractors because they provide both horizontal and vertical load-bearing and can be used in either new construction or renovation projects. However, there are several things you should know about screw pile design before hiring any contractor to install them in your home.

The Best Screw Piles

They're not all created equal. To ensure your home's foundation will be as sturdy as possible, you'll want to use high-quality screw piles designed specifically for home building. The best kinds of screw piles should provide support and be able to withstand years of pressure from the water, snow, and other elements. When selecting which screws you need, consider how much weight your structure will carry and how far into the soil it needs to go.

Hole Placement

It's important to start by digging your holes in accordance with the proper screw pile design. Once your holes are dug, you can begin inserting screws into them. Keep an eye on what type of ground you're working with—you may have to adjust accordingly and make adjustments as necessary. For example, if you're digging in sand or gravel, remember that sand and gravel are both heavy materials. So make sure that your hole is at least four feet deep when you create it.

Sizing the Foundation

Determine what size screw pile you need by taking into account its depth, length and width. For example, if you're digging a foundation into sandy soil, it will require bigger piles than if you were digging in clay or hard rock. You should also make sure your screw pile design is proportionate with your home's frame—piles that are too small will leave gaps between them and your home's structure.

 

Expansion Anchors vs. Helical Screws

Screw piles are long, threaded rods that are driven into the ground and act as your foundation. While there are two types of screw piles, helical screw piles and expansion anchors, not all contractors know how to properly install either type. The problem with using helical screws is that most aren't installed straight down or in a clean hole, so they're far less efficient at transferring your building's weight from the ground up into them.

Factors That Affect Depth

There are a number of factors that affect how deep you should install your screw piles. If you're building on top of concrete or other rigid foundations, you'll need more depth to ensure your foundation will be stable and solid over time. In these cases, you may need to install your piles 10 feet into the ground—or more! If there is not enough soil available where you're constructing your home, it might be necessary to find an alternative support system.

Conclusion

This is probably a really long and boring title, but what's in a name? Screw piles are definitely not sexy. But they're an essential part of any new home construction project. They can hold up anything from sheds to condos and beach homes. They've been around more or less forever, so that kind of proves their worth as well. 

In contrast, they don't look like much, screw piles actually play an important role in home construction projects. If you have any questions about screw pile design or your next home project, feel free to contact us at [phone number]. We'll be happy to discuss it with you further.