Screw piles versus conventional

[Switch]

Planning on building a patio roof over my deck and I require two piles approximately 16' deep by 12" dia. One contractor has suggected the use of screw piles for this application and I have little or no knowledge of this piling method, has anyone out there used these and are they a tried and tested method of piling. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[boots]

never heard of that iether

 

[imdoo'n]

most of the oil rig anchor co. have screw piles, can be used for trailers etc. give one a call for more info. more than likely a lot cheaper faster install etc. don't see any neg to screw piles, but check around.

 

[scotts]

they work fine and are quick and simple for an application such as you are planning

 

[catzuki]

All screw piles are an auger that they screw into the ground that they leave there permant. They are gonna be a bit cheaper only because it takes them all of 1 hour to install and then you can use them asap. I have used them lots in oilfield apps but never residential.

 

[joeboo73]

would be alot cheaper to use screw piles

 

[blastoff]

I think the 16 foot deep is over kill, frost only goes to 8-9 feet maximum. On my recent reno which was for foundation piles we only went 8 ft x 12 inch and did it with a bobcat. That only took minutes as long as you dont hit rocks.

 

[maxwell]

seeing alot of screw piles in residential now. just did a complete house with 65 screw piles. was a 30% savings.

yes the frost only goes 4-6ft deep but pilings work on surface friction so you need to calculate the weight that will be on each pile and figure out what length you need from that. the supplier will have that information.

 

[QMAO]

Almita Manufacturing Ltd | Screw Pile Fabrication & InstallationI used to work for this company here in Ponoka. There seems to be some myths or misunderstanding of screw piles.
First of all, screw piles range in size from 3' diameter to 30" dia. and vary in lenth from 8' to 30'.
Screw piles are Not permanent...they can be removed.

The above company will help you out.They have engineers on staff and will do small jobs other than oilfield

 

[ponyboy]

Planning on building a patio roof over my deck and I require two piles approximately 16' deep by 12" dia. One contractor has suggected the use of screw piles for this application and I have little or no knowledge of this piling method, has anyone out there used these and are they a tried and tested method of piling. Any feedback would be appreciated.[/QUO

not to sure about the pros and cons of screwd over conventioal method's.as far as cost differences go, screwed will be quicker for sure.
but the pilings will only go in as far as the machine can push . if it stops a 8 feet your good to go, but if it dos'nt tighten up past 16 or 20 , then your going to have to add on , so now you have welding cost's . i'm guessing the 12 inch pipe will be more for looks , but for a patio roof it is way overkill. DID the contractor tell you that this is what is reguired. IMO 4" pipe is all you will need . there are thousands of big heavy buildings in the patch , that are supported by 4" pipe , and unless there is a major earth quake , they are not going anywhere. the bigger the pipe the bigger the machine $$$$$$$$$$

 

[RMK Junky]

Screw piles seem to be the way to go.

 

[sledderdoc]

For what you want they should work great as stated previously!!

 

[reaper020]

I use to work for a screw piling company they are tested and work great. I have seen them used for much larger and heavyer load applications then a patio. the trucks that install them can twist in large pipe to much deeper then 16 feet. we twisted steel from 2.5" up to 18" round. Here is a link to the company i used to work for there is some very good information on screwpiling also. Helical Pier Systems - Engineered Helical Pier Foundation Solutions
Good luck with the patio.

 

[OVERKILL 19]

I think around here "Red Deer" IMO you dont see frost down much deeper than 4 feet. Pilings drilled and poured 12 -14 feet 12" round is huge, but I think city of RD calls for 12", 12 ft deep for all attched decks. But it takes a he!! of a bobcat to pull that hole off.

I don't see the benifet when you drill a 12 foot hole and 2 feet sluffs back in? If you dont compact the bottom of a hole with a footing, what is the purpose? All you end up with is a exspensive friction pile IMO.

My deck is huge 35 x 20 and I drilled a 6" hole 5-6 feet deep, poured 1 foot of cement, then then a 4" sc 80 pipe with a bolt welded X on the end for the cement to grab on to. I used sc 80 cause I had tons of it. I did it this way due to I could not get a bobcat in to drill the holes. It's not to spec but I have a hot tub sitting on it and I've lazered it 4 times off the house, it has not moved more than 1/16 of a inch. winter/fall or summer/spring.

 

[Blu du]

last summer i did excavating on a big home that they built in a swamp. they put in about 100 of these screw pilings that came from canada. long story short this client of mine paid $575,000 for lake prop that at one time was a swamp with spings and flowing water out of the ground. well about 35 yrs ago they just cut down the trees and filled in about 6' of fill over most of the prop. buyer was never told about it since the neighbor that owned it for the last 50 yrs forgot that it was a swamp at onetime. thing were a little tense around there for about a month untill the seller agreed to pay for most of pilings.

 

[Links2]

I have only heard of them for the first time recently, but my one concern with them, seeing that they are metal, would be corrosion...other than that...just don't know whether they are better than concrete long term, beside being easier and cheaper to install

 

[maxwell]

screw piles can be galvanized if your worried about corrosion.

 

[Open Season]

I used them under my mothers double wide and I would never use them again. Think about it, they use flightings to screw downward so what happens is you end up with loose soil all around your pile the width of the flights. They wobble all over even though they are 12' deep. Just my story though.

 

[scorpio]

I used them under my mothers double wide and I would never use them again. Think about it, they use flightings to screw downward so what happens is you end up with loose soil all around your pile the width of the flights. They wobble all over even though they are 12' deep. Just my story though.

Depends on the design, Almita Mfg screw piles act like a screw and do not disturb the soil, whereas many other manufacturers screw piles auger into the ground therefore loosening the surrounding soil.

My company does the galvanizing for Almita and I know their engineers.

 

[Longhorn]

Traditional pile disturbs the ground less and are harder to install, however the screw piles carry a greater 'uplift' factor if it has to be engineered. I have an attachment for my Bobcat and I can drive anything from T-post to 14" piles. We normally use 4 1/2" to 7" to install office trailers. Our last job for the military required 7" .500wall piles 21' in the ground for a 15000# office trailer. For those we had to use a 7000# hammer. Engineer specs said one pile would support the trailer and the military required us to use 8 per trailer...Overkill in a big way, but trust me if there is ever a tornado, I know where Im hiding.