Screw Pier information
Instead of using traditional stumps, screw piers, or otherwise known as screw piles can be used. Screw piers have a screw head on the end of a long steel tube and are screwed into the ground using the power of an excavator. The end that stays above ground is capped using a circular platform and the house frame rests on this part. As pre-dug holes are not required, screw piers are installed efficiently and quite quickly. This means that the frame is set up just after the piers are capped. Using screw piers saves on time and is a great cost advantage on installation, and once in place, they are much easier to adjust. Different manufacturers do have variations on the styles but mostly there is a basic design for all of the building industry. Generally, screw piers are installed the same and have the same purpose.
How reliable are screw piers?
To keep screw piers from buckling or twisting, they are made from high tensile steel, as they need to be exceptionally strong.
How are piers installed?
Installing screw piers is a very fast, and the site is first marked depending where each post should be positioned. A hydraulic drive motor connected to an excavator is used to drill the pier into the ground. The displacement screw is the screw head on the pier and is similar to using a wood screw in a piece of timber and very little soil is disturbed. The pier is held firm by the surrounding earth which presses tightly around the pier.
Where are screw piers used?
Wherever an excavator will fit, it is possible to use screw piers. They can be used in all soil types but not bedrock. To level the piers, a laser is used, and then after cutting to the correct size, a small round platform cap is bolted to the pier. After this, the frame is lowered on to the pier and is then bolted on. To give additional stability and moisture protection, if needed, a slab can be laid across the ground at the foot of the piers.
The advantages of using screw piers are that they are rotproof, termite-proof, and fireproof, and very little clean-up is necessary after installing them.
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