Screw piles: Versatile, durable foundations
You may not see them, but they are there. Behind the scenes, Pro Post Foundation screw piles work hard, to firmly and sturdily support the structures that contribute to our daily living, and this, without even being visible. Here’s how:
What role do screw piles play in our daily lives?
As you sip your morning coffee while enjoying the sun’s first rays in your solarium, the screw piles are present, quietly supporting your structure without budging, without shaking. Even come winter, hidden under a blanket of snow, you never fear that your solarium will sink because its foundations are anchored into the ground below the frost line preventing any movements.
When hosting brunch on your patio, you forget that screw piles also uphold it; they’ve kept it perfectly level for the past few years, even with the addition of a hot tub! Another key advantage: there is no delay between the installation of the screw piles and the start of the project! As soon as the piles are installed, they are ready to bear weight.
To enjoy some shade when eating outside, you recently purchased a gazebo to accommodate your patio table and chairs. To keep it perfectly straight, and avoid that it flies away in the wind, you opted to install screw piles in all four corners. The screw piles support the weight thanks to a helix plate at the bottom of the shaft; the correct size screw piles are chosen by our certified installer or an engineer, when required by the City or Municipality. Come winter, you don’t even have to take it down as the screw piles will hold it perfectly in place, even with the weight of the snow.
Wanting to do your part for the environment (and because you love the smell of fresh linens), you hang your clothes to dry on a clothes line. A distance from the house, its attached to a post, the post is firmly planted in the ground thanks to a screw pile! This way, you can confidently hang ALL your clothes, without ever fearing that it will lean. To improve your decor, you are considering changing its location. Not a problem! Screw piles can be moved. Thanks to our specialized equipment, Pro Post Foundations can remove a screw pile and plant it elsewhere on your property.
Located at the far end of your yard, your shed stores tools, bicycles, Christmas decorations, a lawnmower, your recreational vehicle, etc. Let’s just say, many, many things! You needed foundations that were able to bear tons of weight, for this reason, you opted for screw piles; thanks to this solution, your shed will never warp, sink or lose stability.
To keep your dog from running loose in the neighbourhood, and to allow the kids to play safely, you built a fence around your property. What supports it? Screw piles, obviously! Installed in the ground below the frost line, they remain stable, keeping your fence sturdy for many years, in comparison to other available products.
You love your backyard, but feel that something is perhaps missing. Therefore, you decide to add an artificial pond, complete with a footbridge. Since the ground is humid, therefore unstable around such structures, screw piles are the best solution; they are not affected by ground movement and, most importantly, are able to support your little bridge.
On the side of your house, your carport has been standing tall for many years now. Supported by screw piles, you never worry that it will collapse under the weight of the snow. Nonetheless, you are contemplating transforming it into a garage. You’ll be happy to know that screw piles can even be used to support this type of structure. And, since they always stay straight, they’ll prevent any cracking in the concrete slab.
In front of your house, near the street, is your post-mounted mailbox. It has withstood many winter storms and the snowplows. How is that possible? It is held in place by a screw pile! No need to dig a hole or to pour concrete; it’s quick and easy! What’s more, the mini Kubota tractor equipped with turf tires, that was used to install the screw pile, did not even damage your lawn.
To light the pathway to your front porch, you installed lamp posts. How are they all supported? Screw piles! Had you opted for sonotubes, you would have waited for the concrete to dry. No waiting time, makes it much easier and quicker!
And, just to be sure that you are paying attention, the above-mentioned front porch is also supported by screw piles.
So, we are convinced that you can now appreciate how screw piles are a crucial part of our daily lives. You should also be aware that they are quality engineered products, certified by the under license 13608-R and they meet Canada’s National Building Code. They are built entirely in a CWB (Canadian welders bureau) certified factory, guaranteeing the quality of the soldering. To adapt to your project and to the soil type, screw piles come in a wide range of diameters and helix sizes. Our specialized installers will determine the perfect screw piles for your project.
And, if you think you can achieve the same results with sonotubes, we kindly invite you to read our previous article on this topic.