If you’re wondering whether you should use helical pile posts for your deck, fence, or some other structure, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’re going to go through what helical piles are, their benefits, and how we at MDT use them to build various outdoor structures.
What are Helical Piles?
Helical piles, also known as screw anchors or screw piles are empty tubes of steel that anchor deep down into the ground and help structures stay balanced.
Their main purpose is to provide foundational support for all types of structures, regardless of their shape, size, and weight.
Helical piles have been used for over 100 years in heavy-duty construction projects around the world, including open sea structures, large dams, interstate highway systems, power plants, aqueducts, and massive cross-continental electrical transmission systems.
This method of building was first witnessed in 1830 and has been used in a variety of industries including oil, gas, mining, and renewable energy enterprises.
With the introduction of this lighter, environmentally friendly, and more durable material used for commercial and industrial structures, it was only a matter of time before the helical pile became available to the individual homeowner for residential structures.
Given their various advantages, screw anchors have revolutionized the decking industry in particular when building outdoor structures like decks, patios, and fences.
Let’s dive into what those advantages are.
One significant advantage of using helical piles in the decking industry is the ease and speed of installation.
Scew piles are installed using a hydraulic machine that torques the pile into the ground so there is little to no mess, and installation time is shorter compared to other anchoring and foundation methods.
While concrete requires hardening, you can load screw piles immediately after installation and you don’t have to wait for city inspectors to complete on-site reviews. Engineered reports can be provided easily via torque readouts recorded on-site by the machine.
Another advantage of techno posts helical piles is their environmental friendliness. Given they are not easily damaged by harsh environmental factors, they can last for several decades.
Since the installation process is simple and doesn’t require heavy-duty equipment, there is no concern about vibration.
Helical piles leave no impact on the site as they can easily be removed and reused in other applications. Plus, they do not require any upkeep or cleanup which eliminates long-term costs.
A common misconception about helical piles is that they have low load-bearing capacities and can’t bear large loads compared to concrete and other anchoring methods used in decking. This is absolutely not true.
Helical pile techno posts are strong and have high load-bearing capacities, depending on application specifications. This capacity can also be increased by installing larger helical plates.
Most anchoring methods are weather-dependent, but screw piles can be installed in any type of weather. This is a big advantage for site engineers, as they don’t have to wait until certain temperatures are reached to start construction.
There’s also no need to worry about frost heaving as most building companies like MDT use heavy-duty polyethylene sleeves specially designed to prevent posts from being affected by ground movement.
In an era where many companies choose to use low-quality raw materials to reduce costs, it’s important to ask your building contractor where their raw materials are coming from.
At MDT, our helical piles are characterized by their high-quality steel. They are manufactured using structural steel according to ASTM A500 grade C, CAN/CSA-G40.21-98, and CSA W47.1 standards.
Their design allows for maximum use of soil capacity. They have been load tested according to ASTM-D1143 and ASTM-D3689 standards in several types of soils around the world.
MDT builds always exceed building code requirements, so even with the sound incorporation of helical posts, our posts include a heavy-duty polyethylene sleeve to combat frost heaving in the depths of winter and each unit comes with a 75-year warranty.
MDT’s customized approach includes utilizing premium materials for every project. We use helical piles to guarantee the overall longevity of our custom decks and any additional features we build for your outdoor living space.
Now that you know exactly what helical pile posts are and their benefits, it’s time to find a building contractor to create your outdoor structure using the best materials. Reach out to Mississauga Decks & Trim today to learn more about the services we offer.
