January 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Steel Pier or Pressed Concrete Piling Repair?

Steel and pressed concrete pilings/piers are the most commonly use foundation underpinning repair methods in the Dallas and Ft. Worth areas.

Except in areas of shallow rock, the goal with underpinning should always be to drive it deep enough into the earth so as not to be effected by seasonal changes in moisture. In North Texas that depth is generally recognized by engineers as around 12 feet.

Steel piers are the preferred method for most long term foundation repairs. Steel piers are driven in sections to either load bearing strata or rock. Depths may be as great as 70 feet.

Pressed concrete pilings are a lower cost alternative to steel piers.   Concrete cylinders are driven to refusal in clay soil. Refusal in the Dallas Fort Worth area typically occurs at a depth of 8 to 15 feet, dependent upon soil moisture and weight of the foundation.   If the installer does not use water injection, depth may be somewhat more limited.

If you can afford the cost differential, always choose steel.    To learn more about the two systems, click here. You will find a very detailed comparison of the systems.

Steel pier foundation repair is our preferred method at Granite Foundation Repair. There are two types of steel piers that can be used for steel pier foundation repair. Straight steel piers and helical steel piers. Straight steel piers provide exceptional support and great long  term results. Helical steel piers provide good results as well, but have a different design and are ideal for providing lift in concrete foundations that have inadequate beams.

Make sure you have all the information you need before deciding on your method of foundation repair. Steel piers may cost a little more, but they will last much longer.

 

 

 

 

Straight steel pier driven deep to load bearing strata, typically rock. Illustration courtesy Granite Foundation Repair

Straight steel pier driven deep to load bearing strata, typically rock. Illustration courtesy Granite Foundation Repair

Pressed concrete cylinders are driven to load bearing strata. Typically compressed clay. Illustration courtesy Granite Foundation Repair.

Pressed concrete cylinders are driven to load bearing strata. Typically compressed clay. Illustration courtesy Granite Foundation Repair.

 

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Methods, Pressed Concrete Pier or Piling, Steel Pier for Foundation Repair Tagged With: , , , ,
September 9, 2010 By

Why use concrete pilings or piers for foundation repair?

Almost half of failed house foundations in the North Texas area, including Dallas and Ft. Worth, have used pressed concrete pilings for foundation repair.

When properly installed, pressed concrete pilings provide good long term stability.  They are a practical, low cost alternative to steel piers.

Steel piers are often better than pressed concrete piers in the Dallas Ft Worth area, as they are consistently driven to rock.  Compare Steel Pier and Concrete Piling Foundation Repair Methods.

Here  are  4 reasons why pressed concrete piers are  offered by many foundation repair companies that do not offer steel piers for underpinning a foundation.

  1. The cost of steel pier installation equipment is 5 times the cost of pressed piling foundation repair equipment.  This means that the cost of getting into the repair business is much cheaper for companies that offer only pressed pilings.
  2. The cost of material for a typical steel pier underpinning is 3 times that of pressed concrete pilings.
  3. Most contractors do not have adequate facilities to manufacture steel pier brackets and cut high carbon tubular steel sections.
  4. Less scrupulous contractors can take short cuts with pressed concrete pilings, greatly reducing installation time and cost.

In areas where the distance to rock is over 100 feet, such as much of Houston, pressed concrete pilings are a good solution for foundation repair. Pressed concrete pilings seldom go deeper than 10 to 15 feet in most of the Dallas Ft Worth Metroplex due to the high density of clay soil. Pressed steel piers go through clay like a hot knife through butter, to provide a consistently reliable foundation support system.

In dry conditions Granite Foundation Repair will water inject the soil.  Water injection provides maximum pressed concrete piling depth, which equates to best long term performance.

Each foundation is unique and will be evaluated by Granite Foundation Repair for the best foundation repair method. Contact Granite Foundation Repair today for a free foundation inspection.

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Methods, Pressed Concrete Pier or Piling, Steel Pier for Foundation Repair Tagged With: , , , ,