Concrete Piling Advantages
/ By Chase Gohl / Concrete Piling Issues/ 0 Comments

The Advantages of Concrete Piling

Ground soil in much of the Texas region is prone to shifting, expansion, and other weather influences. Over time, this causes foundations to also shift, resulting in cracks, splits, and sloping. Fortunately, the advent of concrete piling has lowered the cost of foundation repair while providing a reliable and long-lasting solution. Let’s dive into some of the benefits concrete piling has to offer.

Exceptional Durability

Concrete piles accommodate almost all subsurface conditions common in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. The piles are pre-manufactured and constructed to precise tolerances and made from high tensile strength materials. The column consists of 6-inch diameter precast 12-inch sections. The top section includes steel shims, providing a base for the foundation to rest on.

Concrete piles are durable enough to be used with nearly every type of residential home and small to medium-sized commercial structure. In the rare event more strength is required, installers can always opt for steel pilings.

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Contact Align Foundation Repair for concrete piling today.

Cost-Effective

Concrete piling is a cost-effective solution for the most common types of foundation damage. They can be easily fabricated for structural strength, and they can be driven into the ground.

Installers also use dynamic pile testing to determine the precise pile capacity and pile length. Each pier is individually customized to its location.

Speedy Installation

Since piles are made in advance and not on site, the construction process is far more expedient. Lack of drill spoils also means no need for cleanup. Concrete piles also don’t require curing time. This allows them to be installed in sequence, keeping heavy equipment movement to a minimum and drastically speeding up installation time.

As you can see, concrete piling is a durable and long-lasting solution at a fraction of the price and with quick and easy installation. Contact us at Align Foundation Repair if you suspect damage to your residential or business foundation.

 

Using Concrete Piles
/ By Chase Gohl / Concrete Piling Issues/ / 0 Comments

Why and When to Use Concrete Piles

Concrete piles are a mainstay in foundation repairs, especially repairs around the Garland, TX area. The region is rich in clay soil, which is prone to shifting, contraction, and expansion. The constant soil movement can seriously compromise building foundation, causing cracks, sloping, and sinking.

What Are Concrete Piles?

Concrete piles are vertical cylindrical beams, usually about 6-inches in diameter. The installer digs a hole about two-feet deep and adjacent to the foundation that the piles go into. A hydraulic machine is used to press the piles deep into the holes until it reaches solid bedrock or maximum strata is reached. A concrete cap is then added over the piles.
Piles are usually made from concrete, though they may also be made from steel and reinforced with other material.

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Contact Align Foundation Repair for concrete pile installation.

Why Use Concrete Piles?

There are many advantages to using concrete piles. Concrete piles are far more affordable and speedier compared to other methods. It also requires minimal equipment and space. Installers also don’t need to dig expansive and space-consuming holes beyond the ones for inserting the piles. This contributes to site cleanliness with minimal intrusions during site operation. Surrounding landscape is often left undisturbed and fully intact.

Concrete piles also make sense financially; most installations come with a lengthy warranty and can be adjusted for the life of the structure.

When to Use Concrete Piles

An installer will assess your foundation and other factors like extent of damage and soil condition. An evaluation will determine whether concrete piles are the best solution for the situation. Usually, concrete piles are in order when:

  1. The upper layer of soil is weakening and unable to support the weight of the building. The building load then needs to be transferred to the stronger soil or bedrock that lies below the weak upper layer.
  2. The building has extremely heavy and concentrated loads.
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Contact Align Foundation Repair and get concrete piles installed in the circumstances you need them.

Concrete Pile Types

  • End-Bearing Piles – This pile is used when the soil has a stronger bottom layer, usually consisting of firm bedrock for the pile to anchor to. The pile essentially acts as a support column.
  • Friction Piles – this is shorter than an end-bearing pile and usually does not reach the bottom of bedrock. Instead, the pile transfers the building’s weight and load evenly across the soil.

In any case, the evaluator will determine which concrete pile type is ideal for any given situation.

Fortifying Your Foundation

Concrete piles are more affordable and feasible for most situations thanks to new technology in the industry. Contact us at Align Foundation Repair if you notice irregularities in your foundation, such as sloping, tilting, or cracks in the walls. Repairing concrete piles is one of our mainstay services in the Dallas-Forth Worth region.

 

Concrete Piles vs Steel Piles
/ By Chase Gohl / Concrete Piling Issues/ 0 Comments

The Use of Concrete Piles vs Steel Piles

Steel piling and concrete piling are not interchangeable solutions for foundation repair. Each requires different methods of installation and the choice to use one or the other will depend upon the kind of structural damage your home is exhibiting. We’ll explain the difference and the factors that dictate when each method is most viable.

What Are Piles?

First, let’s explain how foundation-supporting piles work. These are thick, vertical pillars pressed deep into the soil. This provides a firm support base for a foundation when the soil is weak and unable to keep the foundation steady. The pillars themselves don’t fully support the weight of the building. Rather, they transfer the weight to the stronger layer of rock and gravel that rests several feet below the surface soil.

Concrete and steel piles are the two main types, which we’ll be discussing for this post. However, some applications may also call for other pile types, such as those erected from timber or composite.

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Contact Align Foundation Repair for piling installation.

What Is Concrete Piling?

Concrete piling is usually a foundation repair method for residential homes and light commercial facilities. It consists of heavy-duty concrete columns pushed deep into the soil to provide support for the foundation. The top portion consists of durable concrete caps followed by a concrete cylinder that sits between the column and foundation.

What Is Steel Piling?

Steel piling offers the highest tensile strength. The exceptional durability also enables them to be driven further into the ground and past dense layer of hard gravel. Now that you understand concrete piles, you can probably guess that steel piles are more or less the same, with the exception that the columns consist of steel instead of concrete.

Steel piling is designed to handle the heaviest structures, such as skyscrapers, highway bridges, and vertical towers. Due to the material, this pile type is costlier. However, this is a nonissue for Texas residences, as most of homes only require concrete piling.

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Not sure what kind of piling to choose? Contact Align Foundation Repair for a free estimate.

Side-By-Side Comparison

Concrete Piles

  • For residential and light commercial buildings
  • Cheaper to install

Steel Piles

  • The strongest pile in the industry
  • Reserved for the heaviest structures, such as skyscrapers and bridges for public roads
  • More expensive installation

Reinforcing Your Foundation

Align Foundation Repair performs both concrete piling and steel piling installations. Contact us if you notice structural damage in your home or place of business. A free inspection will determine the best method for your foundation repair in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Soil types can also dictate which pile material is appropriate.