Step-by-step guide on how to make screw piles yourself

For your upcoming building project, are you thinking about laying a strong foundation? Particularly in regions with difficult soil conditions, screw piles provide an economical and effective way to build stable foundations. Making your own screw piles will allow you to save money and tailor them to your particular project requirements.

Screw piles, sometimes referred to as helical piles, are made of steel shafts with helical flights that are driven into the earth by torque-generating equipment. They function by moving the weight of a structure through the earth to layers of rock or deeper, more stable soil. This technique is especially useful in places where high water tables or inadequate load-bearing capacity of the soil make conventional concrete foundations impracticable.

Understanding the fundamental parts of a screw pile is essential before beginning construction. A screw pile typically consists of a shaft, helical plate, and frequently a cap or bracket for fastening structures. The intended load and the soil conditions at the project site will determine the size and arrangement of these components.

You will need to gather the required supplies and tools before you can start creating your own screw piles. This includes torque machinery or hand tools for installation, steel shafts, helical plates, welding equipment (if fabricating plates), and safety gear like goggles and gloves. In order to ensure the integrity and safety of your foundation, it is imperative that all materials adhere to applicable construction standards.

There are several important steps in the construction process. Initially, ascertain the screw piles’ diameter and length by consulting the engineering specifications relevant to your project. Next, ensure a stable and consistent connection by welding or using another appropriate method to join the helical plates to the shafts. After assembly, twist the screw piles into the ground to the desired depth using torque equipment or hand tools, making sure to periodically check alignment and verticality.

Make sure each screw pile reaches the necessary torque as you install it to guarantee adequate bearing capacity. To support beams or other structural components, the tops of the screw piles can be bracketed or capped after installation. Lastly, to ensure that your DIY screw pile foundations are stable and capable of supporting loads, carry out comprehensive inspections and load tests as necessary.

You can build dependable screw pile foundations that meet the needs of your construction project by following this step-by-step guide. A cost-effective and adaptable way to achieve sturdy, long-lasting support is with DIY screw piles, whether you’re building a new deck, a foundation for a tiny building, or stabilizing an existing foundation.

Would you like to lay a solid foundation for your project? Making screw piles yourself is made easier with our step-by-step tutorial, which is ideal for do-it-yourselfers and small-scale building projects. Follow along as we thoroughly explain each step, from the supplies required to the useful advice, so you can create dependable screw piles that are customized to your unique requirements with confidence.

Support design

The steel pipe that serves as the support for the designated type has a spiral blade and a sharp tip on one end. Because of this design, you can install the pile without using any specialized equipment to drive it into the ground.

Structural elements

The following components make up the screw support:

1. Barrel – a steel profile with a round cross-section.
2. Tip – the lower part of the pile body, which, due to its pointed shape, more easily overcomes soil resistance.
3. Blade – a spiral fragment, the configuration of which is determined at the design stage.

The metal rod is screwed into the ground because there is a screw fragment there. Concurrently, the soil undergoes additional compaction, thereby augmenting its ability to support loads. The spiral blades will stop the forces pushing the support outward in the future.

What are the differences between homemade products and factory ones??

Regulatory documents govern the screw pile manufacturing process. GOST 8732, in particular, lays out the specifications for the steel quality needed for these supports.

Products that are factory standard differ in terms of size, configuration, and functionality.

Due to their potential lack of strength and dependability, homemade piles may cause the blades to deform or come off during installation.

The necessary load-bearing capacity is not provided by pipes made of weak steel, and a poor waterproofing coating will eventually cause corrosion processes to prematurely destroy the metal.

Instructions for self-production

A master’s skills and experience are necessary to create a pile. By using the technology, you can provide trustworthy assistance for:

• lightweight and low-rise buildings,
• fencing,
• garage and various outbuildings.

The following supplies and equipment will be required by the master for this:

1. Metal pipes.
2. Steel plates from 4 mm thick.
3. Welding machine.
4. Bulgarian.
5. Coating material for waterproofing.

Selecting rolled metal for the barrel

Profile pipes made of sturdy steel grades are selected for the trunk. You can use rolled metal grades 09G2S, St20, or St10 for work.

The type of soil will determine how long the pipe needs to be; it should be long enough to allow the pile to be screwed into the ground up to hard rocks.

Design parameters: the support’s load-bearing capacity is determined by the trunk’s length and wall thickness. Select pipes that have a 3.5 mm thickness.

Suggestions regarding section diameter selection:

• 57 mm – for lightweight structures, for example, fences made of metal mesh;
• 89 mm – for light utility buildings;
• 108 mm – for low-rise residential buildings made of wood, foam concrete, brick.

Making the tip

Three technologies can be used at home to create tips. For screwing piles into heavy soil, the pipe body’s welded peaks and tips work well. In peat and sandy areas, cross-shaped tips are used for construction.

You must first take a workpiece that is two section diameters longer than the chosen value in order to create a tip from the pipe body. The enlarged section will be used to create the cone itself.

Stages of technology:

1. Creating a cardboard template. An isosceles triangle is cut out with a height equal to 2D, the short side is πD/n, where D is the diameter of the trunk, n is the number of petals (for piles Ø108 mm take 5 leaves, for pipes of smaller diameter – 4 petals).
2. Marking the pipe using a template.
3. Petal cutting.
4. Bend petals into a cone. At this stage, it is checked that the top of the cone coincides with the axis of the pipe.
5. Welding the petals to each other using a welding machine.

Using the same technology, the welded tip is removed from a steel sheet or a piece of pipe rather than the pile’s body. The double welding seam holds the workpiece’s petals together. The peak and trunk are then fused together.

Compared to earlier types, the cross-shaped tip is different in height and form. An isosceles triangle with a height equal to πD will serve as the template. It is assumed that the pipe’s outer diameter and the base of the triangle are of equal size. Pieces of structural material are fused together.

Making a screw

Thick sheet steel with a 4 mm thickness is used to create the spiral element. The blade pitch typically ranges from 5 to 7 cm.

There are two screw manufacturing technologies utilized at home:

1. Solid single-thread element – the workpiece is cut out from one sheet of steel, cut out, and then spread with a crowbar to the required configuration.
2. Multi-start screw from several elements – cutting out individual segments with subsequent welding to the peak.

The first option is characterized by precise geometry and structural rigidity, but it prevents the blade from turning more than once. In the second scenario, a twisted screw can be put together, but it is challenging to explain how the spiral is configured.

Steps in technology involved in making a single-thread screw:

• marking a workpiece with an outer diameter of 150–300 mm (depending on the load on the pile) and an inner diameter equal to the cross-section of the pillar;
• cutting out the part using a plasma cutter or welding, taking into account the width of the seam;
• cutting a part along a radius;
• spreading the blade to the required pitch – clamp a solid section of the workpiece in a vice and use a crowbar to spread the edges of the blade.

Multi-start technology for manufacturing screws:

• manufacturing the workpiece according to the principle described earlier;
• the finished ring is cut into two identical fragments;
• applying screw markings on the peak;
• alternate welding of fragments according to the markings to the required number of turns – in the process, prefabricated elements are bent to the desired shape.

Because of its consistent cross-section, the pipe body makes it simpler to weld the blades to it. As the tip tapers toward the end, the internal diameter of the tip blank decreases. Using dense sheet material as a template, it is preferable to modify the workpiece on site in order to manufacture an element with the required configuration.

Final processing

A metal pile’s wall thickness will corrode and lose at least 0.01 mm after a year of use. The pile is coated with a unique, moisture-resistant material to shield the foundation from damaging elements.

The following coating materials can be used as waterproofing at home:

• polyurethane enamel;
• bitumen-based mastic;
• asmol primer and others.

Two-component epoxy resin-based paint and varnish compositions are a less expensive option, but they have a far shorter service life.

Is it worth doing it yourself??

Although it is possible to create screw piles by hand, experts advise considering the following factors despite the technology’s ease of use:

1. You can only make piles of small diameter on your own, because it is very difficult to select the source material for massive elements and assemble them into a single structure with high quality.
2. Errors in choosing the diameter, pitch and bending angle of the screw part can increase the torque of the support, complicating installation.
3. Making piles with your own hands is a labor-intensive process that takes a lot of time and effort.
4. Coating materials for waterproofing are much inferior in quality to the hot-dip galvanizing method, which is only possible in a factory environment.

Taking everything into consideration, you should only do this kind of work if you can afford to buy rolled metal that meets the necessary quality standards and if you have the tools necessary to complete the task.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that, unlike piles constructed at home, factory products are guaranteed to meet the specified technical specifications.

This section contains all of the most crucial and practical information regarding the pile-screw foundation.

Video on the topic of the article

The following video shows how to create a screw pile:

Creating screw piles by hand can be a satisfying and economical way to provide foundation support for a variety of building projects. You can build strong, dependable screw piles that provide stability and longevity over time by using a methodical approach.

First, assemble all required supplies and equipment, such as the screw piles themselves, an appropriate drill or auger, and concrete if required. Make sure your tools are in working order so you can complete the task efficiently.

After that, clear the space and mark the locations of each screw pile installation to prepare the site. Ascertain the right spacing and alignment for the best possible structural support when measuring and planning in accordance with the particular needs of your project.

Be sure to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations for torque and depth when drilling or screwing in the piles. By doing this, you can be sure that every pile is firmly anchored into the earth, giving your building project a strong foundation.

To ensure consistency and stability throughout the foundation, check the vertical alignment of each screw pile after installation. This action is essential to maintaining the integrity of your building’s base and averting further structural problems.

Lastly, make sure the screw piles satisfy performance and safety requirements by testing and inspecting them. If required, perform load tests to verify that they can sustain the intended weight and stress levels of your structure.

By following these instructions, you can make screw piles on your own and save money while gaining invaluable practical foundation construction experience. For a cost-effective and long-lasting solution, DIY screw piles are ideal for both small-scale home remodeling and larger construction projects.

Video on the topic

Do-it-yourself screw piles from start to finish.

How to tighten a self-tapping pile with your own hands

How to make screw piles with your own hands