Are you looking to keep your patio or garage build on a solid foundation? Hence, there are two choices screw piles or sonotubes. When it comes to price and safety, people surely go for screw piles. These are used in different kinds of projects and can adjust well in any soil type. But they are still used for structures that are lightly loaded. But for those who want to install tall columns which are twenty-foot high can go for sonotube. The modern-day construction is all about speed and quality. Hence, builders are switching to screw piers from the old boring concrete pier or sonotube.
To understand how both are different, let us look at the below points:
- There is no excavation needed in screw piles whereas in sonotube it is a must.
- It is found that while using piles, there is no or less damage to property. On the other hand, in sonotube, the property becomes messy. There are lumps of concrete after the completion of the work. Even you can find piles of leftover soil.
- Sonotubes are made cardboard tubes whereas screw piles are made from galvanized steel.
- To install sonotube, a large team of workers is required. This whole process also causes a lot of noise. In screw piles, compared to sonotubes, less equipment is required. Hence, you do not need many workers. Also, it results in less noise and damage.
- Sonotube is done by anyone as there is no certification required in this. For screw piles, an expert and certified Pro post Foundation installer are needed.
- After the screw piles are installed, you can immediately begin the work of constructing the structure. This is not so in the case of Sonotube as here concrete needs time to get settled. Hence, your project may delay.
- Screw piles are installed in any kind of weather whereas Sonotube is installed either in frost-free or dry weather.
- For eco-friendly products, you must go with screw piles as they can be reused. But in sonotube, this is not possible. Also, they are hard to move in comparison to screw piles.
- There is no guarantee offered in Sonotube whereas screw piles come with a guarantee. Also, screw piles services for installation come with a guarantee.
- There is no precise leveling done in the case of sonotube as compared to screw piles.
- You can do the installation of the screw piles along with the existing structure. This is not possible in the case of Sonotube as you will have to finish the construction first.
- Screw piles are suitable for any kind of soil like clays, sand, black soils and fill which is not so in the case of Sonotube.
- Compare to sonotube, screw piles are highly durable.
- Sonotube can get damaged with time and so it is not the right choice for the long term. On the other hand, screw piles do not get distorted soon.
