Deck Design Decisions
So, you’re building a deck. You will have several important decisions to make about its design, materials, and structural support. You will want a deck that lasts and can withstand the harsh Ontario weather. Decks carry heavy loads and require strong foundations or support structures. In Ontario, Sonotubes and Helical Piles are most commonly used. This might be the first thing you need to decide, so what are the pros and cons of Sonotubes VS Helical Piles?
Deck Design Decisions
So, you’re building a deck. You will have several important decisions to make about its design, materials, and structural support. You will want a deck that lasts and can withstand the harsh Ontario weather. Decks carry heavy loads and require strong foundations or support structures. In Ontario, Sonotubes and Helical Piles are most commonly used. This might be the first thing you need to decide, so what are the pros and cons of Sonotubes VS Helical Piles?
Sonotubes
Sonotubes are cardboard cylinders or tubes that become biodegradable concrete forms. They make it easy to pour cylindrical columns and their footings simultaneously. They help to keep concrete columns free from debris and soil contamination. Sonotubes have been in use for close to a century. To use them for decks, a hole must be excavated wider than the Sonotube and below the frost line usually 4’ or more. The sonotube is placed in the hole carefully so as not to cave it in. Concrete is the poured inside the sonotube. Depending on its width, rebar can be added to the wet concrete. A metal mounting bracket is placed on top in the wet concrete that will later fasten to the wood posts that support the deck. The above ground exposed cardboard can be cut away from the column once the concrete is dry to leave a nice finished concrete support column.
Inherent Drawbacks
Using sonotubes comes with a few inherent drawbacks. First and foremost, it requires a lot of manual labour and is time consuming. Before you can build you need to wait for the concrete to dry or set. And before the concrete columns are strong enough for full loads the concrete must cure. That means when you pour the concrete temperatures need to be above freezing and stay that way for weeks after you pour. Also, to excavate a hole large enough for the sonotubes you will need an auger and a machine large enough to use it or a backhoe to prepare the area. In addition, when everything is done, you will need machinery to backfill and level the ground around the new concrete columns.
One positive aspect of using sonotubes is that they are not complicated and user friendly. You don’t need any specialized equipment to install them. Typically, homeowners and weekend warriors alike can place them. Also, Once installed they will last a long time, but they’re not easily removed.
Helical Piles
Helical piles are also called screw piles, or helical anchors. They have been used in construction since the early 1800’s, but lately they have become more popular for residential applications like decks and small structures. Before they became popular in this way they were (and still are) used heavily in commercial infrastructure like road and bridge construction.
Relatively smaller helical piles have become useful to residential construction projects because their easy installation, low impact on the ground or site, and their ability to carry a lot of weight. Mini excavators or skid steers with hydraulic rotary attachments are used to insert the piles. This means easy access to back yards and minimal damage to the lawns they drive across.
Unfortunately, only certified operators can install helical piles. Homeowners or general contractors won’t be able to install them on their own. Because each pile comes with an engineering report on its torque and load ability some training is involved to install helical piles properly. The good part of that is, they come with a manufacturers guarantee that it can support what it says it can and it won’t move or shift.
Like concrete columns, (galvanized) helical piles last for decades, if not, centuries. However, unlike concrete columns they are easily removed and reused.
Sonotubes V.S. Helical Piles
B.R.A.G. Contracting believes that in most situations helical piles have an advantage over traditional concrete columns. They are weather resistant, do not require excavation, are quick and easy to place, you can build on them right away, and they can hold a tremendous amount of weight.
Comparatively, sonotubes are just a lot more work. Because you have to wait to build on them, it takes longer to complete a project using them. They do however, cost a bit less.
Talk to Brandon Glass / Owner Operator of B.R.A.G. Contracting Inc. and decide together what support structure is best for your new deck.