Timber Piling Contractor
What are timber piles? Timber piles are essentially treated telephone poles designed for below-ground applications. These piles are chemically treated with additional ground-contact preservatives to enhance durability. First used in the 1940s for wooden dock construction, timber piles have long supported structures such as wooden docks and boat lifts that line Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway.
In the 1950s, timber piles began being used to elevate homes, providing a cost-effective solution to meet FEMA flood zone regulations. This practice remains common today. By the 1960s, timber piles became a viable option for deep foundation systems in light commercial and residential construction, particularly in areas with weak soil conditions. Timber piles are still favored by some engineers for certain foundation projects in Florida.
However, the primary challenge with timber piles is the method of installation. Both vibratory and impact methods can cause vibration damage to nearby structures, particularly when driven through soils with blow counts greater than 15-20 at 5-foot thick or thicker clay layers, or in close proximity to other structures.
At Foundation Masters, we only install timber piles when site conditions are ideal. This means no neighboring structures within 100 feet, no shell or loose foundation structures nearby, and soil profiles that allow timber pile installation without creating unnecessary vibration risk.
If you find yourself needing to install timber piles in challenging conditions, Foundation Masters can help minimize the risk of vibration damage with services such as structural surveys of neighboring structures and vibration monitoring during pile installation.
That said, we always ask: why go through the added expense, risk of litigation, and potential headaches? Foundation Masters offers the FM PP30 pipe pile system, which comes with a lifetime warranty.
Timber Piling Cost
Timber pilings used in new construction typically run $650.00 or more per pile depending on timber pile size. Some contractors may provide lower bids while leaving out critical portions of the finished piling system.
Timber Pilings
- Timber pilings exposed to oxygen can rot, soften, deteriorate, and become vulnerable to wood-destroying insects and organisms.
- The installation of timber pilings is known to cause construction vibration damage to neighboring structures, resulting in expensive litigation.
- Timber pilings can allow future settlement and typically do not come with long-term transferable warranties.
Steel Pilings
- Steel pilings are commonly driven to competent limestone bearing layers for long-term structural support.
- The installation methods used by Foundation Masters are designed to minimize construction vibration damage to neighboring structures.
- Steel piling systems can include lifetime transferable warranties, improving long-term property value and protection.
Timber Piling Repair
To install a timber piling, contractors may use drop hammers, impact hammers, hydraulic hammers, pneumatic hammers, diesel hammers, or vibratory hammers. These installation methods can potentially cause construction vibration damage to nearby structures.
This can place homeowners, contractors, and engineers at risk of structural damage claims or litigation. Foundation Masters specializes in construction vibration damage investigations and regularly handles these types of cases throughout Florida.
If you are planning a timber piling project, contractors should document neighboring structures thoroughly and install vibration monitoring equipment during construction.
Foundation Masters can perform:
- Pre-construction structural surveys
- Construction vibration monitoring
- Crack documentation reports
- Construction vibration investigations
- Alternative piling system evaluations
- Deep foundation engineering reviews
Our vibration monitoring systems help protect property owners, contractors, and developers from potential damage claims associated with aggressive construction or demolition operations.
Alternative Deep Foundation Systems
Depending on site conditions, Foundation Masters may recommend alternative deep foundation systems such as:
Schedule a Timber Piling Evaluation
If you are considering timber piles, steel piles, or alternative deep foundation systems for new construction or foundation repair, Foundation Masters can evaluate the project and help determine the safest and most cost-effective solution.
Call 656-233-7089 or email [email protected] to schedule a construction site evaluation.