About Me

Small Space Design Solutions: Staircases and More

As an advocate of the tiny house movement and a lover of interior design, I love seeing design ideas for small spaces. I especially love the innovative ideas surrounding stairways that are made for small areas – from antique ladders to modern metal spirals, I love them all. Over the years, I have lived in countless tiny, urban flats, and I have decorated them all. In this blog, I hope to share what I have learned over the years. I hope to show you how to maximise your space. Although I plan to focus on staircases, I may include posts that focus on other aspects of designing and decorating small spaces as well, and I hope you enjoy and learn from them all. Cheers!

Small Space Design Solutions: Staircases and More

Three Indispensable Tips for Installing Your Sheet Piles

by Willie Caldwell

If you are looking to build a temporary or permanent retaining wall, consider using sheet piling on your property. These units are designed to create a strong barrier in areas with unstable grounds, such as around excavated sections on a construction site. The sheet piles interlock and establish a wall that holds back soil, creating a safe environment. When installing this retaining feature on your site, choose a piling contractor with the right experience for the project. In addition, consider these simple guidelines to ensure the correct placement of sheet piles.

Inspect the Sheet Piles The condition of your sheet piles will determine their stability and performance after installation. Therefore, you must inspect the units before proceeding with the piling work. It is crucial to work with undamaged and straight sheets. If the features are bent or deformed, they will not interlock correctly after placement. Consequently, the retaining wall will have poor structural integrity and strength. Moreover, it is challenging to drive the sheets into the ground if they are not in perfect form.

Check the Site Soil The type of soil on your site will determine the ease of driving the sheet piles into the ground. Different strategies and techniques will be employed, depending on the soil conditions on your construction site. In general, a geotechnical survey is conducted before most excavation or boring processes. Therefore, you can use the collected information to assess the conditions for your retaining feature. Take special note of obstacles in the ground that might affect the ease of driving in the sheets. Additionally, determine the best depth for placing the piles for optimal stability and performance.

Choose the Equipment The best equipment for driving in the sheets will depend on multiple factors, including the identified ground conditions, the type of piles and even the environment around the construction site. Discuss all the pertinent limiting issues before proceeding with the installation. In most cases, a vibratory hammer is the most effective tool for driving sheet piles into the ground. However, if you are dealing with hard ground conditions or some rocky obstacles exist, you might need to acquire an impact hammer. Choose this tool if you notice limited penetration when using a vibratory hammer. If your construction site does not allow the use of vibratory equipment, consider hydraulics for the driving process. Sheet piles are easy to handle, but improper installation will lead to the construction of an unreliable structure. Therefore, consult a piling contractor through the entire project for an ideal outcome. 

Contact a local piling contractor for more info. 

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