Piers vs. Soil Stabilization: What’s Better for Clay Soil?

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When you’re dealing with expansive clay soil, something has to give, but hopefully it’s not the soil! Even with the complex nature of clay soil, there’s a solution for any construction project. These solutions include piers, a common choice for residential and commercial structures, or you can invest in​ ​soil stabilization​. There are benefits for both. The right solution for you will be determined by the soil itself and your project’s timeframe, budget and style.

The foundation of your home or shopping center is only as strong as the soil underneath. Here in North Texas, the clay soil tends to expand when wet, and as you know, we get a lot of rainfall here. As the soil expands, it can lead to serious property damage. As such, most construction companies choose to spend more time, money and resources on the foundation. They include piers and excessive concrete — adding time and money to the project. But we have another solution.

Challenges of Expansive Clay Soil

In North Texas, we endure expansive clay soil. The soil is a compressible material, meaning it shifts when soaking up moisture and by weight overhead. Therefore, the soil is your main concern when designing or constructing a new structure.

When the soil is not treated, the foundation overhead will have less support and become more vulnerable. The foundation itself will crack, the floors will become uneven and the supporting walls will begin to warp.

Soil Stabilization Over Piers

There are a few soil stabilization techniques available these days. Here at Earthlok, we use a non-hazardous, sulfuric acid-based liquid soil stabilizer. This solution is injected directly into the clay soil underneath an existing foundation or into the planned area for construction sites.

The stabilizer injection reaches up to 15 feet, depending on what you need for your project. It turns the normally-expansive clay soil commonly found in North Texas into firm soil by reducing water content levels and preventing moisture expansion.

Here at Earthlok, we’re committed to helping your construction project go off without a hitch. For professional soil stabilization services in North Texas, give us a call at 972-923-9698!