Understanding Pier and Beam Foundation and How to Repair Them?

Looking for a new home? How are your late-night wind-downs on Zillow going? We are sure you are going to research every nook and cranny of your house, but how often have you spared a thought to the type of foundation you want your house to have? Concrete slab or pier and beam? Pier and beam foundations are widely regarded as one of the most stable but have you considered pier and beam foundation repair?

Types of Foundations in Construction

There are 5 types of foundations that are most prevalent in modern construction.

• Basement Foundation

• Crawlspace Stem walls

• Concrete Slab Foundation

• Wooden Foundation

• Pier and Beam Foundation

In this article, we are going to discuss pier and beam foundations and their repair techniques in detail.

What a Is Pier and Beam Foundation?

Pier and beam foundations are fairly old, peaking before the 1960s. Here, the floor of the home is elevated off the ground by about 18 inches (approx). The elevated floor is then supported by concrete piers.

The piers and beams create a more secure footing for the foundation than others.

Nowadays most homes are built on concrete slab foundations. However, certain areas of Oklahoma still require pier and beam foundations owing to heavy precipitation and occasional flooding.

The crawlspace underneath provides easy access to plumbing and electrical wiring. Additionally, the space also makes room for airflow, making Oklahoman summers more bearable.

How to Fix a Pier and Beam Foundation?

Reshimming

Reshimming refers to the process of pier and beam foundation repair by making regular adjustments to finetune the foundation to take care of minor faults. This process uses shims (small wooden pieces) wedged between the piers and beams to settle and support the foundation. Keep in mind reshimming is considered more of a maintenance job than actual repair work. In our opinion, reshimming your foundation every 3 years is enough to keep it in good shape.

Adding Pier Blocks

In some cases, the piers in the foundation can fall into disrepair and crumble from years of wear. It is important to hire a foundation repair contractor immediately to add more pier stacks to the structure. Repairing/replacing the piers ensures that the floor is evenly supported. You can identify the need for pier blocks by dipping and bowing in your home’s floor.

Other Techniques for pier and foundation repair contractors include replacing wood and adding underpinning to the beams.

Ram Jack for Foundation Repair

Ram Jack is a patented piling system used to permanently secure foundations. Whether you are starting a new construction project or repairing old, existing foundations, we can help you. Call us at 405-787-9229 for more information on our services.