Q. Can helical piles be used on a freestanding deck? How do you brace them for lateral stability?
A. Greg DiBernardo, author of “Helical Pile Deck Foundations” (May/June 2012), responds: There are several ways to brace freestanding helical-pile decks. Diagonal 2×4 cross-bracing can be fastened below the joists, or the helical piles can be cross braced using galvanized steel angle welded to the posts. Most times, though, 6×6 or 4×4 posts are used on top of the piles, so traditional “Y” bracing can be used, too.
Greg DiBernardo owns Bergen Decks and is a partner in Techno Metal Post of Northern New Jersey, in Waldwick, N.J.