Push Pier Installation

Why this matters

Push piers are the traditional method for foundation underpinning: steel pipes driven into the soil by hydraulic pressure until they reach load-bearing stratum (refusal). They're simpler, often less expensive than helical piers, and work in many residential foundation repair situations. The trade-off: push piers don't provide direct torque correlation to load capacity (refusal is a less precise measure of soil strength), and they have specific failure modes (pipe bend, pipe penetration into the foundation bracket). A foundation contractor who understands both push pier and helical pier methods can choose the right one for each project; one who only knows push piers loses jobs to contractors offering both.

When push piers are the right call

Push piers fit:

• Sites with hard clay or rocky soil (where helical advance is slow)
• Heavier residential loads
• Existing foundations needing support
• Sites where helical piers might struggle
• Cost-sensitive projects (sometimes lower than helical)
• Where the contractor has push pier equipment investment

Helical piers may be preferred:

• Sites with soft soils where push piers might wander
• Sites with high water table
• Where torque verification of capacity is required

Both methods can underpin most residential foundations; engineering judgment determines which.

How push piers work

A push pier is:

1. Steel pipe (typically 2.875 inch or 3.5 inch OD)
2. Multiple sections (each typically 3 to 6 ft long)
3. Coupling sleeves to extend the pipe
4. Foundation bracket attached to the foundation
5. Hydraulic ram between the bracket and the pier head

Installation:

1. Excavate near the foundation to expose
2. Install the foundation bracket on the existing footing
3. Position the first pipe section in the bracket
4. Apply hydraulic pressure to push the pipe down
5. Add extensions as the pipe advances
6. Continue until refusal (resistance indicates load-bearing soil reached)
7. Verify the system is stable
8. Apply lifting force (if lifting the foundation)
9. Lock in position

Refusal is the key indicator: when the pipe stops advancing under maximum hydraulic pressure, it has reached load-bearing soil.

Equipment required

• Excavator
• Push pier sections (per project)
• Hydraulic ram (rated to project's load)
• Hydraulic power pack
• Foundation bracket
• Lifting jacks
• Welder
• Hydraulic pressure gauge

Investment for equipment: a substantial typical.

Procedure

Step 1: Engineering and survey

Same as helical pier procedure; verify scope and pier locations.

Step 2: Excavation

• Excavate pit at each pier location
• Smaller pits than helical typically (less excavation depth needed)
• Standard 24 inches wide x 24 to 36 inches deep

Step 3: Install foundation bracket

• Bracket attaches to the existing footing
• Verify the footing is sound (older footings may need supplemental work)
• Secure bracket per manufacturer

Step 4: Position first pier section

• Place lead pipe section in the bracket
• Hydraulic ram positioned to push the pipe down
• Hydraulic pressure begins

Step 5: Drive pier to refusal

• Apply hydraulic pressure
• Pipe advances into the soil
• Add extension sections as needed
• Continue until refusal (typically 5,000 to 10,000 psi or specific pressure per manufacturer)
• Refusal indicates load-bearing soil

Step 6: Verify stability

• Once refusal is reached, hold pressure briefly
• Verify the pier doesn't sink under sustained load
• Cut the pipe to length

Step 7: Lift (if lifting the foundation)

Same procedure as helical pier:

• Position hydraulic jacks
• Apply lifting force
• Lift to target elevation
• Coordinate multiple piers for stability

Step 8: Lock in position

• Secure the bracket
• Backfill
• Restore landscape

Step 9: Document

• Refusal pressure per pier
• Pier depths
• Lift elevations
• Pier locations

Push pier characteristics

Advantages

• Often less expensive than helical
• Faster installation in some soils
• Well-established method
• Long history of residential use

Limitations

• No direct torque correlation (refusal is less precise than helical torque)
• Pipe can wander off vertical (especially in soft soil)
• May need test piers to verify capacity
• Less reliable load verification
• More dependent on operator experience

Push pier vs helical pier decision

Most residential projects can use either method. The right choice depends on the soil report, the engineer's preference, and the contractor's equipment / experience.

Common push pier issues

Pier wandering

The pipe deflects off vertical during installation:

• Soft soil
• Obstruction (rock)
• Stop and re-evaluate
• Sometimes the pier is abandoned and another installed nearby

Refusal not reached

Pipe continues advancing without resistance:

• Soft soil deeper than expected
• May need to advance further (more pipe sections)
• May indicate the pier won't provide adequate capacity

Bracket inadequate

• Foundation footing too weak to support bracket
• Need to add structural support to the footing
• Significant additional work

Foundation crack during lift

• Same risk as helical pier lift
• Reduce lift rate
• Sometimes pause to let foundation re-stabilize

Customer expectations

Set expectations:

• "Push piers are driven into the soil; we measure pressure to verify capacity"
• "Refusal pressure isn't as precise as torque on helical; we use engineering judgment plus test piers when needed"
• "Process is similar to helical: install pier, then optionally lift"

Brands and manufacturers

Major push pier brands:

• Magnum Piering
• Earth Contact Products (ECP)
• Foundation Supportworks
• AB Chance
• Ram Jack
• Stronghold

Some manufacturers offer both push and helical pier products.

References

• ICC AC358 (Helical Foundations and Devices; also references push pier).
• IBC Section 1810 (Deep Foundations).
• ASCE 7 (Loads on Structures).
• Manufacturer literature: Magnum Piering, ECP, Foundation Supportworks, Ram Jack, AB Chance, Stronghold.
• Manuall internal: Foundation Repair Helical Pier Installation, Universal Building Codes Hierarchy.