DIY

Ground screws are an alternative to a standard concrete foundation, requiring less time and effort as you just screw the screw into the ground and are ready to load immediately. This saves you time, as you normally have to dig into the ground to lay concrete and wait for it to dry. Read more about load capacity and how far down the screw should go for smaller DIY projects in the installation instructions here.

Ground screws are often cheaper than traditional concrete. There are several factors that come into play, such as the bearing capacity of the soil, the strength of the material and the size of the project. However, it saves a lot of time and CO2, as with concrete foundations you have to dig and haul away expensive soil, mix, pour and wait for the concrete to be ready. With ground screws you can save up to 85% on CO2 and simply install the screw and it’s ready to load right away.

A ground screw typically needs to be installed over 40 cm into the ground, depending on the type of soil you have. The screws must go into the sustainable soil layer. The best soil for ground screws is clay, sand and gravel. We do not recommend founding our screws in soil and peat due to poor bearing capacity. Learn more by reading our installation guide here.

Depending on the type of soil you’re founding in, a ground screw installed 70 cm into the ground can typically support 4.5 kN, which is equivalent to 450 kg. per screw at optimal conditions. You can learn more about the load-bearing capacity at different depths and the type of soil you have in our installation guide.

You can install our ground screws yourself. Installing the screws are easy as you can use our hand tools: Manual Hand Tool, Gearbox 1:20 and Makita Impact Wrench. You can check out our installation guide, which includes a guide to various tools, how to install the screws and how far into the ground the screws should go.

You can easily install the screws into the ground using our Manual Hand Tool, Gearbox 1:20 or Makita Impact Wrench. With our manual tool, you need to:

1. Mark the spot and drill by tapping the spear into the ground. (If the soil is very dry, you can pour some water into the hole.)
2. Screw the screw by hand until the tip of the screw is in the ground.
3. Screw the screw into the ground with tools until the desired depth is reached. Remember the spirit level.
4. If you are using an extendable screw, remember to attach the extension before screwing the screw further into the ground.

See the guide here for pictures and how to install the screws with a Gearbox (link).

When building on a screw foundation, it’s important that the screws are placed where the loads are. For example, under the joists of a terrace or at every fence post and gazebo. Take a closer look at our ground screw guide.

Screw foundations are a great sustainable alternative to concrete. With screw foundations, you save time, CO2, money and digging/towing work.

The ground screw must be screwed into untouched soil. This means that once you have screwed the screw into the ground at an angle, the screw must be taken out and put in a new place. This is important as the ground screw must be able to compress the soil in the best possible way so that it stands firm.