What Are
Helical
Piles?
Helical piles — also called helix screw piles, helical screw piles, or helical piling — are engineered steel foundations that thread into the ground like a precision screw. No concrete. No curing time. Ready to build on immediately.
Helical Piles
Explained
A helical pile is a deep foundation element made from a steel shaft with one or more helical-shaped bearing plates (the "helix") welded along its length. During installation by a certified contractor, a hydraulic torque head rotates the pile into the soil — no excavation, no concrete, no waiting.
Helical piling is the process of using these piles to support structures, ranging from residential decks and homes to heavy industrial equipment and pipeline infrastructure. Because the helices thread through soil rather than displacing it, helical piles deliver high load capacity with minimal disturbance to the surrounding ground.
You may hear several names used interchangeably: helix screw piles, helical screw piles, helical piles, or simply screw piles. They all refer to the same proven technology. At Inland Screw Piling, we engineer and manufacture our own True Pitch™ helix screw piles — built in Coaldale, AB, and distributed to certified contractors across Canada.
Know Your Terms
- Helical PileA steel shaft with helical bearing plates, used individually or in groups as a deep foundation element.
- Helical PilingThe system or process of using helical piles as a foundation solution. Often refers to the method: "helical piling was specified over concrete."
- Helix Screw Pile(s)Common industry term emphasizing the screw-like helix design. Interchangeable with "helical pile."
- Helical Screw Pile(s)The full formal name — common in engineering specs and project documentation.
- Screw Pile / Screw PilingThe most widely used shorthand in Alberta and Western Canada. Same product, shorter name.
How Helical Piling Works
A certified contractor installs True Pitch™ helix screw piles using a hydraulic torque head. Most residential projects are complete in a single day — no concrete, no mess.
Engineering & Specification
Load requirements, soil conditions, and frost depth are assessed. The right helical pile diameter, helix configuration, and depth are specified for the project.
Pile Positioning
True Pitch™ helical screw piles are positioned at engineered locations per the foundation layout plan — precisely where load transfer is required.
Rotation Into Soil
A hydraulic torque head rotates each helix screw pile into the ground. Installation torque is continuously monitored to verify load capacity is reached.
Ready to Build
Unlike concrete, helical piles reach full load-bearing capacity the moment they're set. Construction can begin the same day — no waiting, no weather delays.
THE ADVANTAGES OF
HELICAL PILING
Helix screw piles outperform traditional concrete piers in speed, cost, and versatility — especially in Alberta's variable soils and climate conditions.
Immediate Load Capacity
Helical piles reach full structural capacity the instant they're driven to spec. No waiting on concrete to cure — your project moves the same day.
All-Season Solution
Helical piling works year-round — including frozen Alberta ground conditions that stop concrete work entirely. No seasonal downtime.
Minimal Disturbance
No excavation, no concrete trucks, no spoil removal. Helix screw piles are rotated into position with compact equipment — your site stays clean.
Verifiable Load Capacity
Installation torque provides a real-time, field-verified record of actual capacity — something concrete simply can't offer. Every pile is documented.
Removable & Reusable
Unlike poured concrete, helical screw piles can be removed if your project needs change. No permanent environmental footprint — ideal for temporary structures.
Certified Quality
True Pitch™ helix screw piles are produced under CWB-certified welding, G-CERT ISO 9001:2015, and backed by a comprehensive product warranty.
HELICAL PILE
APPLICATIONS
True Pitch™ helix screw piles are engineered for virtually any load and any soil type. Here's where helical piling delivers the biggest impact.
Residential
- New home foundations
- Decks & patios
- Additions & extensions
- Garage foundations
- Sunrooms & enclosed porches
- Foundation repair & underpinning
Commercial
- Commercial & warehouse buildings
- Boardwalks & walkways
- Retaining walls
- Transmission & power structures
- Solar panel arrays
- Canopy & shade structures
Industrial & Agricultural
- Oil & gas infrastructure
- Pipeline supports & anchors
- Grain bins & storage facilities
- Equipment pads & skids
- Temporary & modular structures
- Remote & access-limited sites
NOT ALL
HELIX SCREW PILES
ARE EQUAL
Most helical pile suppliers source product from third parties. Inland Screw Piling engineers and manufactures our own True Pitch™ helix screw piles in-house at our Coaldale, AB facility — giving contractors full control over quality, tolerances, and lead times.
The True Pitch™ design features a genuine helical geometry (a true helix, not a welded-plate approximation), which means each pile threads through soil cleanly, advances at a consistent depth per revolution, and delivers predictable, verifiable load capacity for every project.
- True helix geometry — consistent pitch from tip to top
- CWB-certified welding on every joint
- G-CERT ISO 9001:2015 quality management
- ISNetworld & COR/AASP certified product line
- Engineered and manufactured by the same team
- Available to certified contractors across Canada
Helical Piles Across
Western Canada
Inland Screw Piling manufactures its own helical piles — we are not a reseller and not a franchise. That matters when a project needs a pile specified for its actual soil and load rather than pulled off a catalogue.
Every True Pitch™ pile is engineered, fabricated and quality-controlled in our own facility in Coaldale, Alberta, with over 10 acres of lay-down area and more than 15,000 sq ft of interior fabrication space — enough to process over 180,000 lbs of piling material in a single eight-hour shift. Large pile counts don't have to be staged over months.
We install directly across Alberta, from the Calgary corridor and the south, through Red Deer, up to Edmonton and Alberta's Industrial Heartland. For projects further afield in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, we supply piles and connect the project with a vetted installation partner who meets our standards.
Built for Western Canadian ground
Prairie clay, backfill over previously worked ground, a high water table, and a frost season that stops concrete work outright — a helical pile handles all of it. The pile bypasses weak surface material and anchors into competent soil below, and installation carries on through conditions that would shut a pour down.
Capacity isn't assumed afterwards — it's confirmed as each pile goes in. Installation torque is measured continuously and correlates directly to bearing capacity, giving real-time verification on site and a documented record for the structural engineer.
Service Across the West
- Southern AlbertaLethbridge, Coaldale, Medicine Hat and the Calgary corridor — our home ground, and where our manufacturing facility sits.
- Central AlbertaRed Deer and the corridor north, serviced directly by our own installation crews.
- Edmonton & Industrial HeartlandEdmonton, Nisku, Leduc, Beaumont, Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan and Acheson — industrial, commercial and energy projects.
- BC, Saskatchewan & ManitobaPile supply plus a vetted installation partner network for projects outside Alberta.
- Certified ContractorsTrue Pitch™ piles are available to certified contractors and distributors across Canada.
HELICAL PILE FAQ
Everything you need to know about helical piling and helix screw pile products before your project begins.
"Screw pile," "helical pile," "helix screw pile," and "helical screw pile" all refer to the same deep foundation product — a steel shaft with helical bearing plates, rotated into the ground by a certified contractor. The terminology varies by region and industry. In Alberta and Western Canada, "screw pile" is most common in everyday use, while engineering documents typically use "helical pile" or "helical screw pile."
Depth depends on soil conditions, frost depth, and the loads being supported. In Alberta, helical piles are typically driven below the frost line — usually 6 to 10 feet or more — to prevent frost heave. A certified contractor determines final depth by monitoring installation torque, which corresponds directly to the pile's load capacity. Depth adjusts to actual field conditions automatically.
Helical piling works across a wide range of soil types — clay, sand, gravel, silts, and mixed soils common across Alberta and Western Canada. Very rocky or extremely dense soils may require pilot holes or alternative configurations, but in most Prairie conditions, helix screw piles advance without issue. Soil conditions inform pile diameter and helix configuration selection.
Most residential helical piling projects — a deck, home addition, or garage foundation — are completed by a certified contractor in a single day. Larger commercial or industrial projects may take several days depending on pile count and site access. Compare this to concrete, which requires excavation, forming, pouring, and weeks of curing before any construction can proceed.
Yes — this is one of the biggest advantages of helical piling in Alberta. Helix screw piles can be driven year-round, including frozen ground conditions that completely halt concrete foundation work. There's no need to thaw the ground or wait for spring. If your project schedule can't afford seasonal delays, helical piles are the right specification.
Yes. Helical piles are a code-compliant foundation solution under the National Building Code of Canada when properly engineered and installed by a certified contractor. True Pitch™ helix screw piles include full engineering documentation, certification records, and torque logs — everything a contractor needs to support a building permit application.
Yes. We install directly across Alberta with our own crews — from the Calgary corridor through Red Deer to Edmonton and the Industrial Heartland. For projects in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, we supply True Pitch™ piles and connect the project with a vetted installation partner who meets our standards. True Pitch™ product is available to certified contractors and distributors across Canada.
True Pitch™ helical screw piles are manufactured by Inland Screw Piling in Coaldale, AB, and are available to certified contractors and distributors across Canada. If you're a contractor looking to source product or become a certified Inland installer, contact our team to discuss your project needs and supply requirements.