Pylex Adjustable Helical Post 50” Long No Dig Ground Anchor, 4”x4” Post for Patio, Shed or Deck, No Concrete - Black Steel

Building a 750 sq ft deck addition in to an existing 12x12 deck that is ground level. Given that I wanted the new deck level with existing deck, the design warranted the use of 4x6 beams, with 2x6 floor joists. Given the smaller-than-normal beam and joist sizes, I had to make the beams closer together, requiring more beams, as well as making the post spacing closer. So overall I had more footers than I normally would have had, had I used larger lumber. That said, I had 35 footers I needed for this deck to stay code-compliant. I dug 16” footers for four of them (to support a pavilion that would be over part of the deck), leaving me 31 left to dig. Those four sucked balls, from digging, to hauling concrete, to pouring. I researched alternative ways, a lo and behold, I found these piles. Was skeptical at first, but since they’re rated for 3500lbs in clay (as much as a 10” concrete form), I pulled the trigger, and so glad I did. Took me about 20 minutes per pile to get in the ground, and it was as simple as the video on their website shows - simply walking in a circle with a 4x4 in the channel. I ran in to a rock here and there, but the pile actually stayed course for the most part (no alignment issues at all). I have the deck fully laid and is as solid as solid could be. Couldn’t be more happy. No brainer for anyone with clay soil. Not so sure about rocky soil though.

I bought these to build a foundation for a treehouse. I installed 4 of them all near trees and roots. I had no issues getting these to cut through the roots in the ground. My recommendation however is have a friend help you out because it can get tiring doing four in a row. I’d buy them again.

Interesting these needed to be screwed into place. We did the job. Would never order them again, there are better alternatives at Home Depot and Lowe’s and much cheaper.

Would recommend that you just stick to concrete. I didn't want to go through all of the concrete work and post hole digging having done a retaining wall a few years ago. I thought these would be easier and a decent substitute based on what I read for reviews online. Boy was I wrong. I wasted as much time removing these, digging down to remove rocks larger than 4" so the piles could pass. I bought the extensions and those rattle and are missing setscrews. I wasted as much time as I was afraid of spending on digging holes and doing the sonotube route. Just suck it up and do the concrete. Do not make the same mistake as I did. I'm in the Northeast so maybe you would have better luck in a flat, loamy or sandy area, but do not recommend otherwise. I am going to go through the trouble of copy/pasting this same review on the other seven piles I purchased for my 10x14' shed. Hopefully gravity and the fact that I got below the frostline will keep the shed from moving.

Absolutely amazing. Easy to put in and holding my cabin perfectly level as I've built it over the past few months through lots of rain, etc. Likely going to add one me more so porch doesn't sag over time.

Solved a problem for me, as it only had to hold up a small corner of a deck, that I didn't want to dig and pour concrete for. Not sure if I'd use it for more than that.

Installation went easily through the clay mixed with small stones, and had no settling.

Complete garbage people, DO NOT BUY! Went into the ground about 30" and hit a small rock and wouldn't go any further. Instructions/video say to tap it with a sledge hammer, nothing, slammed it with a sledge, nothing, wouldn't drill any further. Went to take this garbage out and it wouldn't back out, had to dig around 30" in soft, really soft clay to find the small rock holding this thing back from drilling. Then I was thinking as this drills into the soil it's loosening the soil in a 6" radius but there's a 1 1/2" tube, which causes extreme wobble which would never keep the deck stable. No way these stabilizers they sell for these would prevent wobble unless they were at least wider than the 6" drill. These maybe great in sand to hold a kite from flying away but no way I'd trust these to hold my deck, bolted to the house, let alone a free floating deck.