Piled Pontoon

When it comes time to build your new pontoon there are many factors that contribute to the way we quote a new pontoon. One of the single most important factors for piled pontoons is “The right piles for the right location” This week we are going to give you a little bit of insight into each different pile type and where it ranks in a cost rating from 1 ✪ to 5 ✪✪✪✪✪

Insuitu 315mm PVC Piles

The 315mm Insitu pile is a very common and affordable pile that suits many canals, rivers and creeks. It is made in a two part process, the first being the installation of a hollow PVC pipe (315mm) this is generally installed by barge or by hand depending on the seabed conditions. The second stage is inserting a re-bar cage inside the PVC pile and then filling with concrete via a concrete pump. Due to the concrete being heavier than water, when the concrete is injected inside the PVC pipe any water inside from the pile installation is forced to the top when the concrete level reaches the top of the pipe the water is forced out.

Insitu 400mm PVC Piles ✪✪

With the same build process as its little brother the 315mm PVC insitu pile, the 400mm version offers more strength and the capability to hold a larger pontoon or small dry berth pontoon. Generally used in canals, rivers and creeks the 400mm offers great affordability and strength without the price tag of its bigger brothers.

Steel 356mm pile with 400mm HDPE sleeves ✪✪✪

Favoured by many for the aesthetic look and appeal of black piles the 356mm Steel pile with black HDPE sleeves look great on a dark colour carpeted pontoon with black fender. The 356mm Steel pile jumps up a step from its smaller brothers in the insitu range with a stronger overall rating. This type of pile is suited for canals, rivers and creeks with bigger pontoons and small to medium dryberth pontoons. Also a great choice if you wish to add jet ski docks, boat lifts and other accessories to your pontoon.

Steel 406mm pile with 450mm HDPE sleeve ✪✪✪✪✪

The big daddy of piles is the 406mm steel piles finished off with beautiful black HDPE sleeves, these piles are the choice for those that live in high wash areas or flood zones. The 406mm steel pile is a very common choice for those in areas like the Brisbane River and the outer perimeters of Sovereign Islands for example. The ability to hold extremely large pontoons and vessels as well as handle high winds and fast tidal movement makes these the ultimate pile for the job. The benefit of the 406mm Steel pile over the 400mm Rocla concrete piles, is the flexibility to make the piles as high as required as the steel is supplied in 12m lengths and can be cut to size and welded together onsite, for example if you needed an 18m pile, the first 12m length would be installed into the seabed using a barge and then the second 6m piece would be welded onsite. These piles are commonly used with heavier dryberth pontoons and most optional accessories like boat lifts and jet ski docks.

400mm Rocla Spun concrete pile 175kn ✪✪✪✪✪

Pretty much the same strength component as the Steel 406mm piles but not quiet as flexible, the 400mm Rocla spun concrete pile comes in a variety of lengths and ratings but has set maximum height that it can be purchased in. Generally the larger length spun concrete piles are not a stock item and need to be made to order, therefore in some cases can take longer to get hold of compared with steel lengths that are generally a stock item. The spun concrete piles are preformed and supplied by the manufacturer Rocla ready for installation and can sometimes be a fraction cheaper than steel due to a labour component, however steel piles being hollow on the inside generally penetrate the seabed easier as it has less surface area to force down.

Aqua Pontoons offers full turn key pontoon packages including drafting and engineering, all pontoons are signed off by an independent engineer who will make the critical engineering decisions of what pile type should be used.

We would love to help you with your new pontoon and encourage you to give us a call if you have any questions on 1300 207 848.

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