Have you ever watched a construction crew carefully position steel supports under a building and wondered what keeps those supports from sinking into the ground? Or perhaps you’re a homeowner tackling a crawl space repair, worried about costs and choosing the right tools for a tight space.
I’ve been there, and I’ve seen how the right foundation choice can make or break a project. At Ellis Manufacturing, we’ve spent decades listening to customers—homeowners, contractors, and engineers alike—to deliver steel shores and foundations that balance safety, affordability, and performance.
Let’s dive into the critical foundation options for steel shores, drawing from Ellis Manufacturing’s hands-on expertise since 1951.
Understanding Screw Jacks and Their Critical Role
Before we explore foundation options, let’s understand what steel shores do. These adjustable steel posts, like those crafted by Ellis Manufacturing, provide temporary or permanent support for heavy loads, stabilize structures during repairs, or prevent collapses in emergencies.
From Mini Jacks designed for tight crawl spaces to heavy-duty steel shores that lift and support multi-ton structures, Ellis offers a range of solutions for homeowners and contractors. You’ll find them in residential crawl spaces, supporting sagging floors, or in warehouses, shoring up walls after a forklift accident.
What sets Ellis shores apart is their thoughtful design—features like the Safety Lock set screw ensure precise, professional-grade permanent adjustments, making them accessible for homeowners tackling DIY repairs or professionals managing large-scale projects.
The Foundation Fundamentals: Why They Matter
I’ve spoken with homeowners who, eager to save on costs, placed steel shores directly on dirt or hard clay, only to find their structure settling within weeks. Troy Frost, VP of Sales from Ellis Manufacturing, warns against this common shortcut, noting that without a proper foundation, even the best shores can’t perform.
The foundation of your steel shore serves three essential purposes:
- It distributes the load across a wider surface area
- It provides a stable base that prevents the shore from shifting
- It protects both the structure and workers from potential failures
Fortunately, Ellis’s adjustable shores, as Brian Park, Director of Sales and Business Development in the Central US, points out, allow for tweaks over time if minor settling occurs, making them forgiving for less-than-perfect setups.
Let’s explore the foundation options that maximize their performance.
Main Types of Foundations for Steel Shores
Concrete Footings
Concrete footings are the gold standard for heavy or permanent setups, offering unmatched stability. Brian from Ellis Manufacturing explains that they’re often required by building codes, especially in areas with frost lines, as they extend deep to prevent soil heave. They also resist settling by leveraging soil pressure against their sides, not just their base.
For a homeowner reinforcing a sagging crawl space, Ellis steel shores anchored to concrete footings can provide decades of support. However, Brian notes that pouring footings is labor-intensive—think digging 18-inch holes, adding rebar, mixing concrete, and waiting for it to cure. This makes them ideal for those with construction experience or the budget to hire professionals.
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A classic example: stabilizing a sagging basement floor with permanent Ellis steel shores anchored into concrete footings. These installations can last decades while maintaining perfect structural integrity.
Base Plates Extensions
Adjustable base plates are the versatile workhorses of shore foundations, perfect for quick setups and temporary projects. Brian at Ellis Manufacturing has spearheaded their redesign, expanding compatibility to support mini jacks, screw jacks, timber jacks, and steel shores.
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For instance, base plate extensions are great for supporting temporary jobsite buildings. When combined with steel shores they provide a wide stable base to keep the building from settling and enough adjustment to level the structure.
Timber Mudsills and Mats
Timber mudsills are a simple, effective solution when digging isn’t an option or soils are soft. Troy notes that some homeowners skip excavation to save costs, placing shores directly on dirt or hard clay. Adding a pressure-treated 2x12 mudsill under a mini jack or light-duty shore spreads the load, preventing sinking. In a recent crawl space repair, mudsills kept Ellis shores stable on uneven soil, saving the homeowner from costly concrete work. However, Brian warns that untreated timber can degrade in moist conditions, so always opt for treated lumber.
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Think of timber mats as temporary runways—critical in marshy areas or during trench support operations. I've seen contractors create entire foundation systems using overlapping timber mats that allowed heavy equipment to traverse otherwise impassable terrain.
Making the Right Choice for Your Project
Choosing the right foundation for your Ellis steel shores starts with understanding your project’s needs, soil conditions, and budget. Brian from Ellis emphasizes educating customers about trade-offs: a concrete footing might be pricier but saves effort long-term, while a base plate is cheaper but may need monitoring.
Troy advises against cutting corners with undersized products, noting that a $400 shore might fail where an $800 heavy-duty shore succeeds. For homeowners, he recommends installing shores, tightening them, and letting the structure settle for seven days before making adjustments, ensuring stability.
Assess Your Soil Conditions First
Soil type is critical, as Brian and Troy stress. Brian recommends consulting a structural engineer for complex soils or code requirements.
I always recommend performing a basic soil test before selecting your foundation type. Even a simple hand test can provide valuable information:
- Sandy soil feels gritty and doesn't form a ball when wet
- Clay soil feels sticky and forms a firm ball when wet
- Silt feels smooth like flour and forms a ball that crumbles easily
- Loam (a mixture) feels slightly gritty but holds together when wet
Each of these soil types requires different foundation approaches for optimal shore performance.
Consider Load Capacity and Project Duration
Heavy loads, like multi-story buildings, require concrete footings or helical piles. Lighter, short-term projects, such as temporary formwork, suit base plates or mudsills. Ask: How long will the shore stay in place, and how critical is stability? For urgent repairs, helical piles offer speed, while concrete ensures permanence.
Avoid These Common Mistakes
Even experienced professionals make mistakes. Troy and Brian highlight pitfalls like placing shores on dirt without support or using thin concrete blocks (e.g., 1.5 inches) that crack under load. Brian suggests 3-4-inch-thick blocks to avoid fracturing. Always ensure:
- Adequate footing size for the soil conditions and load
- Proper soil evaluation before foundation selection
- Secure anchoring when possible
- Regular inspection of foundations, especially timber components
- Alignment of multiple shores to distribute loads evenly
I once witnessed a contractor attempt to save time by skipping mudsills on what appeared to be firm ground. Within days, their shores had sunk and shifted, requiring complete reinstallation plus structural repairs. The few hours saved in setup cost them weeks in repairs.
Final Thoughts: Choosing Wisely for Your Project
The best steel shore foundation matches your project’s unique demands—soil, load, timeline, and budget. After decades in construction, I’ve seen how Ellis Manufacturing’s expertise, from Mini Jacks to heavy-duty shores, ensures safety and success.
Whether you’re a homeowner fixing a crawl space or a contractor stabilizing a damaged wall, our team listens, offering customized solutions like welded base plates or tailored top plates. Troy and Brian answer calls seven days a week, ready to guide you through setup or troubleshoot issues, like aligning a base plate with a quick phone call.
Unsure where to start? Reach out to Ellis Manufacturing at (800) 654-8311 or consult a structural engineer. A solid foundation isn’t just about supporting a structure—it’s about protecting your investment and peace of mind.
Disclaimer: The information provided in these articles is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional engineering advice. Every project has unique requirements and complexities. Therefore, it is essential to consult with a qualified professional engineer to guide you through the specific nuances of your individual project and ensure its safety and compliance. These articles do not offer engineering guidance.