Frequently Asked Questions

Krinner Schraubfundamente GmbH is a German based company founded by Klaus Krinner, who invented and patented the ground screw in 1994. All other ground screws on the market today are variations of the original Krinner ground screws. Krinner Australia was founded by our director Fred Stoschek in 2006, with the support of Klaus Krinner.

Ground screws are an alternative structural foundation for construction. Ground screws can be compared to traditional helical screw piles, however instead of one single helix or blade, ground screws feature a continuous welded thread. You can think of a ground screw like a giant self-drilling timber screw.. during installation they compact the soil around them, forming a tight bond and achieving great stability.

Krinner Ground Screws now comply with building regulations across the globe including Australia, Europe, Canada, America, New Zealand and Pacific Islands. Krinner Australia has been through a rigorous testing process to have Krinner ground screws certified to Australian Standards and the Building Code of Australia.

Ground screw type will depend on usage and how you want to connect to the ground screw i.e bolting to a flange, post inserted into open neck, U-stirrup etc. The size required will depend on the design loads of the structure and the bearing capacity of the soil on site. The performance of a ground screw is largely determined by the soil conditions into which it is installed (which is why we always prefer to see a soil test).

Yes, ground screws can be installed into any type of soil including rocky soil and even solid rock, with the help of pre-drilling equipment. We have developed a wide range of purpose-built installation equipment and machinery including auger pre-drilling and DTH hammer drilling equipment to allow for installation into all soil types and rock.

Ground screws can last 100 years in the right soil conditions. When selecting a suitable ground screw we take the design life of the structure and soil/environmental factors into account. We may suggest a ground screw with increased wall thickness or in some cases, the use of sacrificial anodes which can indefinitely increase the lifespan of the ground screws.

Ground screws are capable of supporting large loads, especially in good soil conditions. Our engineer has various methods of maximising ground screw capacities for large loads i.e bridge supports. Our ground screws have been used by a number of Australian Government agencies, Council’s across Australia and some of Australia’s largest construction companies and mines. They are often used as footings for residential construction, underpinning for residential and commercial construction and cyclone tie downs for mining camps and other structures in cyclonic regions.