At Grip-Tite Manufacturing, every detail of an installation matters — especially when it comes to stability and alignment. One critical but often overlooked step is blocking up your pier brackets before driving the tube. Taking the time to do this right ensures accuracy, safety, and long-term performance.
“Different sizes of wood blocking — you can go with 4x4s, 2x4s, or 1x4s — help you take up any space that’s available,” Corey explained. “Getting a flat spot in the soil before you start your blocking is going to be a benefit. Start with the larger blocks to take up most of the space, then use smaller shims to finish tightening the bracket up.”
This careful setup allows installers to achieve the correct pier angle before driving begins, leading to a stronger and cleaner result.
“What it does is allows you to get the angle on your pier that you’re looking for prior to starting to drive the tube,” Corey said. “So I think it’s a really important thing.”
Over the years, Corey has seen many methods in the field, but he consistently recommends the reliability of proper wood blocking.
“In my travels, I’ve seen multiple different options. I think the cribbing or wood blocking is one of the best,” he noted.
These practical insights — gathered from real job sites and collaborations with installers — show Grip-Tite’s ongoing commitment to sharing field-tested best practices that make every installation smoother and stronger.
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