We all know cardboard tubes have very certain purposes in our everyday lives. Commonly, we will see them used for everyday household items like toilet rolls as well as more specific uses like mailing or containing posters.
However, cardboard tubes actually have more uses than you would think and are used in applications that you may never have expected.
In this article, we will explain just how important cardboard tubes can be in the construction industry and how they are environmentally beneficial too.
Cardboard Piling Tubes
The piling tube is a special type of industrial tube designed for use in areas where ground heave is expected. The specially designed slip coating allows for movement of clay around the pile, thus greatly reducing stress normally transferred through said pile.
The surface of the pile is manufactured in such a way that it will maintain its circular shape and smoothness after pouring. The mouth of the tube needs no extra support during pouring, and will not expand like plastic tubes under load.
It is not uncommon for people to think of steel and concrete as the two most common types of tubes for piling, but in reality there are also cardboard piling tubes.
The way that a pile is driven into soil can cause large fluctuations or vibrations. In some cases the soil will be excavated so that cement can be casted. These contrasting foundations with steel pipes make it clear how prescient wood piles really are.
Benefits Of Cardboard Piling Tubes
Deep foundations are the foundation of any structure that is expected to bear large loads. A deep foundation will help build structural support for your building, and cardboard pipe piles are brilliant in that they can be customized to suit your exact load specifications, similar to steel pipes. Because they’re so customizable, you’ll also have an easier time minimizing costs.
Cardboard pipe piles are a cost-effective solution to settling issues in the ground, as they require little installation work and are easy to add onto post-construction.
Their ease of use means that they can be inspected before down payment, which not only saves on money but also adds safety precautions for workers.
Replacing cardboard pipes is also less expensive than sheet or concrete piling, which makes cardboard pipe piles a great solution for cost conscious projects looking for an economical and reliable alternative.
Not only this but because they are commonly made of recycled materials, cardboard piling tubes are a much more eco-friendly alternative to metal and concrete piling tubes. The great thing is that the structural integrity of the foundations will still remain strong.
Cardboard Void Formers
Void formers are used in the construction industry to support building foundations. They are lightweight and easy to transport, so they can be placed by workers on site quickly without much effort. They can be made from many different materials, with cardboard being a completely viable option.
Cardboard Void formers also work as a barrier against clay heaves – which is when soil around a foundation becomes compressed and starts pushing up against it until the structure collapses under its own weight.
The void former prevents this from happening by filling in any gaps that may exist between the ground and the concrete foundation below it.
When water seeps into these void spaces, it creates hydrostatic pressure, but because there’s no space for expansion, this pressure forces water out of an opening or through cracks where water can escape harmlessly before reaching critical levels of force.
Benefits of Cardboard Void Formers
Cardboard Void Formers serve as an easy way to ensure that expansive soils fill in gaps and prevent structural issues. More so, before placing concrete, raised slabs will either avoid water or the surface water won’t have any impact on them.
Cardboard void formers are great because we have learnt from the past about what works with formers in regards to construction and cardboard has been shown to work effectively.
The spirally wound sheet metal was an early type of formers in construction, but it had many problems. The water filling the voids would often cause a problem despite having drainage holes. Newer types like cardboard void formers are far less expensive to manufacture and have high quality results.
Void formers have a lot to offer when it comes to construction. They allow for projects to be completed more quickly and with less work, allowing builders to spend quality time elsewhere.
These are just a few of the ways that cardboard tubes are used in the construction industry. However, there are many more used in less general applications for specific projects.
As you can see, not only can cardboard tubes be used for consumer products, they can be a vital part of a larger project, responsible for maintaining structural integrity.