# Need Advice on Jetting in a Piling



## bill77056 (Feb 7, 2008)

Lost one pile on walkway to t-head to Ike. Water depth is 1 to 3'; piling depth in seafloor about 6' in clean sand. I have been told to rent a 2" trash pump; attach a 3/4-inch iron pipe to side of the piling; then just start the pump and work the pile down to hard soil. Sounds easy. Does anyone have experience jetting a piling down? What are the problems that I might encounter? Thanks...Bill


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## Tombo (Mar 15, 2005)

Timing could not be better for me as next week I am starting my 75' pier project. 
I'm all ears.


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## iridered2003 (Dec 12, 2005)

i've done 12 x 12's x 20 ft long in the sand for dunewalks, but i used a 1 1/2 in fire hose steped down to 3/4 or 1 in with city pressure at 60 psi and was able to float them like a cork. not sure if a trash pump will put out enough pressure or not. the more water you move the faster and easier it will be.


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## texas32 (Jun 16, 2005)

We've jetted in several pilings and have had to jet out some stuck spuds in the past. A 2" trash pump with the discharge reduced down to 3/4" pipe should work fine for your project. Don't think I would attach the jetting pipe to the piling as you will most likely need to move the pipe around the perimeter of the piling as it sinks.


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## coachlaw (Oct 26, 2005)

Did this recently and it worked like a charm. Best thing to do is jet out the hole straight down and jig the pipe up and down to the depth you want. Then immediately put the piling in with a guy or 2 jumping on a nailed 2X6. If it doesn't come down far enough, you can stick the jet down again while keeping the weight on the piling. 

Alternately you can stand the piling up and put the water jet down at the bottom of the piling and just let it go down until it's at the desired level. The hardest part of course, is getting the pilings vertical. If you have a boom or crane, that's key, especially when dealing with heavy pilings. 

I'm done and ready to sell my trash pump and piling jetting set-up. PM me if you're interested.


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## 71 Fish (Dec 21, 2005)

I am having a bulkhead built next month and will have to do a little work to the pier (the pier I will do myself). I talked to my bulkhead guy about jetting in posts and he says they will not hold thru a storm or while water levels are over the pier. He pile drives them by hand for piers and says that once it starts to drive hard to go a little more (I figure another 2 feet or so). You will have to expierment to see what post length you will need to do this. I think that most piers are ruined by high water floating them out of the ground. With that in mind it does make sense a driven post would hold better. It sounds like he uses the typical fence post style driving tool which is easy to make. For water contact the wood treatment has to be the higher density. I think Bayou City Lumber is the name of the place there on Telephone road close to the beltway where he gets all his supplies. Another thing he told me was that you can not drive thru sand, I suppose jetting might be an option in that case.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

i have to do this (myself) too...4 pilings lifted on the boat shed. contractor wanted $1200 to jet down 4 pilings. sheesh...


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

btw, to you who have done it...

my pilings are standing up already, but were pulled up a couple feet. when jetting back down, how do you NOT get the piles too deep. i'm concerned about jetting the hole, then the piling dropping too far.


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