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Should all piles reach the same depth?



Hey there! I'm installing piles for a gazebo and I'm getting different depths on each pile - some went in easily to 5 feet, others stopped at 3 feet and won't budge. Should all piles reach the same depth, or is variation okay as long as they're all secure?

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Hey there! Variation in depth can actually be normal depending on your soil composition - you might have layers at different levels across your site. What matters more than uniform depth is that each pile reaches firm, load-bearing soil. If a pile stops and you feel solid resistance from firm soil (not a rock or obstruction), that's often sufficient. However, for structural integrity of your gazebo, you want all piles properly anchored. The guidance at https://we-build-correctly.blogspot.com/2025/06/how-to-install-pile-in-ground.html emphasizes driving until you hit firm soil layers. If some piles seem to stop prematurely on something hard, try relocating slightly. The key is ensuring each pile has adequate bearing capacity, not necessarily identical depth measurements.

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