Your foundation is the most critical element of any structure. It transfers the weight of your building to the ground, resists uplift from wind, and prevents movement from frost heave. Get it wrong, and everything above it like walls, roof, and doors is compromised. Look at our materials, and you’ll understand we put care into every part of every build
At Swiss Construction, we don’t take shortcuts below grade. We assess your soil type, frost depth, water table, and local building codes to recommend the right post and foundation system for your specific project. Whether you need a simple direct burial for a residential garage or a precast concrete Perma Column system for a commercial post frame building, we provide solutions engineered to last.
The posts (or columns) are the vertical members that transfer your building’s weight down into the foundation. We offer two primary types, each with different performance characteristics and price points.
Solid posts are made from a single, continuous piece of dimensional lumber. Because they are minimally processed, they are the most economical option.
Best for: Budget-conscious projects, secondary buildings, and applications where some natural wood movement is acceptable.
Consideration: As solid posts dry and age, they may be more susceptible to cracking, checking, and twisting compared to engineered alternatives.
Laminated columns are manufactured by gluing together multiple individual treated boards under pressure. This process creates a stronger, straighter, more stable post.
Superior Treatment Penetration: With a solid post, CCA (copper-based preservative) treatment cannot fully penetrate to the center. Laminated columns achieve 100% CCA protection because every board is treated before assembly.
Reduced Movement: The lamination process dramatically reduces cracking, splitting, and twisting over time.
Materials: #1 grade lumber, treated for above-grade exposure (though the bottom is also protected by your chosen foundation system).
The most straightforward approach. Posts are set directly into holes dug in the ground, then backfilled. Modern treated wood products are rated for ground contact and resist decay.
Best for: Agricultural buildings, equipment sheds, and structures where simplicity and cost savings are priorities.
Key Requirement: Use only pressure-treated lumber rated for ground contact. Untreated wood in soil will fail within years.
Post Protectors are a barrier system that slides over the bottom end of a post before it is buried. The heavy-duty sleeve prevents microorganisms in the soil from contacting the wood, stopping decay before it starts.
Easy Installation: Simply slides over the end of each post.
Longevity: 449-year geo-application life rating (tested for underground use).
Uplift Protection: Horizontal ribs resist upward movement from frost heave or wind.
Ventilation: Vertical venting allows the post to breathe and release moisture.
The Green Post™ System uses a heat-shrinking process to apply a heavy-duty, multi-layer wrap to the bottom of each post, creating a complete barrier against soil contact.
Double Barrier: Polyethylene wrap (a proven damp-proof membrane used for 50+ years) plus bitumen (a protective wood coating used for over 1,200 years).
Uplift Restraint: A built-in notch provides additional resistance against pulling forces.
Best for: High-moisture sites and buildings where maximum wood protection is desired.
Perma-Column is a precast concrete column that raises the wood post completely above the ground surface. The post connects to the concrete via a heavy-duty steel anchor bracket, eliminating wood-to-soil contact entirely.
Feature | Specification
Concrete Strength: 10,000 PSI (3x stronger than standard concrete)
Reinforcement: Internal steel reinforcement
Connection: ½” thru-bolt + galvanized uplift anchor
Post Attachment: Steel anchor bracket (can also attach to poured concrete foundations)
Best for Commercial buildings, high-wind zones, and any project where maximum longevity is required
Poured Concrete Foundations
For some projects—particularly those with full basements, frost walls, or concrete floor slabs that need a monolithic pour—we provide traditional cast-in-place concrete foundations. These can be paired with wood posts (using brackets) or can support the entire structure as a continuous wall.
Not sure which option fits your budget and site conditions? Here’s a quick guide:
We don’t guess when it comes to foundations. Our team calculates required post depth based on your local frost line, designs for specific wind uplift loads, and ensures every connection meets or exceeds building code requirements.
A note on Perma-Column: Because the wood post never touches the soil, buildings on Perma-Column foundations often qualify for longer term financing and insurance policies that require the structure to be considered “permanent” rather than “agricultural.”
Let our team review your site conditions and help you select the right post and foundation system for your new building.