Installing A Utility Pole

When buying a pole, you need to decide how far out of the ground you would like it to be. That will all depend on the purpose of your utility pole. It is recommended that you bury at least 1/6th of the pole into the ground for it to be stable. Other people recommend burying up to a third of the pole. When purchasing your pole, take that into consideration and buy a pole that will meet these needs. When you are digging the whole for your utility pole, you want to make it big enough that it is about a foot wider than the pole. Raising the pole into the hole can be quite a hassle if you don’t have the right tools. You want to use a crane, backhoe, or something similar to lift the pole into the hole. Once you have the utility pole in the hole, you want to stabilize it with ropes attached to trees or other structures that will help secure it until the hole is filled. You want to begin filling the hole with surrounding earth or other natural materials. You should not use concrete as this may lead to the base of the pole rotting. Make sure to compact the backfill very well. It should be 90 percent of its original compaction. Release the roles that were helping to stabilize the pole and let it sit for several days. Once again pack the backfill and add more soil if needed