# When do you Stake?



## gottaluvplows (Dec 20, 2008)

When do you go out and Stake Residential AND commercial?? 
What do you use for commercial?
What do you use for residential?


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## Brucester1 (Aug 12, 2009)

are you talking as in end of lots ;curb ?


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## gottaluvplows (Dec 20, 2008)

Brucester1;829774 said:


> are you talking as in end of lots ;curb ?


Yes like marking where ie: retaining walls are (the ones close like next to driveways) 
Border of driveways,
Commercial: Islands for the most part

When do you do out and stake/mark them?


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## Brucester1 (Aug 12, 2009)

i put mine out the first week of november . then go back every now and then to make sure no 1 moved them or knocked down .i take picks of new lots 2


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## LoneCowboy (Jan 2, 2007)

our weather is weird here, it's not like the east or the midwest. It can snow 8 inches one day and be 70 degrees two days later. (It can also snow 3 feet and be on the ground for months, you never know)

Thus, I wait til the very last minute, otherwise they disappear.
The day before a big storm is forecast, we run around and do everything. I try to have people who are going to be doing the lots, stake it. (thus they remember it better, doesn't always work, but it's a good idea).


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

Just after Halloween, first week of November. Any sooner the kids yank them all, any later and the ground is too frozen to get them in... I use the poly stakes from J-Thomas.


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## gottaluvplows (Dec 20, 2008)

LoneCowboy;829803 said:


> our weather is weird here, it's not like the east or the midwest. It can snow 8 inches one day and be 70 degrees two days later. (It can also snow 3 feet and be on the ground for months, you never know)
> 
> Thus, I wait til the very last minute, otherwise they disappear.
> The day before a big storm is forecast, we run around and do everything. I try to have people who are going to be doing the lots, stake it. (thus they remember it better, doesn't always work, but it's a good idea).


Great points thanks......Sounds like Michigan Weather to me!


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## bigearl (Jun 11, 2007)

this year will be november 2 at 9:30 am


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

We use rebar (for concrete) usally wait till after Halloween but if a big storm is coming we scramble and start pounding them in.


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## gottaluvplows (Dec 20, 2008)

wizardsr;829986 said:


> Just after Halloween, first week of November. Any sooner the kids yank them all, any later and the ground is too frozen to get them in... I use the poly stakes from J-Thomas.


also very good Points.....last year during the first snow fall i pulled up to the house and i saw the kids playing with the stakes like life-savers i was SOO MADD:angry:!


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

the housing projects here for snow removal, dont even bother to put stakes in. Theyll be gone or end up in the snowblower wrapped around the auger


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

*when do you put up snow stakes...*

before it snows:laughing: sorry, it had to be said. But you do need to time it, not too early not too late. if your too early your stakes tend to walk. If too late you'll cause some serious damage to lawns and curbs.

the type of stake you use depends on your business style, your clients style, how much money you (or your clients) want to spend on stakes. The type of stake you use can bring in more business IE "I live on xyz street and I see you plow 10 of my neighbors..."

I used fiberglass poles with reflective tape, partly because i'm a snob and partly because everyone around here uses cheap little wooden stakes. Some people even go all out and put there company info on the stakes - good idea but expensive.

I don't recommend rebar/metal too much liability.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

What do you stake lots for?


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

grandview;831023 said:


> What do you stake lots for?


So Grandview can find the curbs when he's drunk off all his beer money...


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## flykelley (Dec 29, 2003)

After the leaves are picked up and before the ground frezzes. It can be a tough call here in Michigan, last year I was doing fall clean ups one day and plowing the next.


Mike


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## Bolt-1 (Sep 21, 2008)

For the 39 private's id do im going out next week to put up a bunch of these.

http://www.centralparts.com/Accesso...-Fiberglass-Driveway-Marker-Qty-36-504/17169/


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

Bolt-1;831380 said:


> For the 39 private's id do im going out next week to put up a bunch of these.
> 
> http://www.centralparts.com/Accesso...-Fiberglass-Driveway-Marker-Qty-36-504/17169/


those are my favorite, the diameter of the pole is thicker than the cheep ones at Angelo's so they go in easyier, the metal cap also helps drive them in and the reflective tape really helps to see them when your backing up at night in a snow storm. BTW I had a friend weld me up this to help put them in, works like a champ. http://www.plowsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11400&d=1127063709


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## Bolt-1 (Sep 21, 2008)

Grn Mtn;831627 said:


> those are my favorite, the diameter of the pole is thicker than the cheep ones at Angelo's so they go in easyier, the metal cap also helps drive them in and the reflective tape really helps to see them when your backing up at night in a snow storm. BTW I had a friend weld me up this to help put them in, works like a champ. http://www.plowsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11400&d=1127063709


 Are you using that to sort of pre drill a hole to get the pole started ? Or does it slip over the marker to drive it in ?

Ive tried a few others. Including wood with Hi viz. tape on them. These are by far the best.
To drive them in using a hammer is a waste of time.
All i did was I got a 24" piece of 11/4 " OD cast iron pipe. Threaded a cap on one end and wallah.
Instant homemade pole driver.


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## jbis1782 (Oct 13, 2009)

Like an old timer once told me. U play hide n seek with curbs after the snow falls. That way the stakes dont walk off and it makes plowing more fun. Needless to say i stake 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. Played that game once and lost. Curb was fine, my head and truck wasn't


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## big acres (Nov 8, 2007)

augerandblade;830569 said:


> We use rebar (for concrete) usally wait till after Halloween but if a big storm is coming we scramble and start pounding them in.


like said before... too much liability in rebar, not to mention how it can puncture an oil pan or mess up a blower real easy if lost in a pile.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

Bolt-1;831657 said:


> Are you using that to sort of pre drill a hole to get the pole started ? Or does it slip over the marker to drive it in ?
> 
> Ive tried a few others. Including wood with Hi viz. tape on them. These are by far the best.
> To drive them in using a hammer is a waste of time.
> ...


just like you do, it slides over the pole and you lift up and slam it down, when the metal gets to the ground the stake is 7" in the ground and holds tight. I can pound through crusher with it(most of the time)


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## Lux Lawn (Jan 5, 2004)

We put the stakes in hen it looks like the snow is on the way, or while we are doing fall clean-ups mid way through Nov.


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## gottaluvplows (Dec 20, 2008)

flykelley;831235 said:


> After the leaves are picked up and before the ground frezzes. It can be a tough call here in Michigan, last year I was doing fall clean ups one day and plowing the next.
> 
> Mike


haha you work kinda by me (in the area) i hope we don't have another day like last year where we did fall clean up then the next day we were plowin' but thankfully i had my stakes in by then!


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## PLOWBIZ121 (Nov 4, 2009)

You can tell when to stake your lots. When you feel that cold winter air coming in you know you better get out their and stake. Make sure that you don't get caught too late because then you won't know what to stake. I bought a bunch of nice 5/16" thick reflective fiberglass markers at www.discountsnowstakes.com. They seemed to be the best I found (and Cheapest)


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

We stake our resi end of Oct more for advertizing than anything else. Our commercial lots November first with fiberglass stakes. I agree with Big Acres rebar is a real liability, wood just snaps as soon as you touch it. The fiberglass is thin enough 5\16 with tape that they dont look offensive in a lot and they bend when people drive into them. Its not the plowers who run into them as much as the people in thier cars.


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