Post mounted lights are popular in many areas. Many times however, the light posts do not come with any kind of mounting hardware and instead make use of a simple direct burial method of post installation. This involves putting a portion of the pole into the ground, typically in concrete, to secure it in place. What follows is a brief overview of what is involved. For simplicity, we are assuming that the pole will be no taller than 8′. Additional mass and pole depth would be required for this. Be sure to check your local building codes for particulars in your area.

Before we begin, you should consider that you will use a portion of the height of the pole below ground. As such, the pole you select should be of sufficient size to account for this. So… Desired height + Burial depth = Required Post Length. Also, If you are not making use of concrete in the process, you will need to put more of the pole into the ground. This only makes sense, as the concrete would cover a portion of the pole burial depth.

To start with, dig a hole about 18″ deep. Ensure that it is 12″ in diameter. Insert a 12″ diameter x 18″ tall piece of sono tube. Backfill the dirt around this and be sure that the sono tube is level. Pull your wiring up through your conduit and up through the sono tube. Be sure that you’ve pulled enough wire to account for the desired height of the lamp.

Pour the concrete around the conduit to the top of the sono tube. For additional stability, you may want to drill a hole through the post about 4″ up from the bottom. Insert a 6″ long (stainless or galvanized) bolt though this hole with an equal amount sticking out of either side of the post. Secure with standard nuts. This will prevent the post from rotating in place over time. Place the post 12″ into the concrete. Use a builder’s level to ensure that the post is level in all directions. Allow the concrete to cure and then install the post top light as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions.