Installation Instructions
How to plant peace poles
For temporary stands, click here.
"Planting" is how it is referred to with peace poles. Planting a peace pole requires only a narrow hole two or three feet deep depending on the kind of pole. A posthole digger is a good tool for digging that because they are designed to dig narrow holes for posts. The less earth disturbed around the peace pole, the better the earth will support it. Some installations need to be set in cement because of paving adjacent to the peace pole. But peace poles in the middle of lawns or gardens do fine without cement. Just dig a narrow hole with a posthole digger, set the pole in it, and then tamp earth in around it with a 2-by-4. If the pole is tall enough to allow two feet of it to be put underground (stone poles need more, resin poles need less), that is a solid footing. Since peace poles are not load bearing, they do not need to reach the frost line.
There is nothing wrong with setting the peace pole in cement. But if you think the landscaping might be changed in the next century or two, a peace pole set in cement is difficult to move. One set in the earth can be dug up and planted elsewhere.
For a dedication ceremony for the peace pole, it is possible to do the entire installation as part of the ceremony. Each person can take a couple of swings with the digger until the hole is deep enough. Several others can carry the pole to the site and set it in place (one person can carry
a copper pole, but for ceremonial purposes some like a team). With copper poles
one person can do the entire installation in an hour. Many people taking turns digging could slow that down. But it still is a simple and quick job.
Posthole diggers can be rented from tool companies for about five dollars per day. I bought one at Lowes for
$23.00. They also can be purchased from Amazon.com for under $20.00. They are simple to use and people involved in your project are sure to know how, but you can click on the photo at left to see a video clip of one being used if you want to know more about how they work (it plays right here in your browser).
Before digging, mark a spot on the handle two feet from the bottom of the digger. That will help you know when to stop digging.
To make sure that the peace pole is plumb (vertical - not leaning) it can be useful to hold two levels against two different sides at the same time.
Alternative
It also is possible to plant metal or wood peace poles without burying any of them (not stone peace poles). They can be slid over stakes or posts, as I describe at this link.