With the new school year starting, we thought it would be a good idea to share a few “back to basics” blog posts where we break down how to pick out what parts you need for your projects. This first one is all about poles, bases, and finials.

POLES:

We sell 3” and 4” diameter poles in fluted and smooth. They come in 8, 10, 12, and 14 foot high. To determine what height pole you need, there’s a few different things to check. Our poles are installed via direct burial, so you will need to determine the proper depth of the hole required as this will vary depending on your local weather and soil conditions. Another thing to consider is if you have a height requirement. Most municipalities require a 7 foot clearance from the bottom of your sign to the ground. Please check with your local municipality’s public works or engineering department to help them answer these questions for you.

BASES:

When it comes to picking out a base, it’s just a personal preference. Once you have the pole installed, you slip the base over it and tighten it to the pole with the set screws on the top. We have many different shapes and sizes to fit our 3” and 4” poles. One thing to consider is if you have a 3” post, you can use any of the 3” and 4” bases. With a 4” base, you will need an adapter (see below) to make the opening of the base smaller to fit around a 3” pole.

FINIALS:

Finials are in the same boat as bases and are another personal preference. They sit on the top of your pole and tighten around it with set screws. There are situations where you wouldn’t need a finial, such as if you have a logo sign on the top of your pole or if you were going to top mount your street signs (which we will get into in a few weeks when we talk about street signs).

We hope this little guide was helpful to you. As always, feel free to contact us with questions at 855-339-7800 or send us an e-mail at info@capitalstreetscapes.com.