How to Stake a Wooden Cross Into the Ground

Your crosses might not be so big, but they can look just as good.

A wooden cross might be a symbol of your faith, or it might simply be a useful structural device you intend to attach to other items or use for hanging things or growing climbing plants. Either way, affix a wooden cross in an outdoor location by driving it into the ground if you want long-lasting, sturdy positioning. To stake your cross, prepare both the cross and the location, then use a driving method that will give you strong insertion without stressing the cross's arms.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden cross
• Wood of the same type and thickness as the cross's center
• Staple gun
• Small power saw
• Hose
• Rubber mallet

Instructions

1. Extend the bottom of the cross, if necessary. You will want at least six inches of extra length on the bottom of the cross's central shaft to have the exposed top portion look correctly proportional. Add a piece of this length using wood of the same size and shape using a staple gun; overlap the wood pieces by at least two inches, and apply at least four staples.

2. Cut the bottom of the cross into the a point using the power saw, trimming off the corners of the bottom of the cross to create a point at the center bottom of the stake; don't worry about making this point perfectly symmetrical, as long as it's sharp.

3. Prepare the ground for the stake, if the ground is hard. Soak the ground with a hose or a few buckets of water, pouring the water gently over a small area and letting it soak in fully. Don't use a hose attachment with high pressure, as this is more likely to remove surface layers of dirt and spray off to the side rather than soak in and help soften things up.

4. Press the stake as far into the ground as you can by hand. Twist and wriggle the cross, gripping the center shaft so as to keep pressure off the arms (which could come off, depending on the construction of the cross). For extra force, grip the center shaft below the arms and closer to the ground as you twist.

5. Hammer the stake into the ground using a rubber mallet. Strike the top of the center shaft with repeated, short strokes, letting the mallet tip fall for each strike for a distance of about two to three feet. Continue striking until the cross has been driven into the ground firmly enough that you can't make it lean by pressing against it or easily pull it up.

References

• "Choosing and Using Climbing Plants"; Barbara Abbs; 2009