Securing a PVC Covering to the Ground

Hey TW,
With Christmas right around the corner I am preparing my house for decorations.

This year I thought it would be cool to construct an archway across the sidewalk in front of my house.
My plan is to sting lights arcoss a few of these running parallel with the sidewalk.

Anyways I need suggestions of how to secure them to the grass. The one in the picture is standing on its own but I know once it has lights or a little wind it will tip over.

They are just over 8 feet tall.
Thank you in advance.

 

Drive the pipe into the ground?

 

Drive stakes into the ground and tie it down with some sort of rope or string. Then you can string lights to the rope if you like

 

Stakes into the ground than PVC over said stakes.

 

Awesome idea I didn't think of that.

I thought about that. The only problem is that it's 1 inch pvc so it would have to be a small stake. My solution to that was putting a 1 inch coupling inside a 1 and 1/4 inch coupling and bolting through it. That kinda seemed like a lot of me. Maybe a combination between this and the rope suggestion? Thoughts?

Yes it is a public sidewalk. Why?

 

get 4 5gallon buckets and fill it with cement or dirt and stick the pipes on them.

 

Ah jeez.

do you mind if I ask what city?

 

Damn...
Well that's unfortunate. I already spent the time and money making 5 sets identical to the one in the picture.

 

I'm not. But I didn't even think about the city.
Oh well gonna go for it and see what happens!

 

Ref your 1" PVC....take 3 foot sections of rebar and drive them into the ground at each corner leaving about half sticking out of the ground. Then slide your frame legs over the top if each rebar. Should work well against all but the worst storms, and if the city grips, just lift off, and pull the rebar. Cheap - easy -

 

That's California for ya

 

Take some 3/4" EMT pipe, pound that into the ground then slip the PVC over it.

 

Install one size larger pvc pipes in the ground at each corner pipe. Probably 2-3 feet deep. Slide the arbor legs into the ground pipes.

 

I just want to jump in and say, I'm not sure how deep the electric / water / gas / cable lines are in California, but if you're considering pounding stakes 2-3 feet into the ground, consider what you might hit. Here in NY the water lines have to be below the frost line, so not until about 6' deep, but in CA I'd imagine they could be much closer to the surface. And no matter where you live, gas, electric, and cable lines are definitely worth worrying about.

 

Good thought.
There's a number to call before digging.
I'm sure it would apply to something like this.
I will call thanks for the thought!

 

You could call 811 for someone to come out but I wouldn't bother. The more people involved the more red tape and regulations you will face. It's just Christmas decorations for god sake.

All gas, water and sewer pipes must be at least 12 inches below the soil line if they are metal pipes. Deeper if plastic.

Just get some wood stakes, pound them in about 6 - 8 inches. Use a hose clamp to go around both the stake and the pvc.

 

Oh I didn't even think about hose clamps!

 

Alright so I got my lights just about dialed in today.

I ended up securing the structure to 18 inch garden stakes and a hose clamp.

I have to add tinsel to one more side but other than that this is pretty much it.

 

We do this all the time at work for various events and just use rebar driven into the ground. We then slip the PVC over the rebar.