Direct Burial Light Poles
- Reduce installation costs 20-30% with foundation-free mounting systems
- 80-year service life poles withstand 150 mph winds
- Custom lighting plans with energy savings calculations included
Our Direct-Burial Light Poles include steel, fiberglass composite, and wood poles for permanent outdoor lighting installations. Steel poles are available in heights from 10 to 30 feet with various diameters. Fiberglass composite models include non-conductive, corrosion-resistant configurations for salt-air and harsh-weather environments, with selected models rated for sustained winds up to 150 mph. Tapered pole designs are available with EPA wind ratings up to 130 mph, depending on the model. Wood poles are offered for utility-grade projects and installations requiring a traditional appearance. Available pole materials meet AASHTO M111 specifications for structural performance and wind load when properly specified.
These poles are installed directly in excavated ground and secured with soil or concrete backfill rather than anchor bolts, base plates, or separate concrete foundations. Common applications include outdoor commercial properties, municipal projects, industrial sites, coastal installations, and utility-grade lighting projects. Fiberglass composite poles are used in coastal and salt-air locations, while steel direct-burial poles are offered for industrial and municipal sites. Wood poles support utility applications requiring direct-burial installation. Direct-burial configurations are used for permanent lighting projects in stable, well-draining soil, with concrete backfill used in some sandy, clay-heavy, or loose soil conditions.
Direct-burial light poles are installed with part of the pole embedded below grade rather than mounted to an anchor-bolt foundation. They are used for parking lots, pathways, parks, campuses, sports courts, commercial properties, utility areas, and other outdoor sites where direct embedment suits the soil, installation method, and structural requirements.
Available materials may include steel, fiberglass, and wood. The correct pole depends on height, material, embedment requirements, soil and drainage conditions, fixture load, allowable EPA, wind criteria, corrosion exposure, and access for installation and future replacement.
Selection Note: Direct burial does not eliminate site preparation or structural review. Embedment depth, hole diameter, backfill, concrete use, drainage, corrosion protection, fixture loading, and wind suitability vary by pole and project. Confirm the exact manufacturer installation requirements before ordering.
When to Use Direct-Burial Light Poles
Direct-burial poles may be a practical choice when the site allows excavation and the pole is designed for below-grade embedment. They are commonly considered for new installations where an anchor-bolt foundation is not required and where soil, drainage, access, and replacement needs have been reviewed. Projects using poles for parking lot lighting or sport courts should also confirm the complete fixture load and required mounting height.
| Project Condition | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Suitable soil and drainage | The site must support the required embedment and backfill method without creating settlement, movement, or prolonged moisture exposure. |
| New construction | Direct burial can fit projects where excavation, conduit routing, pole orientation, and backfilling can be coordinated before surrounding surfaces are completed. |
| Limited need for future relocation | Embedded poles are generally more involved to remove or replace than poles mounted to reusable anchor-bolt foundations. |
| Manufacturer-approved design | Use only poles specifically designed for direct burial and follow the published embedment, backfill, drainage, and structural requirements. |
Direct Burial Versus Anchor-Base Light Poles
| Installation Method | How It Differs |
|---|---|
| Direct Burial | A portion of the pole is embedded below grade. Installation may involve soil backfill, compacted aggregate, concrete, or another manufacturer-specified method. |
| Anchor-Base Light Poles | The pole mounts to a base plate and anchor bolts set in an engineered concrete foundation. This configuration may simplify future pole replacement when the foundation and anchor-bolt system remain suitable. |
Neither method is automatically less expensive, faster, stronger, or better. The right choice depends on soil conditions, pole loading, site access, corrosion exposure, construction sequencing, foundation requirements, maintenance plans, and local design criteria.
Direct-Burial Pole Materials
| Pole Material | Common Advantages and Considerations |
|---|---|
| Steel Light Poles | Steel provides structural stiffness and broad compatibility with commercial fixtures and mounting hardware. Below-grade corrosion protection, coatings, drainage, soil chemistry, and damaged finishes require careful review. |
| Fiberglass Light Poles | Fiberglass does not rust, is generally lighter than steel, and may be useful in coastal, wastewater, utility, or other corrosive environments. Deflection, ultraviolet exposure, field drilling, and approved attachment methods must still be reviewed. |
| Wood Light Poles | Wood poles are commonly direct buried and may be appropriate for utility-style, roadway, perimeter, agricultural, or remote-site applications. Confirm that the pole classification, drilling pattern, fixture mounting hardware, treatment, and structural rating are suitable for the proposed lighting equipment and site conditions. |
How to Select a Direct-Burial Light Pole
| Selection Factor | What to Confirm |
|---|---|
| Project location | Provide the installation address so available pole options can be compared with known wind exposure, frost conditions, corrosion risks, terrain, and other project details. Confirm governing criteria with the appropriate local or project authority. |
| Pole height | Confirm both the above-grade mounting height and the total pole length, including the embedded section. Browse 10- to 15-foot light poles, 20- to 25-foot light poles, or 30- to 39-foot light poles based on the required mounting height. |
| Embedment requirement | Use the manufacturer’s specified embedment depth and installation details for the exact pole model. Do not apply a generic depth to every pole. |
| Soil and drainage | Review soil stability, groundwater, standing water, frost conditions, compaction, drainage, and whether concrete or engineered backfill is required. |
| Fixture and accessory load | Confirm the weight and EPA of all fixtures, arms, bullhorns, cameras, signs, and other mounted equipment. |
| Wind requirements | Compare the complete mounted load with the pole manufacturer’s published capacity for the required wind criteria. |
| Corrosion exposure | Consider salt air, soil chemistry, irrigation, fertilizers, deicing salts, chemicals, and moisture at the ground line and below grade. |
| Wiring access | Confirm conduit routing, cable entry, handhole location, grounding or bonding requirements, and access for future service. |
| Replacement planning | Consider how the pole would be removed and replaced if damaged, corroded, or no longer suitable for future equipment. |
Soil, Backfill, and Embedment Requirements
Direct-burial pole performance depends on the complete below-grade installation. Hole diameter, embedment depth, backfill material, concrete use, compaction, drainage, and soil conditions all affect movement and structural performance.
Loose, saturated, expansive, sandy, rocky, or poorly draining soils may require a different installation detail than stable, well-draining soil. Frost depth, groundwater, underground utilities, and excavation access may also affect the design.
There is no universal embedment depth or backfill method for every direct-burial pole. Follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions and have site-specific structural or geotechnical requirements verified by the appropriate qualified professional.
Wind Load and Allowable EPA
Direct burial does not by itself establish a pole’s wind rating. Suitability depends on the exact pole material, height, shape, structural rating, embedment, fixture arrangement, mounting hardware, and site conditions.
Effective Projected Area, or EPA, represents the wind-exposed area of fixtures and accessories. The EPA of all mounted equipment must be compared with the pole’s published capacity at the required wind speed.
For coastal, hurricane-prone, open-exposure, or severe-wind sites, review our high-wind rated light poles and confirm the complete pole, fixture, embedment, and site requirements before ordering.
Common Direct-Burial Pole Selection Mistakes
- Assuming no foundation work is required: Direct burial still requires excavation, embedment, backfill, compaction, drainage, and sometimes concrete or engineered installation details.
- Using a generic embedment depth: Required depth varies by pole model, height, material, loading, soil, and project conditions.
- Ignoring below-grade corrosion: Steel poles and hardware may need specific coatings or protection at the ground line and embedded section.
- Selecting by material alone: Steel, fiberglass, and wood each have advantages, but structural capacity must be confirmed for the exact pole and load.
- Excluding accessories from the load: Arms, bullhorns, cameras, signs, and brackets add weight and wind-exposed area.
- Overlooking drainage: Standing water and poor drainage can affect soil stability, coatings, wood treatment, and long-term pole condition.
- Failing to plan replacement: Removing an embedded pole may require excavation and restoration of paving, landscaping, or surrounding site work.
- Installing the pole out of alignment: The pole must be held plumb and oriented so handholes, fixture mounts, arms, drilling patterns, and cameras face the intended direction before backfill or concrete is placed and compacted.
Need Help Selecting Direct-Burial Light Poles?
LED Lighting Supply can help narrow direct-burial pole options based on project location, material, above-grade height, fixture model, fixture EPA, mounting hardware, wind requirements, soil conditions, corrosion exposure, and installation method.
Contact us about direct-burial light poles and provide the project address, desired mounting height, preferred pole material, fixture quantity, mounting arrangement, and any available soil or installation information. Final embedment, structural, electrical, and code requirements should be confirmed by the appropriate qualified professionals for the project.
Direct Burial Light Poles FAQs
How Do I Choose Between Steel, Fiberglass, And Wood Direct-Burial Light Poles?
Choose the material based on structural needs, corrosion exposure, fixture compatibility, and site conditions. Steel offers stiffness and broad fixture compatibility, fiberglass does not rust and may suit corrosive environments, and wood can fit utility-style, roadway, agricultural, perimeter, or remote-site applications when its rating and mounting details are suitable.
What Should I Consider Before Installing A Direct-Burial Light Pole?
Confirm the exact pole model, required embedment details, soil stability, drainage, fixture load, allowable EPA, wind criteria, corrosion exposure, wiring access, and future replacement needs. Direct burial still requires excavation, backfill, compaction, drainage, and sometimes concrete or engineered installation details.
Do Direct-Burial Light Poles Need A Foundation?
Direct-burial poles do not use an anchor-bolt foundation, but they still require a below-grade installation method specified for the pole. Depending on the model and site, that method may involve soil backfill, compacted aggregate, concrete, or another manufacturer-specified approach.
How Does Wind Load Affect Direct-Burial Pole Selection?
Wind suitability depends on the exact pole material, height, shape, structural rating, embedment, fixture arrangement, mounting hardware, and site conditions. The EPA of all fixtures and accessories must be compared with the pole manufacturer published capacity for the required wind criteria.
Why Is Drainage Important For Direct-Burial Light Poles?
Drainage affects soil stability, movement, below-grade corrosion exposure, coatings, wood treatment, and long-term pole condition. Review groundwater, standing water, soil type, compaction, frost conditions, and whether the installation requires concrete or engineered backfill.
Are Direct-Burial Poles Easy To Replace Later?
Embedded poles are generally more involved to remove or replace than poles mounted to reusable anchor-bolt foundations. Replacement planning should account for excavation and possible restoration of paving, landscaping, or other surrounding site work.