The Complete Handbook of Ground Spikes
A Practical Reference for Selecting, Installing, and Maintaining Ground Spikes
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
The definitive reference for choosing, driving, and maintaining ground spikes in any soil. From load calculations to corrosion, this book covers it all.
About this book
The Complete Handbook of Ground Spikes is a practical, authoritative reference for anyone who relies on ground spikes to get a job done right. It moves beyond the simple 'drive it in and hope' approach, providing a deep dive into the mechanics of how a spike holds. You will learn how soil composition, moisture, and compaction affect holding power, and how to calculate the forces your spike will actually face, from wind load on signage to the weight of a temporary deck.
Reader Reviews
Christopher Robinson
★★★★★I was expecting a glorified brochure, but this is a real engineering reference. The chapter on soil mechanics alone saved my tail on a recent job where I had to anchor a temporary canopy in sandy fill. The book's breakdown of how load angle affects a spike's pull-out resistance was worth the price. It completely changed how I spec for wind load on our event structures. If you install things for a living, you need this on your truck.
James Rodriguez
★★★★★This is a solid, serious book. The first chapter on basic principles is exactly what I needed to stop guessing and start calculating. I appreciated that they didn't pad it with fluff; it's dense with useful information, and the tables on galv coating weights are genuinely helpful. I docked a star because I think the entry on installing in frozen ground could have been more detailed, but it's still far better than anything else I've found of its type.
Angela Martinez
★★★★★Finally, an entire book dedicated to something I've been doing by feel for years. The chapter on defining what a ground spike actually does-especially the part about soil friction versus bearing strength-was a wake-up call. I used to just beat a stake in and call it a day. Now I actually check the soil and do the math. I've already recommended it to two other guys in my crew. Great reference for both the field and the office.