Thread: How do I anchor this sucker down??

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Hi everyone,


I have this animated metal spooky tree and every year it goes up but I have a heck of a time keeping it anchored. Any wind gust with any amount of strength and its coming down. Anchoring it down at the feet doesn't work because there is too much give. In the past I've been anchoring it from the center mass which works pretty good but over 3-5 days it will fall over by itself (no kids doing it I checked my cameras) If anyone has a better solution than using takes and heavy twine I'm all ears.


Here it is in the video about 17 seconds in.

Can quite make out how the base looks in detail, but on some of my props I will try and add some type of PVC pipe and bury it so far into the ground. Apart from that, I'd maybe try and tie some rope to each foot of your tree and tie the rope to stakes going in different directions to counter which ever way the wind blows. Hope this helps a bit.

Is it hollow in the center? If so I would pound a 4' piece of rebar in the ground about a foot and then slide the tree over the top and attach it to the rebar with a zip tie,wire or some sort of string.

And if that wont work use LOTS of hot glue and duct tape.

How about a piece of metal conduit on the backside.
Hammer it about 12'' to 16'' down and zip tie the tree to it.
I have free standing trees in my display using this idea and
have had no problems.

if it's got a base of some kind, maybe you could drill a hole in the base, put a piece of rebar in the ground thru that hole, and tie
the tree to the rebar, I couldn't see what the base of the tree
looked like or tell if it ACTUALLY moved or if it was just the branches that moved but if the tree base doesn't move, put the rebar as close to it as possible and tie it to that, I've never had
the wind blow over anything secured by a piece of rebar.

I had the same problem with my wooden graveyard fence. This year I found a 3' plastic spike sold in the rebar/fencing section at Menards that is made for either fencing or tomato cages. You drive it into the ground about 1' and 2' sticks out of the ground. it has a bunch of holes for tieing off stuff. it works great.

Use guywires. Drive three -six inch spikes into the gound around it about 3 feet away from the base. Then tie thin line or fishing string to the trunk from each spike. Should solve the problem.

Dave
Norfolk, VA

I second using guywires, use spiderwire (fishing line)

what about a few metal tent pegs in the base?

If you're not allowed to pound rebar into the ground (or you don't want to since your yard looks immaculate) perhaps some old fashioned wood would work.
Get a 3' by 3' piece of plywood.
a 1" by 1" square dowel (maybe 3 or 4 feet long)
Mount the dowel upright to the square base using 4 elbow brackets.
Paint it black.
Slide the tree over the dowel.
secure with a black twist tie.


When you're done just unscrew the brackets and store for next year.