Customers sometimes ask, “I have a sledgehammer, do I really need a post pounder?”  The short answer is YES.  In our experience, having a post pounder makes your install easier and more consistent.  Here’s why:

1. Post pounders give you a greater chance of installing your pipe anchor straight into the ground.  Straight pipe anchors are key to having straight posts and a good looking install.
2. Post pounders reduce the likelihood of the top of your pipe anchor getting damaged (mushroomed).  This often happens when using a sledgehammer and can pose a problem when affixing leveling donuts to pipe anchor.
3. Post pounders reduce the amount of physical work needed to install pipe anchors.  They are heavier than most sledgehammers and more weight behind force being applied typically means less number of strikes needed to drive pipe into ground.
4. Post pounders require 2 hands, reducing stress on the installer’s arm/shoulder.
5. Post pounders are (generally) safer than sledgehammers when driving pipes into the ground.  We’ve heard some cringe-worthy stories about swinging a sledgehammer after a long day of wamming and bamming!  See this post HERE for some safety tips about using a manual post pounder.

If you are only installing a few pipe anchors, a sledgehammer will get the job done.  But if you plan on doing more than 4 or so, we highly recommend using a pounder to help complete your project any of the reasons stated above.  The right tool makes any job easier!

Do you need to get a pounder from us?  Not at all.  You can absolutely source one locally, there is nothing proprietary about ours.

Here are the pounders we offer:

Big Bertha: 27 lbs, recommended for 2 people who have more than 12 posts: $85

Gas Pounder (10-day rental): 58 lbs, recommended for 1-2 people and only available to customers who have more than 20 posts: $250

Though driving pipe into the ground is a lot easier than renting augers to dig holes, it can still require a bit of muscle. We have a few options so you can choose the best and easiest option for you. For more information, see tips and tricks on using the post pounder, or warnings on using the post pounder.

Big Bertha Manual PounderPrice: $85.00 Weight: 27lbs. People Req’d: 2ProsPipes drive into the ground more quickly due to weight and the 2 person requirementCons2 man operation is recommendedWhen to use this Pounder: This is a great option if you have two people and tough soil conditions, particularly for jobs requiring more than 10 posts.

Gas Powered Pounder (Availble for rent from us)Price: $250.00 Weight: 35lbs.ProsRequires significantly less effort than manual poundersConsIf you rent from us, you only have a 10 day window to use itDue to high demand, they are not always availableWhen to use this Pounder: This is the best option for jobs requiring more than 15 anchors, particularly in dry or hard soil conditions. This pounder is easy to operate, works quickly, and will do most of your work for you. We highly recommend it for a smoother install.

Generic Manual Pounder (purchase from your local box store)Price: Approximately $34.99 – $49.99 Weight: 14lbs.ProsLow PriceNo shipping requiredConsLighter weight will require a great deal more effort to drive pipes into the groundNo noise and vibration reducing featuresWhen to use this Pounder:It largely depends on a lot of variables such as ground confitions and the operator, but as a very general loose rule of thumb, this is a good option for a job requiring less than 10 posts with avarage soil conditions and a reasonably strong operator.