How Our Buildings Are Anchored
Understand the available anchoring approaches and what information is needed to select one for your building and site. Confirm the applicable design and installation instructions before preparing the base.
The short version
A concrete foundation is not required for every project. Supplied ground stakes are one approach; concrete, piles or other systems may be needed for the building and site. Confirm soil conditions, foundation and connection requirements, intended use and applicable design documents before choosing. A permit exemption does not establish anchor capacity.
Planning guide: the illustrations explain possible arrangements. Use the current design and installation documents issued for your project.
1. Compare the approaches
Use this table to discuss possible approaches. It does not select or size a foundation. Conditions, equipment access and the applicable design determine what can be installed and when.
| Site condition | Approach to discuss | Hardware | Installation conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packed earth — most farm and acreage sites | Galvanized stakes | In the box | Until the ground freezes |
| Concrete you have or will pour — slab, footings, piers | Wedge anchors | You or your installer | Confirm design and product limits |
| Livestock or machinery inside, or want more height | Precast blocks + wedge anchors | You arrange blocks | Confirm design and product limits |
| Restricted ground penetration or difficult soils | Ballast blocks | You arrange blocks | Confirm design and product limits |
| Loose gravel, sand, soft ground | Screw piles | Pile contractor | Confirm ground and installation limits |
| Bare rock | Epoxy rock anchors, or a small pad on the rock | You or your installer | Confirm design and product limits |
In the box
Footplates and the full set of galvanized stakes — four per footplate. The count is on your packing list.
Not in the box
Wedge anchors, blocks, screw piles, epoxy, cables, concrete. When MAX installs, anchoring hardware beyond the stakes is listed on your estimate.
2. What anchoring does
Wind is the load anchoring answers. It does three things to a building at once: it pushes on the side, it lifts the roof, and it tries to tip the whole frame. The anchoring system must transfer those actions through the footplates and connections into the foundation or ground.
How much holding you need depends on your building, your site’s wind and snow, and what it stands on. We do not print a holding number here: a number that is not for your site is not one you can use. An appropriately licensed engineering provider can assess the anchoring for the agreed project scope. Follow the instructions applicable to the exact building and site; an exemption from a permit does not prove that supplied stakes suit the ground.
Stakes, frost and the manual. The supplied stakes are not intended for rocky ground, frozen ground or concrete. Ground movement can affect foundations and anchors. Follow the project inspection and maintenance instructions and have movement or loosened connections assessed before treating the anchoring as sound.
Before the roof goes on
Use the erection sequence, temporary bracing and anchoring instructions issued for the exact building. Resolve missing or conflicting instructions before raising the frame; a general website illustration cannot replace the erection plan.
Wind pushes, lifts and tips. The anchoring resists all three through the footplates.
Galvanized Steel Stakes
| Consider for | Soil conditions for which the supplied stake system and applicable project documents establish suitability. Do not infer holding capacity from driving resistance alone. |
|---|---|
| Season | Confirm ground conditions at the time of installation. Do not drive the supplied stakes into frozen ground. |
| In the box | Yes. Four stakes per footplate, hot-dip galvanized. 30′ series: 14 mm × 700 mm. 40′ and wider: 16 mm × 1000 mm. The full count ships with the building. |
| You arrange | Installation equipment, utility-location information and site preparation appropriate to the applicable instructions. |
| On build day | Follow the applicable layout, stake-installation and erection instructions for the exact kit. Required anchoring and temporary bracing must be in place at the stages specified in those instructions. |
| Watch for | Soft, wet or recently filled ground requires assessment; changing to blocks, piles or ballast also needs a suitable design. Follow the project maintenance and inspection requirements. |
| Stakes in the box, by size | From the factory packing lists. Four per truss footplate; end-wall and door plates take two or four. 20×40: 56 · 30×40: 48 · 30×50: 64 · 30×60: 80 · 40×60: 72 · 40×80: 88 · 40×100: 104 · 50×100: 108 · 50×150: 158 · 50×200: 196 · 60×120: 180 · 60×150: 220 · 70×150: 220 · 70×200: 284. Other sizes: ask us, or read your packing list. |
Four galvanized stakes through every footplate, driven on the angle to full depth.
Wedge Anchors into Concrete
| Consider for | A slab, footing or pier designed or assessed for the building and its anchor forces. An existing slab is not automatically a suitable foundation; thickness, reinforcement, condition, edges and connection details matter. |
|---|---|
| Season | Concrete condition, curing and anchor-product installation limits must be satisfied. |
| In the box | No. |
| You arrange | Wedge anchors sized to your drawings or your engineer; a hammer drill, masonry bit and wrench. |
| On build day | Install the specified anchors to the project details and the anchor manufacturer's instructions, including hole preparation, embedment, spacing, edge distance and installation torque. |
| Watch for | Anchors need solid concrete with room to the edge — a thin or cracked slab edge will not hold. Concrete is permanent: settle where the doors go before you pour. |
Precast Blocks + Wedge Anchors
| Consider for | Projects with a designed precast-block arrangement. Raising the building changes its geometry and connections and must be included in the project assessment. |
|---|---|
| Season | Confirm site conditions and product installation limits. |
| In the box | No. |
| You arrange | Blocks and placement equipment matching the agreed design, with specified connections. Do not select a block arrangement using a generic block weight. |
| On build day | Blocks set level, in a straight line to the layout drawing. The building bolts to the top of the course. |
| Watch for | Raising the building affects doors, connections and the enclosure. Include those changes in the design and installation scope. Obtain prices for the complete block, transport and placement arrangement. |
Illustration of a block-supported arrangement. Block configuration, connections and any barrier function must match the project design.
Ballast Blocks
| Consider for | A designed ballast arrangement where ground penetration is restricted or another foundation is unsuitable. Ground bearing, sliding, overturning and connections require assessment. |
|---|---|
| Season | Confirm ground bearing, access and placement conditions. No ground penetration is shown in this example. |
| In the box | No. |
| You arrange | Blocks and a loader. Your engineer specifies the block weight and the tie-down from block to frame. |
| Watch for | A block’s lifting ring is for lifting the block. The permanent tie-down is a rated anchor point the engineer specifies. |
Screw Piles
| Consider for | Projects where the ground investigation and pile design support this approach. Loose surface material alone does not establish the required pile capacity or depth. |
|---|---|
| Season | Confirm ground access, installation limits and specialist availability. |
| In the box | No. |
| You arrange | A pile contractor. Your engineer sets the pile size and depth. |
| On build day | Install piles and connections to the project design and specialist installation requirements. The drawing below illustrates a possible arrangement; it does not establish pile count, depth or capacity. |
| Watch for | The pile arrangement and any tie-down attachment must be designed for the actual structure. Do not alter the frame or substitute a cable connection without the appropriate design. |
Illustration of a pile-supported footplate. The project design determines the arrangement, capacity and installation requirements.
Bare Rock
| Consider for | Exposed bedrock. |
|---|---|
| Season | Confirm site conditions and product installation limits. |
| In the box | No. |
| You arrange | A rotary hammer and either epoxy anchor rods or a small concrete pour. Your engineer specifies which. |
| Two ways | The illustrations show A: a connection into rock and B: a concrete foundation connected to rock. A qualified designer must determine which arrangement, if either, suits the rock, building and site. Use the specified materials and installation details. |
| Watch for | Do not treat an anchor intended for concrete as a specified rock anchor. Confirm the rock condition, bearing surface and connection details with the responsible designer. |
Rock, two ways. A: epoxy rods into sound rock. B: a small pad on broken or sloped rock, wedge-anchored like concrete.
Before build day
- Grade it rough and keep it dry. Ground slopes away from the building, or a gravel pad a few inches thick where the site holds water. A gravel pad also drains and is the easiest surface to re-level after frost.
- Confirm your method with us before the building ships. Blocks, piles, concrete or rock work is done before the crew or the box arrives.
- Call before you dig. Stakes go up to a metre down; piles go deeper.
- Lay out the footplates to the layout drawing in your package and square it on the diagonals before anything is fixed.
- Anchor every plate before the roof section goes up. Read the one-page erection warning.
Moving the building later? Stakes pull out and piles unscrew. Concrete stays where you poured it.
Permits and stamping
Requirements vary by project and jurisdiction. MAX coordinates the building and site information with our engineering partner. The firm confirms acceptance, assesses the agreed scope and issues the professional documents it is responsible for. Foundation and anchoring design, site visits and authority responses must be identified in the quotation. The permit authority decides approval.
Anchoring questions
Do I need a concrete foundation for a fabric building?
Not for every project. The foundation and anchoring must suit the exact building, soil and intended use. Supplied stakes are one approach; a concrete foundation or another designed system may be required. Confirm the applicable documents before choosing.
Are the anchors included?
The stakes are: four per footplate, the full count on the packing list. Wedge anchors, blocks, screw piles, epoxy and concrete are not in the box. When MAX installs, anchoring hardware beyond the stakes is listed on your estimate.
How many stakes does my building take, and how big are they?
Four per truss footplate; end-wall and door plates take two or four. The factory packing lists give 56 on a 20×40, 48/64/80 on a 30×40/50/60, 72 on a 40×60, 88 on a 40×80, 104 on a 40×100, 108 on a 50×100, 158 on a 50×150, 196 on a 50×200, 180 on a 60×120, 220 on a 60×150 and 70×150, and 284 on a 70×200. The 30′ series ships 14 mm × 700 mm stakes; 40′ and wider ship 16 mm × 1000 mm. Your packing list states the total.
Can I anchor after the ground freezes?
The supplied ground stakes are not for frozen ground. Other systems may be possible, but the design, ground conditions and product installation limits must support the proposed winter work. Confirm the installation plan before booking.
What about bedrock?
Rock anchors or a concrete foundation connected to rock may be considered after assessment. The rock condition, connection design and installation requirements must be established for the project. The illustrations on this page are not installation specifications.
How strong is the anchoring?
Capacity depends on the exact building, connections, foundation or ground, and design requirements. Follow the applicable project documents. A stake count, illustration or permit exemption does not establish holding capacity for your site.
Can I move the building later?
Relocation requires planning for dismantling, component condition, the new site, anchoring and any approvals. Confirm whether the existing design and components can be reused before moving the building.
Tell us about your site
Send the building size, address, ground information and any existing foundation documents. MAX can coordinate an engineering request to establish the professional scope required.
Start my engineering enquiry Text 587-800-4629