I have an outdoor free standing light in my subdivision yard.
It is on a 5" diameter metal pole. This pole was driven into the ground and has rusted at the ground level and broken.
I need to fix it and want to prevent this from happening again. I prefer not to go to concrete since there are electrical wires in the ground.
How do I prevent this from rusting out again?
Best Answer
Make sure concrete is above ground. 3-4" is usually good. This will keep standing water out.
Paint metal before putting it in concrete. A metal primer and a sealant coat goes a long way.
Slope concrete form away from pole on the top 1-2 inches. If you do this right the concrete at pole will be about a 1/2" taller than concrete at edges. Your pole is rusting quicker because of standing water.
Caulk concrete to post gap.