Wood Stakes and 2x4 Wood Wedges

Wood stakes and wedges are the cheapest tools on a job, and some of the most used. A stake gives you a fixed point to measure from; a wedge takes up a gap you can’t close any other way. WBC sells 1x2 stakes by the each in two lengths and 2x4 wedges by the bundle.

Wood stakes: 16 or 24 inches

Stake	Size	Sold
Wood stake	1 x 2 x 16 in.	Each
Wood stake	1 x 2 x 24 in.	Each

Both are pointed for driving. The difference is how much goes in the ground and how much sticks out.

• 16-inch for firm ground and low marks: a garden bed, a sprinkler line, a flagged spot in the lawn, a short string line for edging or a paver path.
• 24-inch when you need more in the ground to hold, or more above it to see: loose or soft soil, a string line that gets bumped, a corner that has to stay put while the excavator works around it.

What stakes are for: marking foundation and building corners, holding string lines for a fence, a footing or a trench, marking grade, holding the light wood forms for a sidewalk or a garden curb, and pinning things down in the garden. Survey lath, the thin flat strip, is mainly for writing on and being seen, though it can be driven as a marker too; a stake is thicker and holds better.

Setting stakes so they stay

• Drive them plumb and solid at each corner or point, and set the tops at a consistent height if you’ll measure off them.
• Run your string from stake to stake, then measure everything again before anyone digs or pours. A stake that moved half an inch moves the whole layout.
• Mark them so they get seen: a band of spray paint or a tail of flagging tape keeps them from getting run over.
• Recheck after weather. Wind and heavy rain can shift stakes and lath, and in the spring, when snowmelt leaves Montana ground soft for weeks, a stake that felt solid can lean by morning. Go longer in soft ground.
• Throw out the bad ones. A stake that splits or bends while you drive it won’t hold the line. Good stakes can be pulled and reused.

Keep the bundle dry and off the ground between jobs so the stakes don’t warp.

2x4 wood wedges: the bundle of 40

WBC’s wedges are 2x4 stock, 12 inches long, tapered, sold in a bundle of 40. Two wedges driven against each other from opposite sides make a solid, adjustable block, and that’s most of what they’re for:

• Tightening forms and braces: drive a wedge to snug a form brace or close a gap before the concrete goes in.
• Leveling and blocking: set a beam, a post base or a shed skid temporarily level while you fasten it. Wedges are not a support to work under; use stands made for that.

A 2x4 wedge is heavy enough to take a beating with a hammer, where a thin cedar shim would split. For trim and door jambs, a thin shim is the better tool; the 2x4 wedge is for rough work.

The Pick

For garden layout and short string lines, the 16-inch stake. For building layout, footings and soft ground, the 24-inch stake. For forms, blocking and leveling, a bundle of 2x4 wedges in the truck.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a stake and survey lath?

A stake is thicker and pointed for driving, made to hold a position or a string. Survey lath is thinner and flatter, mainly a place to write marks and be seen, though it can be driven as a marker.

How long should a wood stake be?

Long enough to hold in your soil and still show above it. A 16-inch stake works in firm ground for low marks; go to 24 inches in soft ground or where a string line will get bumped.

What are wood wedges used for?

Tightening forms and braces, and leveling things temporarily while you fasten them. Drive two from opposite sides for an adjustable block. To keep a trailer or equipment from rolling, use wheel chocks made for it.

How do I keep layout stakes from moving?

Drive them plumb and solid, use longer stakes in soft ground, and recheck your measurements after wind, rain or a hard thaw.