Frequently Asked Questions

Almost. Soil types vary greatly, even within short distances in some areas.

We recommend having soil samples from the intended area tested before mounting any direct burial poles.

Composite poles are often directly buried into the soil and you may be interested in the Shakespeare Tuff-Stub composite stub base pole, which makes short work of mounting direct burial composite poles. The product allows a construction crew to quickly “rough in” wiring, leaving pole installation for later, so phased construction is simple.

Yes, they can. For small numbers of holes, an ordinary high-speed steel twist drill can be used; carbide tipped bits should be used for larger numbers of holes.

Use steel bits, not wood boring bits. Wood boring bits should not be used because, even though they will make a hole, the fiberglass dulls them drastically after only 3 or 4 holes.

We can supply poles that are accurately pre-drilled to customer specifications, so you can save time and money by adding holes only as needed.

A good alternative to the carbide tipped twist drill is a carbide tipped hole saw; the hole saw will make a cleaner cut than the twist drill. Don't forget the safety glasses or goggles when drilling any material. Some great ideas have been passed along to us from the linemen we have worked with. One of them answered this question by saying "This is simple. You just put a piece of tape over the spot before you drill and the tape will catch most of the dust." Of course, gloves and long sleeves should also be worn if the dust can fall onto arms and hands.

Our engineers have not been able to induce any type of fatigue failure in a fiberglass laminate. Even with sharp notches machined into the surface in an effort to initiate a crack, no fatigue failure occurred.

Yes. The only consideration is that composite poles should be handled with a little more care than wood in order to protect the surface of the pole.

Nylon straps should be used for binding, choking and lifting, instead of steel cables and chains. The poles can even be transported using the same pole trailers that are currently used for wood poles, provided chain and cable binders are replaced with nylon and the cradles are lined with nylon webbing or a similar material.

During storage, composite poles are not subject to decay, so contact with the ground will not structurally affect them. Rainwater puddles and minerals in the soil could stain the surface, however, so some means of supporting the stack off the ground is desirable, and recommended. The height of the stack (therefore the weight of the stack) should be limited to avoid overloading the bottom layers. When step attachments are included, spacers should be provided to prevent damaging the surface of adjacent poles.

There are several sources of plated steel, solid copper and aluminum clips that can be used for attaching ground wires.

These clips are attached to the pole using either Number 10 sheet metal screws or self-drilling, self-tapping screws.

Shakespeare takes a systematic, multifaceted approach to UV protection. Our poles have UV inhibitors formulated into the resins, combined with other measures and a UV-resistant urethane coating, provide for ultimate extended life.

Shakespeare composite poles are flame resistant in accordance with ASTM D635. Specimens cease to burn before the guage mark of 100 mm (3.9 inches) is reached.

Composite poles are manufactured from environmentally friendly materials. There are no toxic preservatives to bleed into the soil or water around the pole. Since they are classified as safe, disposal of a composite pole is easier than a wood pole, which is now classified as hazardous waste in some areas. We can go you one better than that. Shakespeare will take back destroyed poles and recycle them.

No. In decades of experience with FRC lighting poles, we haven't found a woodpecker in one yet.

The same criteria are used to select a composite pole as for selecting a wood pole. The class of wood pole to be used for a particular application is dictated by the National Electrical Safety Code (ANSI C2).

Select the class appropriate to your application, and insert its properties in the Recommended Specification for your project.

The same calculations are used in determining the strength required for a pole as with Wood, Steel, Concrete and Fiberglass poles. All calculations are done in accordance with the National Electric Safety Code (NESC).

The NESC (National Electric Safety Code) gives the strength of material rating to various materials. The "Strength Compensation Factor" is 1.0, instead of 0.65 or 0.85 for wood poles. The Required Load Rating for a Pole equals the Design Load times the Overload Factor, divided by the Strength Compensation Factor (Ref: Tables 253-1 and 261-1A, NESC - 2007 National Electric Safety Code). See the formula in our Pole Products Catalog.

An important difference, however, is that the physical dimensions of the various species of wood poles were derived from the average strength of the species, and all samples will not make it to the strength level of that class (hence the very conservative overload factors for wood poles). All of our utility poles are designed to meet their strength rating as a minimum, not an average. All of our ratings on poles meet the 5% lower exclusion limit (LEL) required by NESC.

Yes, they can. For small numbers of holes, an ordinary high-speed steel twist drill can be used; carbide tipped bits should be used for larger numbers of holes.

Use steel bits, not wood boring bits. Wood boring bits should not be used because, even though they will make a hole, the fiberglass dulls them drastically after only 3 or 4 holes.

We can supply poles that are accurately pre-drilled to customer specifications, so you can save time and money by adding holes only as needed.

A good alternative to the carbide tipped twist drill is a carbide tipped hole saw; the hole saw will make a cleaner cut than the twist drill. Don't forget the safety glasses or goggles when drilling any material. Some great ideas have been passed along to us from the linemen we have worked with. One of them answered this question by saying "This is simple. You just put a piece of tape over the spot before you drill and the tape will catch most of the dust." Of course, gloves and long sleeves should also be worn if the dust can fall onto arms and hands.

The climbing steps used are the Edison Electric Institute specification number TD-15 steps. The EEI specification requires the steps to hold 350 lbs. without permanent deformation. Our steps meet the 750-lb.requirement of the Alabama Power Company. All structural attachments are mounted using through bolts.

Published weights do not include the weights of the step attachments. The steps, on average, weigh about 2 pounds per attachment.

Our engineers have not been able to induce any type of fatigue failure in a fiberglass laminate. Even with sharp notches machined into the surface in an effort to initiate a crack, no fatigue failure occurred.

Yes. The only consideration is that composite poles should be handled with a little more care than wood in order to protect the surface of the pole.

Nylon straps should be used for binding, choking and lifting, instead of steel cables and chains. The poles can even be transported using the same pole trailers that are currently used for wood poles, provided chain and cable binders are replaced with nylon and the cradles are lined with nylon webbing or a similar material.

All poles are shipped with an aluminum ID tag permanently mounted on the pole, 10 feet from the butt - or at another location specified by the customer.

Tag information includes the manufacturer's name, pole class, pole length, and the month and year of its manufacture. The tag is secured with stainless steel rivets.

There are several sources of plated steel, solid copper and aluminum clips that can be used for attaching ground wires.

These clips are attached to the pole using either Number 10 sheet metal screws or self-drilling, self-tapping screws.

A battery powered drill/driver makes quick work of installation. Hardware commonly attached to wood poles with nails can be mounted on the composite poles with the same type of screws.

Shakespeare takes a systermatic, multifaceted approach to UV protection. Our application of a resin rich, non-woven polyester veil, combined with UV inhibitors and a UV-resistant urethane coating, provide for ultimate extended life.

Shakespeare composite poles are flame resistant in accordance with ASTM D635. Specimens cease to burn before the gage mark of 100 mm (3.9 inches) is reached.

This is a necessary design trade-off because it is more economical to gain strength and stiffness with a diameter increase than by increasing wall thickness.

In our experience, we have not seen a resonant vibration occur on any direct burial light pole. There appears to be an interaction between the soil and the pole that effectively damps vibrations. For anchor base poles we have performed an evaluation to compare the damping coefficient of the composite pole to a similar steel pole. Our results show a higher damping coefficient for the FRC, which means that any vibration forces are dissipated more readily by the composite pole.

Based on our experience and testing, it appears that the composite poles would indeed act to damp vibrations induced by a conductor which has gone into resonance. Even so, vibrating conductors should be treated the same as when mounted on wood poles.

Yes. Composite poles can be rigged on the ground to the same extent as a corresponding wood pole. The only noticeable difference will be that the center of gravity for the assembly will be much higher up the pole than for wood.

Pole strength data shows that the FRC pole will behave basically the same as the wood pole during lifting and installation except, of course, the composite pole is much lighter.

Testing performed by Shakespeare has led to a recommended torque of 50 ft.-lbs. We have been told by contacts in the utility industry that this is about the amount that a lineman on the pole can apply with a typical wrench anyway. You may be aware that early prototypes were not suitable for more than 35 ft.-lbs. Please note that this issue has been addressed and resolved.

Early testing of bolt tightening used short pieces of pole, which did not exhibit the full circumferential strength of the pole. Torque tests have been rerun up to 150 ft-lbs. Of course, at this torque the cross section of the pole is severely distorted, but there was no structural damage to the pole.

Based on deformation of the pole, we now recommend a maximum torque for 5/8" bolts of 50 ft-lbs. At this torque there is no visually discernible deformation of the pole. This distortion can be used by the linemen as an indicator of bolt torque.

No. Bolts will remain tight due to the resiliency of the fiberglass. When the bolt is tightened, the area around the bolt will be deflected slightly. This deflection will not become permanent over time, so the pole will exert constant force on the bolt, keeping it tight. Many years of experience with through-bolted luminaire support arms on lighting poles backs this up. In our experience, loosening of the bolts has never been reported.

FRC poles are not subject to the moisture-driven swelling/shrinking cycles that are typical of wood. This is the primary reason for loose bolts in wood poles.

Structural attachments must be made with through bolts. All bolts must use standard square curved washers as are currently used with wood poles. Crossarms must be mounted using a separate gain, or must have the gain incorporated into the arm design.

A gain cannot be cut into the face of the pole as with wood. This separate gain should not have the spikes on the pole side. Down guy attachments with the spikes will work, but deleting the spikes is preferred.

Composite poles are manufactured from environmentally friendly materials. There are no toxic preservatives to bleed into the soil or water around the pole. Since they are classified as safe, disposal of a composite pole is easier than a wood pole, which is now classified as hazardous waste in some areas. We can go you one better than that. Shakespeare will take back destroyed poles and recycle them.

No. In decades of experience with FRC lighting poles, we haven't found a woodpecker in one yet.

Shakespeare takes a systermatic, multifaceted approach to UV protection. Our poles have UV inhibitors formulated into the resins, combined with other measures and a UV-resistant urethane coating, provide for ultimate extended life.

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Yes. Our customers have thousands of them installed in the field. Of course, we like to see composite crossarms on composite poles, but they work just as well with any other poles, including laminated wood, wood poles, and metal poles of all descriptions.

Three ways: Ultraviolet inhibitors are formulated into the resin during manufacture. The crossarms outer shell is covered with a polyester veil that provides a resin-rich surface to control blooming. And the finished product is coated with a UV-protective urethane coating that provides excellent UV resistance. Product performance is verified by extensive accelerated testing.

Yes. Drill a few holes with standard tools brace and bit, etc. For many holes, an electric or hydraulic drill with a carbide tip is suggested.

No. NETRACC (SEI) electrical testing verifies that water will not permeate the closed cell foam.

Yes. Ground wires may be attached with clips using #10 sheet metal or self-tapping screws. The clips are available from many suppliers.

Experience and accelerated testing show a minimum life of 40 years, after which the product may show some visual effects of aging but retain a very high percentage of its strength.

None. The Lewtex® crossarm was designed to be used with existing inventories of hardware without any modifications.

Length is limited only by shipping practicalities, and the crossarms are available in a palette of three standard colors. Any color can be matched. Gray is standard.

Tests have not been able to produce a fatigue failure in composite utility products. This is one of the strengths of composites, hence their use in bridges, helicopter rotors, and gratings applications where resistance to repeated flexing is critical.

Fiberglass reinforced composites have been used successfully in industrial applications requiring wide temperature variations. The smooth, strong surface provides no place for thawing ice to invade. Indeed, composites get stronger in cold weather.

Published technical data show that significant hydrolyzing occurs only when the exposed edge is submerged. Natural exposure to environmental conditions has only minimal effect on the laminate.

Shakespeare takes a systermatic, multifaceted approach to UV protection. Our poles have UV inhibitors formulated into the resins, combined with other measures and a UV-resistant urethane coating, provide for ultimate extended life.

Shakespeare composite poles are flame resistant in accordance with ASTM D635. Specimens cease to burn before the gage mark of 100 mm (3.9 inches) is reached.

Composite poles are manufactured from environmentally friendly materials. There are no toxic preservatives to bleed into the soil or water around the pole. Since they are classified as safe, disposal of a composite pole is easier than a wood pole, which is now classified as hazardous waste in some areas. We can go you one better than that. Shakespeare will take back destroyed poles and recycle them.

No. In decades of experience with FRC lighting poles, we haven't found a woodpecker in one yet.

Yes. The foam works equally well on fiberglass, wood, metal, or concrete poles.

We recommend wearing gloves and protective glasses when mixing the chemicals. Gloves are provided with 1-gallon, 2- gallon, 3-gallon, and 5-gallon kits.

Yes. As with all chemical processes, low temperatures will slow the reaction.

We recommend raising the temperature of the chemicals above 50° F. prior to mixing by simply storing kits in the cab of the truck before using.

No. We formulate PoleCrete™ Stabilizer with ingredients that are not affected by freezing.

If freezing occurs, we recommend bringing the chemicals to liquid state by raising the temperature. Then, simply tumble the containers prior to mixing.

Yes. The bottom of the hole stays 55°-58° (F.) year round. PoleCrete™ Stabilizer is formulated to react at this temperature.

We recommend drilling the hole just prior to setting the pole. If this is not possible, cover the hole with a tarp to prevent wind, snow, or rain from blowing in until you are ready to set the pole.

If the hole is left uncovered and freezes, you can still use the foam. Simply put a fire in the hole to warm it. Light a kerosene-soaked rag and throw it in the hole. When the fire goes out, set the pole in, plumb it, mix the PoleCrete Stabilizer, and pour the mixture in the hole.

In ten minutes the foam is hard enough to hold the pole, so you can move to the next pole. Springtime revisits are not needed.

No. We recommend pumping water from the hole prior to foaming. A damp hole will not adversely affect foam.

No. The amount of buoyancy the foam gives to the pole is as negligible as the amount of flotation tires give to an automobile in a lake.

No. We recommend always using a drill to insure thorough blending, proper expansion, and maximum strength.

No. We do not add "extenders" to our product because they adversely affect results. Consequently, daily mixing of either of the components is not necessary.

Also, because we use only top quality ingredients, we guarantee shelf life for 12 months.

No. It is not only not affected by acids, it also keeps the preservatives in wood poles from leaving the poles.

If you set new wood poles in foam, you can expect them to last longer. Utility companies have reported virtually no ground line decay on poles set with foam.

Yes. This is why companies have used foam to counteract wind uplift on H-frame structures.

Poles can be removed by drilling one or two holes next to them and rocking them back and forth. The foam will stay on the pole and can be removed with a shovel or saw.

However, by leaving the foam on wood poles that are to be reset, and setting them in new holes with additional PoleCrete™ Stabilizer, the preservatives will remain in the pole, and a much longer pole life should result.

Probably not. Since a leaning pole is under load from conductors, it is advisable to hold the pole straight for 15 minutes before releasing it.

Unlike straightening a pole using conventional backfill materials (earth, rock riprap), which often requires several trips due to compression, you only have to perform the job once with PoleCrete™ Stabilizer.

Yes. However, never pour more PoleCrete™ Stabilizer on foam while it is rising.

We recommend waiting five minutes between pours.