Guides

Practical Knowledge

The marquee industry runs on experience. We're building a library of practical guides covering stake selection, installation technique, ground conditions and load distribution — written for people who work in the field, not for spec writers.
Guide — Available Now

The Complete Guide to Marquee Stakes for UK Hire Companies

Everything you need to know about stake selection, ground conditions, installation depth, structure types and accessories — written for UK hire companies and event professionals.

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Guide — Available Now

EN14960 Ground Anchoring: What Your PIPA Inspector Is Looking For

EN14960 requires 163kg of holding force per anchor point — and PIPA inspectors check your stakes on-site. What the standard actually requires, and what it means for your inventory.

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Application Guide

Marquee Stakes for Sailcloth Tents

Stake selection, recommended sizes and ground condition advice for sailcloth marquee installations. How the Hogan heat drawn point makes a difference on high-aesthetic events.

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Application Guide

Tent Stakes for Stretch Tents

How continuous-tension anchoring demands differ from traditional marquees, and why stake quality has a direct impact on the structure's profile throughout the event.

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Application Guide

Marquee Stakes for Clearspan Structures

Baseplate forces, engineering specifications and stake selection for clearspan and frame marquee installations. What makes clearspan anchoring different — and why it matters.

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Application Guide

Tent Pegs for Tipi Tents

Stake sizing, season efficiency and ground condition advice for tipi and giant hat tent operations. How consistent peg quality pays across a high-volume summer season.

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Application Guide

Marquee Stakes for Pole Tents

Traditional pole marquee anchoring — driving angle, perimeter stake counts and why consistent stake quality matters when you're putting in and taking out at pace.

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Guide

UK Ground Types: A Staking Guide for Marquee and Event Professionals

A regional guide to limestone, chalk, clay, compacted showground, saturated ground, and artificial turf, with a quick-reference staking decision table.

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Technical Brief

Marquee Stake Specifications by Structure Type

A structure-by-structure reference for clearspan, pole, stretch, sailcloth, pagoda, tipi, and inflatable anchoring, with practical size guidance.

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Guide

Why Marquee Stakes Bend — and How to Avoid It

A practical look at why standard stakes deform under impact, what the heat drawn point does differently, and what it means for your workflow across a season of events.

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Installation Guide

Tensioning Winches vs Ratchet Straps

How tensioning winches compare to ratchet straps for tension marquee applications — control, repeatability, speed, and when the switch makes financial sense.

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Case Study

The Complete Guide to Marquee Anchoring on Hard Ground

Why hard ground defeats standard stakes, how UK geology changes holding power, and when high alloy steel or alternative anchors become the right answer.

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Guide

Staking for Inflatables: EN 14960 Compliance Explained

A deeper guide for inflatable hire operators covering minimum anchor dimensions, holding force thresholds, PIPA expectations, and ground testing.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions — Marquee Stakes & Tent Stakes

What makes Hogan stakes different from standard marquee stakes?
The main difference is the patented heat drawn point and the high alloy steel used throughout. Standard stakes are typically made from commodity mild steel — they're cheap and adequate in soft ground, but deform quickly under impact in harder ground conditions. Hogan stakes are manufactured from high alloy steel with a heat drawn point that resists deformation and stays straight, job after job. The result is faster installation, easier extraction, and stakes that last significantly longer.
What is the difference between Tiger Stakes and Hogan Stakes?
Tiger Stakes are the competitive-price option in the Hogan family — high alloy steel, the patented heat drawn point, the same manufacturing standards. The full Hogan stake range is the ultra-premium option, developed for the highest-spec installations. We currently stock Tiger Stakes and will be adding the full Hogan range to the UK shortly. If you need the premium range for an upcoming project, get in touch and we'll advise on timelines.
What sizes do you currently stock?
We currently stock Tiger Stakes in five sizes: 30" × 1" (770mm × 26mm), 36" × 1" (920mm × 26mm), 42" × 1.125" (1070mm × 29mm), 48" × 1.125" (1219mm × 29mm), and 60" × 1.125" (1530mm × 29mm). If you need help choosing the right size for your structures and ground conditions, get in touch.
How do I get pricing?
Pricing depends on product, quantity, and your supply relationship. We don't list prices on the site — we'd rather have a proper conversation and give you an accurate quote based on your actual requirements. Use the contact form on any product page or email us directly at hoganuk [at] hoganstakes.co.uk. We'll come back to you promptly.
Do you offer trade or supply chain pricing?
Yes. We work with marquee manufacturers, hire companies, large-scale event operators and supply chain partners across the UK. If you're purchasing for resale or in significant volume, we'd welcome a conversation about how we can work together. Get in touch and we'll discuss the right arrangement for your operation.
Which stake should I use in hard or rocky ground?
Any Hogan or Tiger stake will perform significantly better than standard mild steel stakes in hard ground — that's the core benefit of the heat drawn point. If you're working in particularly challenging ground conditions, get in touch and we can advise on the right combination of stake and accessories.
What are spreader bars and when do I need them?
Spreader bars distribute the load from a single anchor point across multiple stakes. They're used where ground quality is poor, where holding power needs to be significantly increased for a single point, or where the load per stake needs to be reduced to comply with engineering requirements. We stock various configurations — get in touch and we can advise on the right specification for your application.
How deep should marquee stakes be driven?
The correct depth depends on the stake size, ground conditions, and the load the stake is carrying. As a general rule, at least two-thirds of the stake length should be driven below ground. For a 36" stake, that's a minimum of 24" (around 600mm) of penetration in good ground — more in softer or waterlogged conditions where additional depth compensates for reduced lateral resistance. In hard or rocky ground, stakes driven to full depth with a true point will outperform longer stakes driven at a shallower angle. If in doubt about the right combination for a specific installation, get in touch and we'll advise.
What is the difference between marquee stakes and tent pegs?
In the UK marquee industry, "stakes" typically refers to the heavy-duty, large-diameter ground anchors used for professional marquee and tent structures — the kind used by hire companies and event professionals. "Tent pegs" is more commonly used for lighter, general-purpose pegs used with camping and leisure equipment. That said, the terminology varies: many professionals use both terms interchangeably. What matters is the specification — diameter, material, point design and manufacturing quality — not the name. If you're installing marquees professionally, you need proper high alloy stakes, not commodity hardware pegs.
Can I use standard tent pegs for a professional marquee?
Technically, yes — but standard mild steel tent pegs will deform and bend in anything other than soft ground, and they won't give you the holding power or repeatability that professional installations require. In hard ground, clay, or rocky substrate, commodity pegs become a serious liability: they steer off line on the way in, resist extraction, and damage easily. Across a season, the time lost to bent and damaged pegs adds up quickly. Professional marquee operators choose Hogan stakes because the performance difference becomes obvious from the first hard-ground job.
What size marquee stake do I need?
Stake size depends on the structure, the ground conditions, and the load per anchor point. For smaller pole marquees and secondary positions, 30" and 36" are common. For harder ground and higher-load positions, 42", 48", and 60" give more holding power and more embedment margin.
How do I remove marquee stakes from hard ground?
A stake that went in straight comes out straight — that's one of the practical benefits of the Hogan heat drawn point. For extraction in hard or clay ground, we recommend our purpose-built stake removal tool, which significantly reduces the physical effort involved and protects both the stake and the ground from unnecessary damage. Avoid levering bent or deformed stakes — this damages the stake further and makes subsequent extractions harder. If you're regularly spending significant time on extraction, it's worth reviewing your stake selection and considering whether deeper, higher-quality stakes would improve your overall efficiency.
Which marquee stakes are best for stretch tents?
Stretch tents apply significant lateral and vertical loads to each anchor point, so stake quality and penetration matter more than on many traditional structures. For most primary positions, 42", 48", or 60" is the right starting point depending on ground conditions, pole height, and engineering.
In Good Company

75 Years of Manufacturing Experience

Hogan Manufacturing has been making high quality metal products since 1948. That's not just a number — it means the products you're getting have been tested, refined and validated with 75 years of professional manufacturing and material knowledge — across a wide range of ground conditions and climates.

We're building a UK knowledge base to sit alongside that experience — practical, specific, and written for the UK events and marquee industry. If there's something you'd like us to cover, get in touch.

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