Your big event is almost here, and setup can begin! By now you’ve likely done your research and secured all the necessary supplies – including the event tent. So how do you ensure your tent is sturdy enough to last through the duration of the event? Here are some best practices regarding how to properly set up an event tent.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
From lifting to balancing to staking it into the ground, setting up an event tent can be a big job, so plan on recruiting at least one additional person to help. Depending on the size and weight of your tent, assembly can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or more. Once you’ve selected your crew and allotted the appropriate amount of time, setup can officially begin.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Before you begin setup, make sure you’ve chosen a location that can accommodate the size of your event tent as well as provide a soft surface for securing your tent to the ground with stakes. Here are a few key things to check:
- Make sure the location includes additional space to allow for pedestrians to walk safely around the perimeter of the event tent.
- Check for soft ground, such as grass or sand, that will allow you to properly secure the tent.
- Ensure the ground is level for keeping the tent straight and stable, and for the safety of your guests.
- Remove any debris or obstacles like rocks and tree branches that could damage the tent or pose mobility and/or safety concerns.
- If the setup area is wet or muddy, consider placing a tarp down first to prevent your canopy from getting dirty while resting on the ground during installation.
Start by gathering all of the necessary materials, including:
- Tent poles and ties
- Canopy
- Metal stakes
- Instruction manual
- Stake driving tool, such as a sledgehammer
- Safety gear (work gloves, safety glasses/goggles, etc.)
Before you begin assembly and installation, lay out the canopy and hardware on the ground and determine where the poles and stakes will need to go. Once you have this decided, use markers to remember where each pole will need to be planted.
TIME TO ASSEMBLE
Using the event tent setup instructions provided, you can begin assembling the tent. This part will be considerably easier (and a lot safer) with multiple people involved. Assembly occurs in three main steps:
- Build the frame.
- Attach the frame to the canopy, making sure the material is pulled evenly over the frame.
- Attach the legs to the frame and stand the tent up.
Lifting the tent off the ground and standing it in place will require elevating all sides of the tent at the same time. Multiple people will therefore be needed for this step, so make sure your setup crew is prepared to lend a hand when the tent is in place and ready to be installed.
KEEP IT GROUNDED
Your event tent could be subject to harsh weather conditions and a lot of foot traffic. By learning how to drive stakes for an event tent, you can secure the tent in place to keep it from moving or falling. Do this by inserting a metal stake through the foot of each tent pole and hammering each stake into the ground. Make sure the area around you is clear before swinging the hammer to secure the stakes. Once the event tent is planted firmly in place, setup is complete.
MAKE IT LAST
Your event tent could be subject to harsh weather conditions and a lot of foot traffic. By learning how to drive stakes for an event tent, you can secure the tent in place to keep it from moving or falling. Do this by inserting a metal stake through the foot of each tent pole and hammering each stake into the ground. Make sure the area around you is clear before swinging the hammer to secure the stakes. Once the event tent is planted firmly in place, setup is complete.
- Grab the center/peak of the canopy to create the first fold.
- Lie the canopy flat on the ground.
- Align the seams.
- Tuck in the corners.
- Fold end-over-end, corner-to-corner.
- Roll up the canopy.
The canopy, tent poles, ground stakes and instruction manual should be stored neatly in a clean and dry place.
MORE THAN A SHOWPIECE
Following the appropriate steps when setting up an event tent is about much more than creating an aesthetically pleasing, protected display area. It’s imperative to ensure the safety of event guests and also necessary to prolong the life of your event tent. Beyond being well-versed in how to set up an event tent, how to drive stakes for an event tent and how to fold an event tent, you’ll want to be sure you’re following the provided instructions closely, assembling enough people to help and giving yourself enough time to do a thorough job. Have more event tent setup questions? Use our website’s online chat option to get more useful tips from our experts.
