Driven-Post vs Ballasted Ground Mounts - A Plain-English Comparison
Last verified: September 2026
Should your array be anchored into the earth on driven posts, or weighed down on top of it with ballast? Here's the honest head-to-head, and why your own ground usually makes the call. No numbers guessed. Questions? Call (330) 200-8042.
Anchored In, or Weighed Down?
There are two broad ways to keep a ground array planted. Driven posts are steel posts pushed straight into the soil by a machine — fast, light on concrete, and common wherever the ground is firm and drivable. Ballast instead rests the frame on top and holds it down with heavy weight, so nothing goes into the ground at all — the answer where there's shallow rock, a high water table, a utility easement, or capped ground you mustn't disturb. Ballast asks for a bigger footprint and more material in return. This isn't a matter of taste: your soil, water, and site usually decide, and a good installer lets the ground lead. It's always a licensed, permitted, professional job, and no numbers or loads are guessed here. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 What's the difference between driven posts and ballast?
Driven posts anchor the array by driving steel down into the soil. Ballast holds it down with heavy weight on the surface, with no digging at all. One goes into the ground; the other rests on top of it.
2 When is ballast used instead of driven posts?
Whenever you can't or shouldn't dig — shallow bedrock, a high water table, a utility easement, or capped ground that must not be disturbed. Ballast lets you put an array on sites where a driven post is simply a non-starter.
3 Are driven posts cheaper?
Often, where the ground suits them — they use less material and quicker labor than ballast, which needs more weight and a bigger footprint. But on ground you can't dig into, ballast isn't the pricey option; it's the only one that works. A real quote is the only honest number.
4 How do I know which one my site needs?
Your ground usually decides — and a soil check settles any doubt. Firm, drivable soil points to driven posts; rock, high water, or an easement points to ballast. It's a fit to your site, not a preference you pick.
5 Can I install either one myself?
No, and please don't. Both are engineered, permitted jobs — driving posts means heavy machinery and buried-utility hazards; ballast means serious weight and careful engineering. Always call 811 before any digging. Your role is to understand and evaluate it, not to build it.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
If one installer quotes driven posts and another quotes ballast, that difference usually comes down to your ground — and it's a great thing to understand before you sign. I'll walk you through both proposals in plain English with nothing to sell you. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).