How to Anchor a Marquee on Concrete or Pavers
Written by the Brisbane Marquee Sales team · Last updated August 2026
Ground pegs do not work on concrete or pavers, so a marquee on a hard surface has to be held down by weight and straps instead. Plan on roughly 15–20kg of ballast per leg for general use, more on exposed sites, and weight every upright, not just the four corners.
The short version
- Pegs are useless here. On a slab a peg skates, bends or chips the surface.
- Weight is your main anchor. Sandbags, fillable water weights or cast iron plates, on every leg.
- Straps are your second. Ratchet straps to a solid fixed point stop the frame walking.
- Drilling is strongest, and often not allowed. Fine on a slab you own, off the table on rented, strata or council ground.
- Nothing is safe in severe wind. Storm forecast, take it down. This guide is hard surfaces only; for wind technique generally read how to weigh down a gazebo or marquee in wind.
Why pegs fail on concrete and pavers
A peg holds by friction against packed soil. Concrete gives it nothing to bite, so the tip slides or snaps. Pavers are worse than they look: drive a peg down a gap and you are anchoring into a loose sand bed that shifts under load, and you will probably crack the paver. The job changes from pinning down to holding down.
Anchoring methods compared
| Method | Holding power | Safe on the surface? | Rough cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground pegs | None | No, chips concrete, cracks pavers | Supplied with most marquees | Grass and soil only |
| Sandbags / leg weights | Good | Yes, no marks | Low | Backyards, driveways, most events |
| Fillable water weights | Good | Yes, no marks | Low to mid | Events you drive to, fill on site |
| Cast iron leg plates | Very good | Yes, sit them on a mat | Mid | Repeat use, compact storage |
| Ratchet straps to a fixed point | Very good if the anchor is solid | Yes | Low | Gusty days, on top of weight |
| Drilled expansion or wedge anchors | Highest | No, permanent holes | Low materials, hammer drill needed | A slab you own, longer installs |
We sell marquees, not ballast, so buy weights and anchors from any hardware or event supplier.
How much weight per leg, by size
General industry guidance, not a rating. Always follow the instructions supplied with your marquee, and weight every upright, because the middle legs carry the roof span.
| Marquee | Footprint | Sheltered site | Open or exposed site |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6x3m marquee | 18m² | ~15–20kg per leg | ~20–30kg+ per leg |
| 9x3m marquee | 27m² | ~20kg per leg | ~25–35kg+ per leg |
| 6x6m marquee | 36m² | ~20kg per leg | ~25–35kg+ per leg |
| 10x5m wedding marquee | 50m² | ~25kg per leg | ~30–40kg+ per leg |
A roof is a sail, so a bigger span and less shelter both push you to the top of those ranges. The 3x12m (currently sold out) is open sided with no walls, which lets wind through the sides but does nothing to stop lift under the roof, so do not treat it as the easy one.
Straps and anchor points that hold
A strap is only as strong as whatever it is tied to. Good anchor points: a loaded vehicle, a steel fence post set in concrete, a masonry wall bracket, a heavy planter, or a star picket driven into soil at the edge of the paving. Run the strap from the top corner down and out at about 45 degrees and tension out the slack, no more, because over-tightening pulls a light frame out of square. Never strap to timber palings, colorbond sheet, downpipes or gutters.
Drilling into concrete, and when not to
Expansion or wedge anchors in a sound slab give the strongest hold available. Drill with a masonry bit in a hammer drill, blow the dust out, drive the anchor, then bolt through the base plate, staying well in from the slab edge or you will blow out a corner.
Do not drill if you rent, you are in strata, or it is a shared driveway, council reserve, school, carpark or any site you do not own. Get written permission first, every time. Never drill pavers, they crack and the sand underneath holds nothing. Check for services too, slabs can carry conduit, hydronic pipe or post-tension cable. If any of that gives you pause, use weight and straps. For almost every backyard setup they are genuinely enough.
Wind, and when to pack it down
General guidance, check what your manufacturer states:
- Under about 20 km/h: normal setup, ballast every leg, walls closed if you have them.
- About 20–30 km/h: re-check every strap and weight, and do not leave it unattended.
- About 30–40 km/h: many manufacturers of temporary marquees say stop using it around here. Start packing down.
- Any storm or damaging wind warning: take it down before it arrives, not during.
Safety warning: no amount of ballast makes a marquee safe in severe wind. A frame that lifts becomes a heavy, sharp-edged object moving fast, and people get badly hurt that way. If you are unsure, take it down.
What we recommend
For a driveway, patio or paved courtyard: weight on every leg plus two or three ratchet straps to solid points, and no drilling. Quick, no damage, and it packs away with the marquee. The 6x3m fully enclosed marquee at $249 is the usual backyard starting point, the 9x3m is $349, the fully enclosed 6x6m marquee is $899, and the 10x5m wedding marquee is $1,599. The first three run steel frames; the 10x5m is aluminium, lighter to handle, so take its ballast seriously. Measure your paved area, then size it with the marquee size calculator.
Common questions
Can you peg a marquee into concrete?
No. Pegs need soil to grip, and on concrete they slide, bend or snap while chipping the surface. On hard ground you hold a marquee down with weight and ratchet straps, or bolt it down with drilled expansion anchors if you own the slab.
How much weight do I need per marquee leg on concrete?
As general guidance, about 15–20kg per leg on a sheltered site and 20–40kg+ per leg on an open one. Weight every upright, not just the corners, and follow the instructions supplied with your marquee.
Can I drill into concrete to anchor a marquee?
Yes, on a sound slab you own, using expansion or wedge anchors set well in from the edge. Do not drill on rented, strata, shared, council or commercial property without written permission, never drill into pavers, and check for buried services first.
Do sandbags or water weights work on pavers?
Both work well and leave no marks. Sandbags are cheapest, water weights travel empty so they are easy to transport, and cast iron plates hold the most in the least space. Sit hard plates on a mat so pavers do not chip.
At what wind speed should I take a marquee down?
Many manufacturers of temporary marquees say to stop using them at roughly 30–40 km/h, and you should always take one down ahead of a forecast storm or damaging wind warning. No amount of ballast makes a marquee safe in severe wind.
One more thing, it's yours to keep
Own the marquee and you learn your own site: where the weights go, which post takes a strap, how fast you can pack down when the sky turns. That gets easier every time. Every marquee is available to order, dispatched in about 2 business days, with free delivery Australia-wide.
Questions about anchoring your setup? Email support@brisbanemarqueesales.com.au.
This pairs with the full marquee setup guide and, for windy or exposed sites, weighing down in Australian wind. Once the event is done, cleaning and storing it protects the frame and cover.