Field point marking with stake, paint, nail, photo and coordinate record
Marking a point brings a map target into the physical field. The mark, coordinate and photo should be recorded.
Field takeaways
- Target and marked point should be recorded separately.
- Stake, paint, nail or tape should be photographed.
- Point names should describe the work.
- Precision work needs RTK and control checks.
- MapLab Survey connects marking records to reports and exports.
Choose the mark by how long it must last
Paint is enough for a day, a wooden peg for a few weeks, a nail or permanent marker for a control point. Choosing wrong means measuring again, which costs more than the marker ever did.
The record is the real mark
Every physical mark eventually disappears. If the point is recorded with its coordinate it can be restored; if not, the work starts over. Photograph the mark with something recognisable around it, not just bare ground, because a close-up of soil helps nobody months later.
Write on the marker itself
Label the peg with the point code in a visible colour. Unnumbered markers look identical after a week, and guessing which is which is how errors reach the concrete.
See it in action
MapLab Survey | Professional Mobile GIS, GPS Surveying & Land Measurement App
Visit the YouTube channel ->Try these steps on your own phone.
MapLab Survey handles RTK/GNSS point capture, drawing, area and volume calculations and coordinate conversion, then exports to DXF, KML/KMZ, GeoJSON, Shapefile, GeoPackage, NCZ or CSV. Capture, calculation and export work offline. Live NTRIP corrections and online basemaps need a connection.
Frequently asked questions
How is a field point marked?
Navigate, place a mark, photograph and record notes.
Can phone GPS be used?
For reconnaissance, not precision stake-out.
Why photograph the stake?
For evidence.
Can MapLab Survey keep stakeout records?
Yes.
Technical references
The field guidance in this article is aligned with the technical and official references below.
Related: Stakeout check · Stake-out peg · Coordinate navigation app · MapLab Survey