Field · Stake-out

Stake-out: carrying design coordinates safely to the ground

10 min read June 10, 2026

Surveying brings the ground into the project. Stake-out brings the project back to the ground. The CAD point becomes a stake, paint mark, nail or machine-readable mark on site.

Field takeaways

Stake-out means reaching the design coordinate within tolerance.
Use delta E/N or forward/back/left/right guidance; a phone compass alone is not enough for precise work.
Do not set critical points before checking control and CRS.
RTK is fast under open sky; total station can be stronger in obstructed or indoor sites.
Mark, photograph and report the staked point.

The reverse of surveying

In surveying you find the coordinate of a field point. In stake-out you find a known design coordinate on the ground. The design file, CRS, control point, navigation and physical mark all have to agree.

Tolerance is the job language

A fence, building axis, anchor bolt and road elevation do not share the same tolerance. Get horizontal and vertical tolerances written before field work starts.

RTK or total station?

RTK is fast under open sky. Total station is often stronger near buildings, indoors or under obstruction. Complex jobs often use both: GNSS for broad control, total station for precise detail.

In the field · MapLab Survey

Measure, check and deliver in the right format.

MapLab Survey is a mobile field app for RTK/GNSS points, drawings, area/volume calculations, coordinate conversion and export to DXF, KML/KMZ, GeoJSON and CSV. Capture, calculation and export can work offline; live NTRIP corrections and online basemaps need connectivity.

Get MapLab Survey

Frequently asked questions

What is stake-out?

Marking a design coordinate on the ground within tolerance.

Is RTK enough?

Under open sky with control checks it can be; obstructed sites may need total station.

What is delta E/N?

The east/north difference from your current position to the target.

What should a report include?

Point name, coordinate, date, crew, tolerance, method, photo and control note.

Technical references

The field guidance in this article is aligned with the technical and official references below.