footing can have a circular or rectangular top and a circular base the sides are downwardly tapered thereby forming a conical shape if the shape is viewed as a cone or pyramid then the top portion is truncated thereby forming a frustrum of a cone or pyramid the top serves as a support surface for a post the top surface can be curved thereby forming a dome like structure the dimensions of the footing are such that the ratio of the surface area of the top to the bottom is on the order of from about 1 1 3 to about 1 8 3 the top surface is substantially parallel to the bottom surface and the angle between the side surface and a line perpendicular to the top surface is at least about 20 degrees that is the footing is conical or pyramidal in shape with a truncated top the height of the footing is from about three to about six inches and the ratio of the square root of the surface area of the bottom surface is on the order of from about 1 2 to about 1 5 application_number US 90896792 A description fig1 illustrates the frustroconical footing 10 positioned in the hole 22 however they can be used above ground as well the average sizes of the instant footings easily fit into a hole dug by.