Easily attach a flag to a flagpole with these tips

If you’re going to display a flag outside your home or business properly, you need to attach it to a flagpole. There are different kinds of flagpoles that serve various settings and purposes. Each type of flagpole requires different hardware to fly flags. Knowing your way around your flagpole makes installing and flying your flag easier. Learn how to easily attach a flag to a flagpole with these tips.

Using Building-Mounted Flagpoles

One common way to display a flag is with a building-mounted flagpole. These attach to the side of a building at a 45-degree angle. Building-mounted flagpoles are particularly popular outside of homes.

There are a few things to keep in mind when using building-mounted flagpoles:

With the correct hardware on hand, attaching your flag to the pole is easy. Your flagpole should come with plastic rings that slide onto the pole. Slide one ring onto the top part of the flagpole, screw the top grommet of your flag onto the ring, then repeat the process with the second ring and the bottom grommet.

Using In-Ground Flagpoles

Another option is a sturdy in-ground flagpole. Residential and commercial properties can both use in-ground flagpoles to fly their flags. Because of their height, in-ground flagpoles use a halyard system to raise and lower the flag. You can have either an external halyard with ropes that you can manage outside of the flagpole or an internal halyard with ropes within the flagpole to prevent damage.

Both internal and external halyards operate in the same way. The halyard consists of durable braided rope on a pulley system that allows you to raise and lower the flag. The flag attaches with swivel snap hooks.

First, measure the distance between the grommets of your flag, so you know how far apart your snap hooks should be. Attach the snap hooks by threading the rope through the eye, then over the top of the hook. Pull the rope taut to secure the hook. Once your snap hooks are in place, clip your flag to the rope and use the halyard to raise it.

Make Attaching Your Flag Easy

Learning how to attach your flag to the pole is a matter of understanding what kind of flagpole you have and what hardware you need. One of the best tips for easily attaching a flag to a flagpole is to purchase a flagpole kit. Flagpole kits come with all the hardware you need to easily install the pole and fly your flag.

Make displaying your flag easy when you shop the commercial flagpole kits at Flags USA. From our flags to the hardware necessary to fly them— all our products are made right here in the United States. Visit us today to find the quality products you need to display your flag and make your business look great.

How to design a custom flag for your business

Business flags are tried-and-true marketing solutions. Whether you’re turning attention to your commercial property or attracting passersby at a fair or trade show, there’s no denying the power of a well-crafted custom flag.

As with any form of advertising, the success of your custom flag revolves around its design. Creative branding, clear layouts, and smart color usage are just a few of the qualities to keep in mind when making your custom business flag. Learn more about how to design a custom flag for your business with these tips and guidelines.

The Advantages of a Well-Designed Flag

There are many reasons to invest in a well-designed custom flag for your business. Though flags are more traditional forms of marketing, they still hold their own among digital marketing methods, email campaigns, and other forms of modern advertisement.

A major reason for this is that flags are a one-time investment that can continue to serve you across many years and events. This is especially true if you create a more general design that isn’t specific to any single purpose. Displaying your business flag on your commercial property, at trade shows, during community events, and more allows you to make the most of your design over the years.

Consistent branding is another advantage of custom flags. A flag that flies outside your business is on display every hour of every day. Flags create an ongoing promotional opportunity that targets anyone who passes by your business.

Define Your Flag’s Purpose

Your flag’s design depends on what you want to use it for. Will your custom flag fly permanently outside your storefront? Are you creating a design to capture attention at a trade show? Would you like to promote your brand at community events? By clearly defining the purpose of your flag, you can create an effective design that fulfills those goals.

For example, if you want to promote your business at a trade show, you can use a flag that targets other industry members rather than your typical consumers. Alternatively, if you want a flag that you can use at many different events, keep the design more general so that you can use it again and again. Your business name and logo are great for promoting yourself without tying your flag to a specific event.

Choose Your Type of Flag

Custom flags come in various shapes and sizes. Again, knowing your flag’s purpose will help you determine what type of flag is right for you. Banners and flutter flags are great for capturing attention at events or other locations beyond your commercial property. Taller flags like blade banners or teardrop banners are perfect for standing out among big crowds. You can also create miniature flags to hand out as merch at various events.

The type of flag you choose will determine the size and spacing of your design. For example, tall banners call for a more vertical design that fits within their shape. You’ll also want to create a more simplistic and straightforward design so that people can understand it from far away. Miniature flags, on the other hand, can be more detailed since viewers will be closer to them.

Single or Double Sided?

Another detail to decide is whether your flag should be single or double sided. Single-sided flags only show your design on one side. As a result, it gets mirrored on the reverse side. Single-sided flags work well for more simplistic or symmetrical designs that passersby can still recognize when reversed. This option also works if people will mostly see your flag from one side.

If you have a more complicated design or have more text in it, then a double-sided flag might be the better option for you. Double-sided flags have the design printed on both sides so that you see the same image from every angle. This option suits complex patterns or flags that passersby will view from multiple sides.

Keep Text Clear and Concise

Your flag is a way to share your business’s message or purpose. While you want your flag to be informative, take care not to make the design too crowded or complex. Too much text muddles the image and makes it hard to read. Big, bold lettering is easy to see over long distances and can display a clear and concise message for passersby. Think of short phrases, such as a business motto or tagline, that can promote who you are and what you do without taking up too much room.

Choose Your Font Wisely

Font choice is an essential part of how to design a custom flag for your business. Don’t feel tempted by fancy fonts that have lots of flair and intricacy. While these can be attractive up close, they won’t be legible from far away. Instead, go with classic or modern fonts that feature clear, straight lines. Avoid combining fonts, too. Using a single font gives your design a uniform look that’s easy to read and pleasing to the eye.

Prioritize Good Color Combinations

Poor color usage can make your design hard to look at. If your font color doesn’t stand out from your background colors, no one will be able to read it from a distance. Moreover, overly bright or aggressive colors can create eye strain and make your design unappealing to people who see it.

Create an effective and attractive design by paying attention to your color combinations. Use dark fonts on light backgrounds, or vice versa, to make your text clear and legible. You should also incorporate colors from your branding to create a professional and uniform look that aligns with the rest of your business imagery. Finally, make sure the colors of your design match the atmosphere of the event where you’ll fly your flag. For example, avoid using bright neon colors at a serious and formal business event.

Choose a Quality Supplier

The right supplier makes all the difference. When you purchase your custom business flag, choose a reliable partner that can meet your needs and deliver high-quality results. Flags USA sells custom-made flags in a versatile range of shapes and styles. We print all our custom flags in full color with zero set-up charges. Make a decision you can count on by choosing the custom flags at Flags USA.

How to design a custom flag for your business

On a rainy November night, crowds filled a downtown theater, eagerly anticipating a Veteran’s Day symphony concert. They were not disappointed. The evening began with a color guard from a nearby Air Force base. The audience was hushed as the Guard, dressed in pristine uniforms, moved as one through a series of precision steps to present their flags. After standing motionless as the orchestra played the national anthem, they repeated their steps before retreating from the stage. It was an impressive yet mysterious display.

It was a vivid contrast with the color guard reappearance at the concert’s end when the orchestra performed Henry Mancini’s arrangement of The Armed Forces Medley. Mancini, an Air Force veteran who composed music for 100s of movies, was a master at building climax. Thus, his medley introduces each armed forces branch in inverse order of precedence. As the orchestra began playing, an announcer called out “Coast Guard,” and its organization’s flag was presented. Coast Guard veterans who stood up to sing their theme song dotted the theater. The pattern repeated as each Armed Forces branch – Air Force, Navy, Marines, and lastly, the Army – was honored. The veterans and audience cheers became increasingly enthusiastic as the orchestra transitioned into each service branch theme song. The evening was a rousing success. 

The Top Rule for Flying Military Flags

Order of precedence. It’s the number one rule of US military flag etiquette. Displaying the United States Military colors or flags is a solemn act that must be done with intention. Just as basic protocols surround the American flag, there are rules for flying military flags. Follow this guide for displaying US military flags to be confident your flag display shows the armed forces the respect and honor they deserve. After all, you don’t want to offend the military personnel you intended to honor.

If you plan to display one military flag, treat it with the same respect as the national flag. However, it’s essential to know the correct order when displaying multiple flags. The first step is to consider the direction from which people are most likely to view your display. From this position, the flags must fly in the correct sequence from left to right.

When displaying multiple military flags, the founding date of each military branch generally determines the order of precedence. However, there are a couple of exceptions — more on that later.  

Military Flags in Order of Precedence

  1. Army flag
  2. Marine Corps flag
  3. Navy flag
  4. Air Force flag
  5. Space Force flag
  6. Coast Guard flag — fly in the sixth position during peacetime

The Founding of Each Armed Forces Branch

The United States Army:

The US Army is the oldest and most senior branch of the American armed forces. It was founded by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, with George Washington as its commander. Its purpose? A unified force to defend the colonies in the Revolutionary War against Britain. The Army’s flag always goes first.

The United States Marine Corps:

Founded on November 10, 1775, the Marines were initially tasked with defending American naval ships but quickly proved invaluable in amphibian warfare. Although the Department of the Navy has governed the Corps most of its history, the Marine Corps flag is second in order of precedence.

The United States Navy:

The Navy was the last of the three branches formed during the American Revolutionary War. Like the Marines, the Department of the Navy administers the Navy, and the two are considered co-equal sister services. The Continental Navy was established on October 13, 1775, just three days after the Marine Corps. For this reason, the Navy’s flag is displayed third in the line of military flags.

The United States Air Force:

For over 170 years, the Army, Marines, and Navy comprised 100% of the American Armed Forces. But 20th-century technology demanded a new type of fighting force that attacked from the sky. Combat planes were introduced on August 1, 1907, as part of the United States Army Signal Corp. The US Air Force wasn’t commissioned as an independent armed forces branch until September 18, 1947, with the passage of the National Defense Act. Since then, the USAF flag has been in fourth position in military flag displays.

The United States Space Force:

Just as the invention of the plane gave birth to the Air Force, the proliferation of space technology presented a need for defensive weapons literally out of this world. The Space Force was founded on December 20, 2019, under the command of the Department of the Air Force. Since then, the Space Force flag has occupied fifth position in the Armed Forces order of precedence.  

The United States Coast Guard:

The earliest version of the Coast Guard was formed on August 4, 1790, and was known as the Revenue Marine. Later, in January, 1915, the Revenue Marine was merged with the US Life-Saving Service to become the Coast Guard. So why does the Coast Guard flag take the last position in a lineup of military flags? Or does it?

The Coast Guard Exception

Now, about those exceptions I mentioned earlier. The Coast Guard doesn’t follow the flag order’s date-of-creation rule. The reason is simple. The organization wasn’t founded to defend the nation. Instead, Alexander Hamilton created the department to ensure all merchant vessels paid any tariffs due. In other words, its mission was to nab tax evaders. As a result, the Coast Guard doesn’t report to the Department of Defense during peacetime. Throughout its history, it has been under the jurisdiction of various civilian organizations, including the Department of the Treasury (1790-1967), the Department of Transportation (1967-2003), and the Department of Homeland Security (2003-present).

However, during wartime, the Coast Guard transitions to the Department of Defense under the command of the Navy. When this happens, the military flag precedence order changes as well. During wartime, the Coast Guard flag is displayed fourth in the line of military flags after the Navy and before the Air Force.

Flying With Other Flags

Additional rules apply when you fly US military flags with other flags. As always, the American flag takes precedence in any flag display, flying in the first or leftmost position. If you’re flying a state flag, that should be in the second position. The flags of the different US military branches would be next, followed by the POW/MIA flag if included. If you have a center flagpole taller than the others, the Stars and Stripes should fly above the rest, and all other flags shift left.

At Flags USA, we know that displaying one or more US military flags is a solemn, respectful action. Shop our selection of military flags for high-quality, long-lasting, 100-percent USA-made flags. Then use this quick guide to ensure your US military flags are in the correct order and show your support for the United States Armed Forces.

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