How Do I Hang Banners Outdoors?

Printed Banners are one of the most popular, every-day, economical and easy-fix advertising mediums. From railings and fences, to walls and frames, banners are incredibly versatile and simple to hang in almost any situation. If you’re looking to advertise an event or promote your business, it’s likely that you’ve considered hanging a banner outside. Whilst this is relatively straightforward, it’s important that this is done correctly to ensure your outdoor banners are secure, able to withstand the elements and most importantly, visible.

In this series, we’ll be focussing on answering the all too familiar question – How do I hang my Banner Outdoors? We’ll take a look at the most common display methods, hanging accessories, applicable surfaces, as-well-as providing you with top tips to maximize the prominence and lifespan of your printed outdoor banner.

Note: We’ll use ‘banners’ as a general term that applies to PVC Banners, Vinyl Banners, 100% Recycled Banners and Mesh Banners.

We’ve broken the hanging methods into two sections for easier navigation – hanging a banner with eyelets and hanging a banner without eyelets. We’ll explain the accessories used, and then go into the best places to hang your banner.

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Your hanging method depends on whether or not your banner has ‘Eyelets’. Eyelets are metal rings, approximately 11-12mm in diameter, inserted along the edges and corners of a banner and designed to make it easier to hang banners. If you simply punched a hole in your banner, it would most likely tear it when it’s hung. Eyelets are designed to reinforce the hole and when done right, allow for hanging outdoor banners without tearing.

WE RECOMMEND SELECTING EYELETS (AT THE VERY MINIMUM) AS A FINISHING FOR ALL BANNERS THAT ARE TO BE HUNG OUTDOORS.

1. CABLE TIES

One of the cheapest and most readily available fixings, cable ties can be used for temporarily displaying your banner on railings and fences (chain link fences are the best for this Cable ties). To hang your outdoor banner using cable ties, simply feed the cable tie through the eyelet and the anchor point of wherever you’re hanging it, then secure it by attaching the ends of the cable tie together. To remove it, simply cut the zip ties.

USE FOR: Cable ties are inflexible; Prolonged exposure to high winds will likely rip out the eyelet from the banner. We therefore recommend using cable ties for casual, one-off or short term outdoor events, e.g. fairs, food truck advertising, grand openings, sales, birthday parties and so forth. Alternatively, choose a Mesh PVC Banner which has tiny holes that allows wind to pass through and is therefore is likely to last much longer outdoors in what we call typical British weather conditions.

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2. BUNGEE HOOKS & BALLS

An elasticated cord, with either a hook or ball on the end, Bungee Cord fixings are excellent for ensuring your banner is taut when displayed. Simply hook one end of the cord through the banner eyelet and slide the other end over an anchor point of your choosing. Make sure there is adequate tension from each bungee to pull the banner evenly across its surface. You should use one bungee per eyelet in your banner. We do not advise using fewer. If you chose to only use bungees in the corners of your banner, too much pressure could be put on the corners and tearing may occur in highly exposed or windy locations.

USE FOR: Unlike Cable ties, Bungees flex in the wind, reducing the likelihood that the eyelets in your banner will tear or rip free. This makes them ideal for hanging and affixing outdoor banners to A-Banner Frames or between poles and posts. They are also a suitable fixing for suspending banners, provided that the anchor is secure.

3. HANGING CLIPS

Hanging clips, commonly referred to as carabiners, are metal loops (usually aluminium) with sprung or screwed gates and often used to allow climbing equipment to be quickly inserted and removed. Whilst more expensive than bungee or cable ties, Carabiners are usually very robust given the nature of their primary use in climbing.

USE FOR: Hanging Clips are good for displaying a banner on a chain link fence, as the carabiners can hook onto the fence and through the metal eyelets of your outdoor advertising banner.

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4. NYLON ROPE

Nylon rope is one of the most common ways to hang banners, regardless of whether your advertising banner has eyelets or not. Simply loop through the metal eyelet or feed through your pole pocket to secure your banner to your chosen anchor point and or object. Metal chains, fishing line and other similarly durable materials can also be used in place of rope but we find rope to be the best of this type of hanging accessories.

USE FOR: Securing outdoor banners to posts, fences and for suspending them from ceilings of overhangs.

 

5. SCREW AND WASHER

Best for hanging your banner directly onto a wall or traditional fence, this semi-permanent wall fixing requires you to drill into the wall using a masonry drill-bit. We recommend using washers with screws so the screws will fit through the grommet, with the washer providing the stability needed to secure it in place. To do this, firstly measure the distance between the eyelets, then drill holes in the wall and screw the banner onto the wall, remembering to use a washer large enough to cover the hole in the eyelet (which is usually approximately 11mm).

USE FOR: This semi-permanent wall-fixing is ideal for hanging your banner on a brick wall or similar surface.

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6. HOOK SCREWS AND BUNGEES

Another option is to use hook screws and attach the banner to the hook using bungee ties. The advantage of this method over the semi-permanent ‘Screw and Washer’ method above, is that it enables you to replace your banner graphic without the need to screw it in each time.

USE FOR: Hanging an outdoor banner directly onto a wall.

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The truth of the matter is, whilst there are lots of ways to hang a banner with eyelets outdoors, there are few ways to do it without. However, we’ll outline a couple of alternative solutions for those who have or wish to purchase banners without eyelets.

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1. VELCRO AND DOUBLE SIDED TAPE

Velcro Strips and Double-sided Tape can be included to attach to the back of your banner. The strips come in two parts; one part adheres to the surface you want to attach your banner to and the other adheres to the back of the banner itselfVelcro is especially convenient if you want to continually swap out banners in the same display position or if you want a banner without grommets around the edges.

USE FOR: Displaying your banner on or wrapped around a surface. Whilst this method can be used outdoors, it probably won’t stand up to the elements and stay securely in place. This method is probably best suited to hanging your banner on walls indoors.

2. POLE POCKETS

A pole pocket is when the banner is folded over on itself, sewn and/or welded to create a pocket that’s open on one or both ends. The purpose of a pole pocket is so that the banner can slide over a pole or for a cable and/or rope to be threaded through, so that the banner can be hung. Pole pockets are also useful if you wish to add tension by weighing your banner down. Pole pockets can be created to fit a 2-inch scaffolding tube into the bottom of the banner, providing the weight and tension, reducing creases and giving the banner a perfectly taut appearance.

USE FOR: Hanging banners without eyelets between poles or suspended from an anchor via a rope threaded through the top pole pocket and a weighted tube in the bottom pole pocket.

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We can print banners on rolls up to 3-metres-wide, giving you super-wide opportunities for your Branding, Promotion and/or Advertising. That means you can order Banners 3000mm wide x any height, or 3000mm high x any width. From heavy and lightweight to blockout, mesh and fire-rated materials, we offer a range of Banners to suit all budgets and applications. All of our Outdoor Banners are weatherproof and have been tested to guarantee weather and fade resistance.

Choose from a range of finishing options, including welded and re-inforced hems, eyelets and pole pockets for suspending or hanging Banners.

Looking for highly skilled and experienced installers?

Our Certified Install Team can provide a nationwide installation service for Banners, Signage and Graphics.

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