On this page 8 sections
Hanging a banner goes wrong in three ways: it flaps, it sags, or an eyelet tears out. All three have the same cure, which is corners first, even tension along every edge, and a fixing that suits the surface. With a helper, a bag of cable ties and some side cutters, a 6 ft × 3 ft (1829 × 914 mm) banner on railings is usually up in well under half an hour. Below: why each problem happens, the method step by step, and the right fixing for each spot.
Why banners flap, sag and tear #
- Flapping means some eyelets are not tied, usually along the bottom. A banner held only at the top turns into a sail.
- Sagging means the middle was tied before the corners, or the fixings have stretched. Bungees and wet rope both give a little over time.
- Tearing means too much load in one place: ties pulled drum tight, or a solid banner on a windy, open fence. The eyelet takes all the strain and the corner splits.
Keep those three in mind and every step below makes sense.
Before you start #
Tearing is mostly decided when you order. PVC banners come with a choice of plastic or metal eyelets, optional hemmed edges, and a bag or two of cable ties if you want them in the box. If the banner will live outdoors for longer than a weekend, pick metal eyelets and a hem; the folded edge resists ripping and metal rings grip the material far better when the wind pulls. Material still undecided? Start with PVC or mesh.
Next, judge the anchor. Ask three questions: will it take a pull, do I have permission, and can I reach it without stretching? Street furniture, signposts, trees, rainwater pipes and other people’s fences fail at least one of those unless the owner has agreed. An outdoor banner is also an advertisement under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007; many need no application, but check with the council if you are unsure, especially beside a road. If you have not bought the banner yet, measuring up for a banner shows how to leave room for the ties.
Kit list
- More cable ties than eyelets; a few always snap or ping off. Black ones generally survive sunshine better than clear.
- Snips or side cutters.
- Bungees (ball bungees are handy) for windy spots or a banner that goes up and down each week.
- Cord or rope for a span between two posts.
- A tape, a step ladder if the top edge is above your head, and a friend.
Hanging a banner in eight steps #
- Unroll and inspect. Lay the banner print side up on clean, dry ground. Work out which edge is the top, count the eyelets and look for any that are damaged.
- Offer it up. One person on each top corner, hold it against the railing or wall, then step back to check it is level and at a height people can read.
- Top corners. Tie each top corner eyelet to the rail or fixing, just firmly enough that the banner hangs in place by itself.
- Bottom corners. Tie these next. Four corners fixed first pull the banner square and stop diagonal creases forming.
- Fill in the edges. Tie the rest of the top edge from the centre outwards, then the bottom edge, then the sides. Every eyelet gets a tie; gaps are where flapping starts.
- Even the tension. Aim for flat, not stretched. If you can see the eyelets pulling out of shape, back the ties off a touch.
- Tidy the ties. Snip tails close to the head and turn the heads away from where people walk, so nothing sharp sits at hand or face height.
- Look from the street. Stand where your audience will, across the road or at the car park entrance, and adjust any tie that leaves a ripple.
Choosing a fixing for hanging a banner #
| Fixing | Use it for | Its weak spot |
|---|---|---|
| Cable ties | Railings, fences and site panels; banners left up for weeks | Zero stretch, so a solid banner in wind jerks the eyelets. Always cut to remove. |
| Bungees | Windy railings; event banners up and down often | Give in gusts protects the eyelets, but they loosen. Retighten after a day or two. |
| Rope or cord | Between posts, across a wall, over a stage | Needs sound knots and stretches when wet. Tie the bottom corners down too. |
| Hooks or eye screws | Walls where the banner returns to the same place | Must go into wall plugs, not bare mortar, and only through eyelets. |
Spot by spot #
Railings and fences
Loop ties around an upright bar where you can, rather than only the top rail, so the banner cannot slide sideways. On a long open fence, a mesh banner lets wind through and puts far less load on the ties. Temporary site panels have their own guide: Heras fence banners.
Walls and brickwork
Brick needs proper anchors. Put a plugged hook or eye screw at every corner, then one about each metre across the top, and tie the eyelets to those. The screws go in the wall, never through the PVC. On a rented unit or a listed building, get the landlord’s or council’s agreement before the drill comes out.
Between two posts
Pull a rope taut from post to post and hang the top edge from it. Then anchor the lower corners to the posts or to ground pegs, otherwise the banner will spin and twist on its rope. Spanning a road or a footpath is a council matter, so ask them first.
Indoors
Inside, there is no gust to fight, so light fixings do the job: S-hooks over a suspended ceiling grid, cable ties on a lighting truss, or small hooks on a wall. Halls and venues usually have their own rules, so check what you are allowed to fix to. For indoor jobs, indoor banners on 400gsm PVC-free material hang nice and flat.
Working at height #
For most jobs your feet stay on the ground or on the second step of a small ladder. Stay square on the ladder with your belt buckle between the stiles, and let your helper take the weight of the banner while you tie. Shop fascias, upper floors and anything similar count as work at height and need a proper plan; the HSE’s work at height pages explain the basics. Wherever it goes, it must not hide a road sign or block a driver’s view at a junction.
After the first windy day #
Hanging a banner does not end when the last tie is trimmed. Go back once it has had a proper blow. Swap out broken ties, re-tension any bungee that has gone slack, and study the corners closely. If one is starting to stretch or split, share its load by adding a tie through the next eyelet along, or ease everything off slightly. A solid banner that keeps shaking itself loose on an exposed site is a mesh banner in disguise. If a storm warning is on the way, bring it in: ten minutes with the snips is cheaper than a reprint.
Taking it down for next time #
Cut ties with the jaws of the snips pointing away from the print, so a slip does not scratch it. Dry the banner, brush or sponge off any grime, and roll it with the printed face outwards. Storing PVC banners and washing a PVC banner cover the rest. Unsure what to tie to? Tell us about the spot through the contact form and we will suggest a material and finish.