Are you a patriot? Like many Americans who love their country, you no doubt want a flag pole for your front garden. This enables you to salute it and raise it on days of national importance like Independence Day. It’s a sign of respect as much as anything else.
But what kind of flag pole should you get? Installing a flagpole can be a lot of work. You don’t want to install a flagpole that will take ages to lift.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to install a flagpole.
Decide on Your Material
The first step to installing a flagpole depends on the material of the flagpole you have purchased.
Your choice of material will determine how heavy the flagpole is and many different materials will require different techniques to install. Here are some types of flagpoles that you can choose from.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass poles are available in many different colors meaning you can dispense with painting them. What’s great about them also is that they are often coated in UV-resistant paint.
This means they won’t fade over time due to the sun’s powerful rays. If you live in the golden state of California or a hot state like Texas this can be a Godsend.
Be sure to check that your fiberglass fibers run vertically and not horizontally. Horizontal fiberglass fibers can cause long-term damage to your pole and you might need to replace it sooner.
One of the downsides of fiberglass is that you might the act of lowering the flagpole itself difficult.
Telescoping Aluminum
The great thing about telescoping flagpoles is that they have buttons to make it easy to actually put the pole up. It can be done in a minute or two rather than 20 minutes.
The downside to telescoping aluminum poles, however, is they are not as aesthetically pleasing to the outside world.
Normal Aluminum
Normal aluminum is very durable and often has a clad finish. There’s no need for any extra contraption to set it up.
But this type of flag pole is still more tricky to set up than telescoping aluminum as you have to manually raise the flat without the use of buttons.
Where Will You Put It?
A flagpole is important but you need to figure out where you are going to raise it before you put it up.
Failure to ask these questions can land you in trouble or even in court, as the former President Donald Trump, found out when he tried to put up a flagpole at his Scottish golf course, though he claimed victory.
Apartment Buildings or Small Houses
If you live in a small house or apartment with not much space then you might need to get creative. Can you raise it from your roof?
Could you ask your neighbors in your apartment if you all contribute to the costs of the flag for your apartment building and agree on its location.
This might take some planning and a lot of compromise on all sides; be prepared for some strong opinions and some people who don’t want the flag to fly. Rememebr to keep your cool.
Big Houses
If you live in a big house then your life will be a little bit easier. A big driveway with a perfectly trimmed lawn is the stereotypical place to raise a big flagpole.
But you could also have one in your backgarden. Your neighbors and people passing by won’t see this one. However, you can have private ceremonies with your friends and family.
Remember that if you do decide to go for the back garden then you are going to need to liaise with your neighbors in case the flagpole obstructs their view.
If you own a commercial property then you might also want to invest in a commercial flag pole for your business.
Dig a Foundation
After deciding on a location for your flagpole you next need to decide on how to go about building a foundation.
The day before you install your flagpole dig a hole in the garden with a simple spade and shovel.
The hole specifications will vary depending on the type of pole you’ve got and how big it is. Flagpole installation is not an exact science. However, as a rough guide, it should be about 30 inches deep and 24 inches in diameter.
Create Your Anchor
After filling your hole with a suitable amount of concrete and letting it dry you next need to go about creating an anchor.
This is a contraption that allows your flagpole to sit on top of the concrete safely and keeps it in place even when there is a lot of wind.
Then the following day install your flagpole into the anchor and fill the hole full of concrete again, taking the necessary precautions for the ground in your home to ensure the foundations don’t crack after pouring the concrete.
Don’t Forget the Finial
The finial is the most important part of the flagpole, it’s the golden part that sits at the top of the flag. Make sure this is screwed in tightly and properly attached to the pole.
If you do forget about this you could install it after the installation of the flagpole itself by climbing up a ladder. But be careful that your ladder is tall enough and properly secured.
After you’ve done this you’re now ready to learn how to fly a flag for all the world to see.
Installing a Flagpole is Easy If You Plan
Installing a flagpole is a great thing for every American to do. We should all be proud of the country we live in and we all want to fly the flag to show unity with our fallen soldiers and fellow countrymen.
But installing one can be difficult if you don’t know-how. Thankfully by following easy steps like thinking carefully about the material you use and installing the flagpole with concrete you can rest easy and fly your flag right.
If you are interested in learning more about the types of flagpoles and how to install a flagpole be sure to check out the rest of our site.
