Caribe Graphics Banner Installation

Banners aren't meant to last forever. Proper installation is the key to banner survival. Wind is the biggest destroyer of banners.
"Poor installation is the biggest factor in a shortened life of a banner," the experts at Caribe Graphics S.A. DE C.V. in Isla Mujeres Mexico find.

The specific method for selecting material, attachments and installation plans is unique to each client and the client’s individual location, but some general guidelines are helpful

Attachments

Selecting an edge finish and hardware for installation depends on the size and weight of the banner. Exterior banners, typically created from material ranging from 10 to 22 oz., are often finished using folded edges with double-stitched hems or heat welded hems and grommets spaced approximately every .75 meter.

Reinforced corners and nylon webbing in the hem can provide added support

When using ropes for attachment, Caribe Graphics recommends pulling and attaching the ropes horizontally and keeping the tension equal in all four corners.

However, rope isn't the only option. Bungee cords for banner attachment can be a very simple attachment versus rope. When tying ropes, it's hard to get the stress to be even. When the load is uneven, it can blow out the banner. Bungee cords help distribute the stress more evenly across a banner as opposed to rope that can stretch and sometimes come loose. Remember if there's too much slack in a banner attachment, it will beat itself to death.

A larger banner can act like a sail when it catches the wind, and poles or trees holding a large banner in place have snapped under the wind pressure. A 15- to 20-ft. banner shouldn't be attached only by its corners. Webbing or ropes threaded through all of the grommets will help even out the pressure.

Against a wall

Some exterior banners are installed flat against a wall. With this type of banner installation, the material must be pulled tight to minimize the amount of wind that can get behind it. Using all the grommets can offer added strength. Installers can use pin mounts or put washers and screws directly into the building to attach the banner.

For flat wall installation using plastic anchor plugs -- which hold well in brick mortar joints and concrete walls -- with sheet metal screws and fender washers. Please keep in mind that when a installer drills a hole he or she could hit a hollow spot. So keep this in mind and maintain flexibility on mounting options.

If you have a wall site that will have a permanent rotating collection of banners, stainless-steel eyehooks can be installed in the wall. This allows the business owner to easily attach new banners without professional assistance.

Across-street banners

For across-street banners, we suggest running metal cables across the road to attach the banner with snap hooks mounted across the top and bottom of the banner's length. For stability, we recommend also attaching bungee cords in each corner, which attach to poles or buildings on either side of the street.

Most cities have regulations for a banner hung across a street. Often, permanent guide wires are already installed for changing banner installations along a busy street. We recommend professional installation for across-street banners or those in a potentially windy location. For simple, small banners, some can be installed by the business owners armed with instructions.

Pole-installed banners

Pole pockets, which create a space to secure the banner over a rod, can be used for banners on street poles or lamp posts. We recommend a maximum of 50cm x 1m long banners. Instead of rope, pole-installed banners can be attached via brackets on the poles or by fastening bands around the pole.

Interior installation

Interior banners don't have to contend with wind or the weather. These banners are often viewed from a closer distance than exterior banners, so the lettering or printing on the material may be more detailed. Installation influences how the banner is finished after decoration.

Wall mounting can include wood screws through washers and grommets, screw-in anchors, molly bolts or toggle bolts. Additional temporary indoor banners can be installed with a hook-and-loop Velcro® fastener, S-hooks, pole pockets and various banner stand products.

Suction cups attached to grommet holes can be used for quick installation of small, temporary banners on the inside of windows.

Wind and weather

Wind is the enemy of a banner -- it's the primary reason for their demise. As banner size increases, so does potential wind load. Banners transfer wind load through their attachments onto the building or pole, which serves as a compression anchor.

High winds can destroy even a well-installed banner or the structure to which it's attached. Caribe Graphics suggests removing the banner if very high wind is expected.

Some banners are hard to access if a storm is on the horizon, and wind can be difficult to predict, making removal often impractical. So, it's a good idea to do everything possible to reduce wind load on a banner.

Wind slits are an option. The half-moon-shaped wind slits, cut into the banner at specific spacing with a special tool, allow some wind to flow through the material, thus reducing wind load.

We really do not like to use wind slits as the cuts don't really make enough impact to the wind load to justify the potential detraction from the banner's appearance. Caribe Graphics doesn't recommend wind slits because the cuts could blow out and create noticeable holes. Slits only relieve up to 15% of wind load so it is a minimal benefit that is not really worth it.

We say "Don't have unrealistic expectations -- banners are temporary signage. But installed correctly, they can last a long time.”
 

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