In this article, I will share with you two common ways to hang the banners. 1) For wall hanging: Use dowel with finials and rope with tassels. 2) For free standing pole in a base: Use horizontal and vertical dowels with finials, a weighted base and a center PVC T-joint.
1) For wall hanging: First, ropes and tassels are a nice elegant touch to your finished banner. You can find twisted satin rope, metallic ropes or upholstery ropes online or in your local fabric or drapery stores. Before cutting the rope always be prepared to wrap a small piece of tape on the rope where you want to cut it. Cut in the middle of the taped section leaving tape on both cut ends so that neither end will unravel. You can also use decorative ropes to hang on the sides and/or swag over the top of your banner just for aesthetic purposes. This article explains how you can use the ropes as one way to hang the banner on a wall.
You will need a wooden dowel cut to the length you desire to fit the width of your banner and extend a couple inches on either side. This is to your taste. A wooden closet rod will work or a smaller dowel. PVC tubing or metal rods can work as well. If you are draping fabric on the sides of the banner, you will want to add enough length to the horizontal dowel to allow for the draping on either side. The diameter of the dowel also depends on the size of your top casing. Generally, the larger the banner, the larger the diameter of the dowel. I also like to add screw-in finials on the cut ends of the dowel to give it a finished touch. Finials are usually made of wood and come in different sizes. You can order them online from specialized wood websites or sometimes find them in your local home improvement store. Choose a finial that is appropriately sized to fit your dowel. If unfinished wooden finials, you can spray paint them.
The next step involves using an electric drill. Use a drill bit size that will accommodate the size of the rope you are using. Carefully drill a hole through your dowel on the right and left sides that extend beyond the banner. Always measure and mark where you plan to drill. Remove the banner before you drill the holes. You may also want to use sand paper to smooth out any roughness left after drilling. Now slide your banner onto the dowel. The drilled holes should be at least 1 inch away from each edge of your banner. Work your rope up through one hole; then over the top and finally down through the other hole. The taped cut part of the rope helps to feed it through the holes… like a shoe lace. Knot the rope at either side just under the dowel so that the rope cannot slip up through the hole. The rope over the top does not need much slack but can now be used to hang the banner… for example over a hook or ornamental knob. The unfinished ends of the rope can either be cut short near the knots or left long and tassels added to the cut ends. We can discuss an easy way to make tassels in another article.
2) For free standing hanging: The second easy method of hanging a banner is to use a horizontal dowel, vertical dowel, weighted flag base and a PVC T-joint. PVC T-joints can be found in the plumbing section of your local home improvement store. The T-joint should be able to slide onto your top dowel. So you may want to have the dowel with you to find the right size T-joint. If the closest size T-joint is still too loose, there is a remedy.
TIP: I wrap masking tape around the center of the dowel where the T-joint will be secured. The tape will create a snug fit. Another way is to drill holes in the T-joint and fasten the joint with screws to your dowel.
Next, be sure to measure the dowel to find the exact center for the joint so the banner will hang level. Before sliding the dowel into the top casing of your banner, you will need to measure the width of the banner to find the center and carefully cut an opening into the back top side of the banner casing or back lining (if no sewn-in casing). The opening should only be large enough to accommodate the T-joint so that the bottom of the “T” can protrude out of the opening. This bottom “T” part of the PVC joint is where you will insert a vertical pole to support holding the banner. So now slide the top horizontal dowel with the T-joint secured into the top casing of your banner, or between the back lining and front of the banner. A vertical dowel rod will need to fit into the bottom of the “T” and then into a weighted flag base or some other constructed base. Flag bases can be purchased from flag stores.
TIP: If your banner has a top casing and the T-joint cannot fit through the casing; try first sliding the dowel to the center cut opening WITHOUT the T-joint attached. At the center opening, now place the T-joint in the cut opening and continue sliding the dowel through the joint and through the other half of the casing. Add your finials on the dowel ends for a finished appearance.
These are two ways to hang a church banner, but by no means exclusive ways. The next article will share how to make easy and beautiful tassels.