How to Hang Banners

Banners are hanging everywhere! You can find them at birthday parties, sporting events, schools, hospitals, and storefronts. The list goes on and on. They are a great way to promote a special event or sale. Maybe you purchased an awesome-looking printed banner, and now you have to figure out how to hang it on the wall. If you have the right materials and know a few tricks, hanging a banner is easy. After reading this article, you will have all the banner hanger information needed to hang strong banners in minutes.

 

How to Hang Banners – Instructions

If you want to hang a banner without the hassle of grommets or double-sided tape try Banner Ups banner finishing solution using these easy steps:

1. Peel and stick

Peel and stick Banner Ups adhesive tabs onto corners of the banner

2. Run PowerTape

If outdoors, run PowerTape along the back edges of the banner.

3. Use PowerPunch

Use the PowerPunch to punch holes through tabs and tape.

4. Hang Banner

Run rope or zip tie through holes and hang your banner.

Gather all the materials you will need

Before you begin, you’ll need to gather your materials. The supplies are inexpensive and easy to find. You will need:

  • A vinyl banner
  • Banner Ups or grommets (available at most hardware stores)
  • Hanging material (twine, rope, bungee, etc.)
  • Adhesive tape
  • Tape measure

Prepare your banner

  • Straighten the banner. Unroll it and lay it out on a flat surface, preferably right after you’ve removed it from its packaging. If there are any wrinkles, try to smooth them out by hand or with a squeegee before hanging your banner.
  • Check for holes or tears in the vinyl banner, especially near seams where they might have come loose during shipping or storage.
  • Make sure your vinyl banner is suited for the area in which it will be hung. For example, you might want to use either a mesh banner or a thicker 18oz banner for a windy environment. These types of banners will disperse the wind load leading to less tearing at the corners. 

Inside or Out?

Is the banner going inside or outside? Inside banners only need tabs or grommets, but if the banner goes outside, you will want additional support around the banner edges. Typically, double-sided hemming tape is used to fold all four edges of the banner, and then a grommet is punched in the corners. Hemming double-sided tape takes time and can be another hassle when trying to line up the fold. We offer a single-sided banner Hem tape called PowerTape, made of a super strong film. PowerTape is simple to use. Just apply it to the back of the banner along the top and bottom edges, use a Banner Ups PowerPunch to punch the hole, and you’re done. No folding needed! In three minutes, your super-strong banner is ready to hang. Someone get some rope! It’s time to move on to your next profitable job now that this one is in the books!

Banner Ups Adhesive Tab Method

We have the perfect banner hanger solution to eliminate all hassle when hanging banners. The Banner Ups adhesive banner tabs allow you to hang any banner without having to install grommets or having to purchase an expensive grommet, sewing, or welding machine. You can finish your banner so much faster and stronger using Banner Ups. Banner Ups products are made from strong polymer materials coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive. Basically, they are very strong plastic pieces that stick to the corners and edges of banners. Just peel, stick, and punch a hole through the tab and your banner is ready to hang. For larger banners, Banner Ups PowerTape can be used to get the strength of a sewn or welded hem (and more!) without the time or expense.The Banner Ups adhesive tabs are not only faster and easier to install compared to grommets they are stronger too. The tabs cover a larger surface area on the banner spreading the wind force throughout the tab, letting your banner hold up against the strongest winds. We even tested banners with our tabs and tape in a wind tunnel and had the banner hold up at a windy 98mph! (click to watch video)

Grommet Method

A common banner hanger is to use grommets. Grommets are metal rings that are placed along the corners and edges of banners. In order to install grommets you will need a grommet machine. Grommet machines can cost a few hundred dollars and can be hard on your arms and back. Once the grommet is punched into the corners, you use rope, zip ties, or bungees to hang the banner.

Grommets can also be used with Banner Ups products. If you want ultimate strength, you can punch grommets through the adhesive tab and Clear PowerTape. The amount of force to rip through a grommet, Banner Ups, and hem tape would have to be huge!

Grommets are usually made of metal and look strong but, used by themselves, without reinforcement, they can easily tear out of banners in windy conditions. In order to prevent this, you must reinforce with a hem by doubled-sided tape, sewing, or welding. These are time-consuming, and the last two require expensive, sometimes finicky equipment. Sewing is the lowest cost alternative for only the highest volume manufacturers (several thousand banners per day) who can afford a maintenance person. For most others banner hanging applications, welding is the best option. Banner welders can be purchased in a range from under $2000 up to $30,000 or more. Want to know the difference? Throughput! At the low end, they are not much faster than manual. At the high end, they are. 

We would recommend using Banner Ups Clear PopwerTape to hem your banners. Clear PowerTape is unique because it is single-sided. Meaning you simply apply the tape along the top and bottom edges on the back of your banner and that’s it. No folding is needed. Clear PowerTape is made of a super strong mesh polymer film that takes the place of a folded hem. 

What to use to hang banners

When it comes to banner hanging, there are a few different options.

  • Rope: This is probably the easiest way to go about it. Just tie one end of the rope around your pole and use the other end to tie up your banner.
  • Bungee chords: They allow for flexibility and stretching on the corners. 
  • Zip Ties: Secure and easy to use. 

The trick when tying banners to anchor points is to have the banner taught enough so its not flapping in the wind but not so taught that it causes high tension on the corners. This can lead to constant pulling and possible ripping and failure. 

At the end of the day, most people find that grommets require a significant investment of time and equipment to install. And the bad news is, they often still fail. With the Banners Ups method, banner have never been easier to hang! If you have any questions about using any Banner Ups products, please contact 1-800-869-9601 or email us at customerservice@bannerups.com. Now get out there and hang those banners!

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