Outdoor Banner Fixing: 7 Rules for Keeping It Up in Wind

Good outdoor banner fixing is mostly about wind: a banner that tears or blows down almost never fails because of the print, it fails because the wind had more to push against than the fixings could hold. Get the material, the tension and the fixing points right and a banner will sit flat through a normal British autumn.

Below are the rules we would follow for any banner going on a fence, railings, a wall or between posts, with the reasons behind each one.

Why banners fail outdoors #

A 6 ft × 3 ft (1829 × 914 mm) banner is over 1.6 square metres of flat surface. When wind hits it, that force goes into the fixings, and it is not steady: gusts snatch at the banner and let go, again and again. Most failures follow the same pattern.

Flapping edges. A loose corner or an unused eyelet lets the edge flap. Flapping wears the material and loosens the other ties.
Too much tension. A banner pulled drum tight has no give, so each gust goes straight into the eyelets.
The wrong material for the spot. Solid PVC on an exposed fence acts like a sail.
Weak supports. A light temporary fence panel or a thin post can move or topple before the banner itself gives way.

Rule 1: choose mesh for exposed spots #

The single biggest decision in outdoor banner fixing happens before you fix anything. Mesh banners are perforated, so wind passes through the material and the load on the banner, the eyelets and the fence drops. From a distance the print still reads as solid. Choose mesh for open fields, building sites, seafronts, tall fences and anything above head height.

PVC is the better choice where the banner is sheltered, against a solid wall, or where you want the brightest colours and finest detail. Our PVC or mesh banner guide compares the two side by side.

Rule 2: order hemmed edges and metal eyelets #

Hemmed edges double the material where the eyelets sit, and metal eyelets take repeated tension better than plastic. For a banner that will live outdoors for more than a day or two, both are worth choosing on our outdoor banners.

Rule 3: fix the corners first, then work inwards #

Tie all four corners loosely first so the banner hangs in roughly the right place. Then work along the top edge from the corners towards the middle, then the bottom edge, then the sides. Only when every eyelet is tied should you go round and tighten. This spreads the tension evenly and stops the banner twisting.

Rule 4: flat, not tight #

The aim is a banner with no slack folds, not one stretched hard. Leave a little give in each tie. If you are using rope or cord between posts, a small amount of sag along the top is fine. A banner that can move slightly in a gust puts far less strain on each fixing point than one that cannot move at all.

Bungee ties are a good way to build that give in. Use them at the corners and every other eyelet on a very exposed banner, with cable ties in between.

Outdoor banner fixing with cable ties on a site fence — Mesh lets wind through, which takes the strain off the ties and the fence.

Rule 5: use every eyelet #

Every eyelet is there to share the load. Skipping some to save time means the ones you did use carry more, and the untied stretch of edge flaps. On a fence, a cable tie through every eyelet is the standard. On a wall, a screw with a large washer at every eyelet.

Rule 6: check what you are fixing to #

Outdoor banner fixing is only as strong as the thing behind it. Temporary fence panels need proper feet, and on windy sites they are often braced or weighted; a solid banner can turn a free-standing panel into a sail. Railings should be firm. Wooden posts need to be set deep enough not to rock. If you are fixing to someone else’s fence, scaffold or building, ask first, and on a building site check with whoever looks after the fencing or scaffold.

For site fencing in particular, our article on putting a banner on Heras fencing covers panel sizes and the tie pattern that works.

Rule 7: plan for bad weather #

Even a well fixed banner is worth taking down before a named storm. It takes a few minutes to cut the ties and roll it up, and a few minutes and a fresh bag of cable ties to put it back. The Met Office publishes UK weather warnings a few days ahead, which is enough notice for anyone with a banner on a site fence or a school gate.

Do wind slits help? #

Wind slits are small half-moon cuts in a PVC banner that let some air through. They help a little, but they weaken the banner, they cut through your print and they never let through as much air as mesh. If a spot is windy enough to need them, it is usually windy enough to need a mesh banner instead.

School gates and railings

Railings are usually solid, so the weak point is the banner itself. Use every eyelet and keep the banner below the top rail if you can, so it is not catching wind above the railings. For outdoor banner fixing on a gate that opens, fix to the fixed section only.

Shop fronts and walls

A wall gives the banner something to sit flat against, which cuts the flapping a lot. Fix at every eyelet with screws and washers, and keep the banner clear of downpipes and gutters that can funnel water and wind behind it.

Between two posts

This is the hardest outdoor banner fixing job, because wind can hit both sides. Tie the top and bottom corners to the posts, run a cord through the top eyelets if the banner is long, and use bungees at the corners so the banner can breathe.

Fixing methods compared #

Fixing	Good for	Notes
Cable ties	Fences, railings, scaffold tube	Quick and neat. Single use, so keep spares.
Bungee ties	Exposed spots, banners that go up and down often	Build in give. Mix with cable ties on large banners.
Rope or cord	Between two posts or trees	Thread through the top eyelets and tie off firmly at each end.
Screws and washers	Timber, brick with plugs, hoarding	Use a washer larger than the eyelet ring.

Mesh for exposed or high spots, PVC for sheltered ones.
Hemmed edges and metal eyelets on anything that stays up.
Corners first, then top, bottom and sides, then tighten.
Flat, not drum tight. Bungees in exposed spots.
A tie in every eyelet.
Check the fence, post or wall is solid and you have permission.
Take it down before a storm.

Browse the full mesh banners range for exposed spots. UK mainland delivery is £7.95 per order, free when your goods total is £99 or more after discount codes. Banners over 3 m on any side carry a £15 oversize charge once per order.