How to hang a banner
Which fixing to use on railings, fences, walls and indoors, the order to tie the eyelets, and what to check after the first windy day.
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How to hang a banner well comes down to three things: a fixing that suits the surface, tying the corners before anything else, and even tension so the wind has nothing to grab. With two people, a bag of cable ties and a pair of snips, a 6 ft × 3 ft (1829 × 914 mm) banner on railings usually takes well under half an hour. Below you will find the step by step method, which fixing to use on railings, fences, walls and indoors, and what to check once it is up.
If you have not chosen the material yet, read our guide to PVC or mesh banners first. It has a short fixing checklist; this article goes into the detail.
Before you start: the banner and the spot #
Before you work out how to hang a banner on site, look at its finishing. Our PVC banners can be ordered with hemmed edges, plastic or metal eyelets, and one or two bags of cable ties. For anything staying outside for more than a few days, hemmed edges and metal eyelets are the stronger pair: the hem stops the edge tearing and a metal eyelet is less likely to pull out under load.
Then look at what you plan to tie to. It must be solid, yours (or you have permission), and safe to reach. Do not tie to lamp posts, road signs, trees, drainpipes, gutters or someone else’s fence without asking. Outdoor banners also count as advertisements under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Many can go up without an application, but check with your local council if you are unsure, especially near a road.
Measure the space too. Our guide on how to measure for a banner explains how to leave room for the ties at each edge.
What you need
- Cable ties, enough for every eyelet plus spares (black ties generally cope with sunlight better than clear ones).
- Side cutters or snips to trim tails and to cut ties when you take the banner down.
- Bungees or ball bungees if the spot is exposed or you want to reuse the banner quickly.
- Rope or cord if you are hanging between two posts or across a wall.
- A tape measure, a step ladder for anything above head height, and a second person.
How to hang a banner step by step #
- Lay it out and check it. Unroll the banner print side up on clean, dry ground. Check which way up it goes, count the eyelets and make sure none are damaged.
- Hold it in place. With one person on each top corner, hold the banner against the railing or wall and step back to check it is level and at a height people can read.
- Tie the top corners first. Loop a tie through each top corner eyelet and around the rail or fixing. Pull just enough to take out the slack so the banner hangs in position on its own.
- Tie the bottom corners. Fix the two bottom corners next. Tying the corners before the middle pulls the banner square and stops it creasing diagonally.
- Work along the edges. Tie every eyelet along the top edge, working from the middle outwards, then do the same along the bottom and the sides.
- Set the tension. The banner should be flat with no flapping folds, but not stretched like a drum. Overtightened ties put the whole load on the eyelets and are the usual cause of torn corners.
- Trim the tails. Cut each cable tie tail close to the head and turn the heads to face away from where people walk, so there are no sharp ends at hand or face height.
- Step back and check. Look from where your customers will see it, such as across the road or from the car park. Adjust any tie that leaves a ripple.
Cable ties, bungees or rope #
The fixing is the biggest choice in how to hang a banner, and it depends on the spot and how long the banner stays up.
| Fixing | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Cable ties | Railings, fences, Heras panels, anything left up for weeks | No give at all, so a solid banner in wind snatches at the eyelets. Cut, never pull, to remove. |
| Bungees | Exposed railings, event banners you put up and take down often | They stretch a little in gusts, which protects the eyelets, but they can sag. Re-tension after a day or two. |
| Rope or cord | Hanging between two posts, across a wall, over a stage | Needs proper knots and can stretch when wet. Tie off the bottom corners so the banner does not act as a sail. |
| Hooks or eye screws | Walls where the banner goes back up in the same place | Fix into wall plugs, not mortar alone, and only through the eyelets. |
Where you are hanging it #
How to hang a banner on railings and fences
Tie round a vertical bar or upright where you can, not just the top rail, so the banner cannot slide. On open ground or a long run of fence, use a mesh banner: air passes through and far less load reaches the ties. For temporary site fencing, follow our separate guide to putting a banner on Heras fencing.
Walls and brickwork
Drill and plug a fixing for each corner and one every metre or so along the top, then fit eye screws or hooks and tie through the eyelets. Never screw through the banner material itself. On a rented unit or a listed building, ask the owner or the council before drilling.
Between two posts
Run a taut rope between the posts, tie the top eyelets to it, then tie the bottom corners down to the posts or to pegs. A banner hung only from its top edge will twist and flap. Do not hang anything across a road or pavement without the council’s permission.
Indoors
Indoors there is no wind, so light fixings are fine: S-hooks on a ceiling grid, cable ties on a stage truss, or hooks on a wall. Venues often have their own rules on what you may fix to, so ask first. For indoor use, indoor banners in 400gsm PVC-free material hang flat and avoid PVC.
After the first windy day #
Learning how to hang a banner is only half the job; checking it is the other half. Go back after the first real wind. Replace any snapped ties, tighten bungees that have sagged, and look closely at the corners. A corner that has started to stretch or split needs its load spread: add a tie through the next eyelet or reduce the tension slightly. If a solid banner keeps working loose on an exposed spot, it is telling you it should be mesh.
When a storm or strong wind warning is forecast, take the banner down. Cutting a dozen ties and rolling it up is quicker than replacing a torn banner or repairing a fence that has been pulled over.
Staying safe at height #
Most of the time, how to hang a banner safely is simple: work from the ground or a short step ladder. Keep both feet on the ladder, do not lean out past the sides, and have a second person hold the banner so you are not reaching and pulling at the same time. Anything higher, such as a building front, is work at height and should be planned properly; the HSE explains the basics on its work at height pages. Keep banners clear of traffic signs and sight lines at junctions.
Taking it down and using it again #
Snip each tie with side cutters held away from the banner, so you do not nick the print. Let the banner dry, wipe off any dirt, then roll it print side out. Our guides on how to store banners and cleaning a PVC banner cover the rest, so it is ready for next time.
Still not sure? #
Tell us where the banner is going and what you plan to tie it to, and we will suggest a material and finishing. Call 0161 315 1151 or use the contact form.
