Thursday, August 21, 2014




Welcome once again. This is the final tutorial in a 6 part series explaining how to install a flagpole. While you can use this guide to install anything under 35 ft, we are focusing on a 20 ft external commercial aluminum flagpole.


On Flag Day, 2013, we set off not just to install a flagpole but help others do the same. These 6 tutorials have covered a wide range of topics. A quick read through would greatly help you plan and execute your job effectively. When we finished cutting the video together, it was over 30 minutes long! We decided this was too much information for one article or video. This has allowed us to get into more detail with each aspect of the flag flying process.

Topics covered in the past tutorials:
If you are just joining us, you may be interested the previous topics in this series. We will list them below for your reference. Thank you for being a flag flyer and joining the flag flying community. You support your community and we support you.


How to Install a Flagpole: Proper way to Tie Halyard (knot) and Attach Cleat (Part 5 of 6) 
  • How to string the pulley with the halyard
  • How to tie the flagpole rope (halyard) together
  • Proper way to attach the flagpole cleat

  • Various types of flagpole trucks (pulley systems)
  • How to find the best truck for you
  • How to find the best ornament (ball ornament or eagle ornament)
  • Proper way to install the flagpole truck and the ornament
)
  • Nature of shipping flagpoles
  • How to receive the flagpole / check for damages / properly sign cargo acceptance
  • How to unpack the flagpole safely and without harming the flagpole
  • Tips for flagpole storage

  • Proper flagpole hole dimensions
  • Proper way to mix concrete
  • Proper way to set the sleeve
  • How to install flagpole with a pedestal base with sonotube

  • Picking a flagpole location
  • Calling underground for a clearance safety check
  • List of helpful flagpole installation tools
  • How to pick the right height for your flagpole location
Part 6: Proper Way to Raise, Level, and Set flagpole, and Fly a Flag
Today, we are looking at those final steps: Raising the flagpole into the sleeve, leveling the flagpole with sand, adding the snap hooks and covers, as well as raising the American flag.

Raising the flagpole

(Be careful when raising the flagpole. It can be easy to drop for the flagpole if you get impatient. Also, don't forget the flash collar!)

One of the most crucial stages to any flagpole project is taking the flagpole from laying on the ground to up-right in the air. Luckily, many flagpoles (30 ft tall or less) can be raised by walking the flagpole up with one or two people while a third person holds the base of the flagpole down into the foundation sleeve and helps guide the flagpole into the sleeve. In this case, we only needed two.

Level and set the flagpole

The flagpole is in the sleeve, but needs to be leveled. Here, you will need sand. It is recommended to not use a very fine sand.