Show Your Pride With These Tips to Properly Hang a Flagpole on Your Home’s Exterior

Sure your home may have a flawless facade or luscious landscaping, maybe you need a finishing touch. Displaying a flag to show your patriotism—or simply your enthusiasm over a certain sports team or holiday—could be what you’re missing. 

If you want to mount a flagpole on your home’s exterior to plug in and swap out your favorite flags at your leisure, you've come to the right place. This guide has some handy tips on how to hang a flag on an exterior wall—the right way.

1. Observe the Flag Code

If you are hanging a country's flag, be sure to observe that country's flag code.

For example, if you are hanging the American flag, the Federal Flag Code states that the flag:

• Should be flown 24 hours per day only if illuminated when dark

• Should be flown at half-staff when the U.S. president so orders

• Should be taken down during inclement weather

• Should be disposed of if worn or tattered

• Should be displayed with the blue portion of the flag at the highest point 

If you want to fly the flag of another country, look up the flag code of that country to ensure you are displaying properly. None of these rules are legally binding, but if you want to show respect to the flag, following the code is the best way to do it.

Now if you’re just hanging the flag of your favorite sports team, there are no rules to observe. Still, your fellow sports fans (or favorite player) may not love driving by your home and seeing a dirty or torn flag, so that’s something to consider.

2. Choose the Mounting Spot Carefully

The best way to mount the flag is to use a flag on a pole with a bracket. Most flags will come already mounted to a pole with a bracket ready to mount. If all you have is the flag, you can typically find a pole and mounting bracket online or at a hardware store, and set it up yourself.

Next you’ll want to find a space where you would like to mount the flag that is both visible and would accommodate the flag (i.e., not a window). Siding is a good option, or maybe a space on a brick wall. Wood is best, since it’s easiest to drill into. A lot of people like to mount them right next to the front door.

3. Be Precise When Securing the Bracket

Place the mounting bracket over the spot where you want it to go and use a pen to mark where the holes are located. Then drill those holes using a cordless drill. If it’s wood or siding, you can use a regular drill, but if it’s brick, you’ll want to use a hammer drill with a masonry bit. Then, you can place the bracket over the holes and screw in the screws until the bracket is firmly in place. Make sure it is sturdily installed as it will have to endure storms and high winds.

With the bracket firmly in place, put the flagpole into the bracket and tighten it into place. Make sure the flag is displayed in accordance with the flag code. And that's all there is to it.

4. Consider Hiring a Handyperson

If you're unsure of where or how to mount your flag, it's a good idea to hire a handyperson to do it for you, especially if you have some other odd jobs around the house that need doing. The cost of hiring a handyperson generally is about $60 to $125 per hour, which may be on the expensive side just to mount a flag, but not if you ask them to do it while completing other necessary tasks. It should only take a few minutes for the handyperson to complete this particular task.

Contact a handyperson near you to get a quick quote on how much it will cost you to get it done. If the front of your home is particularly difficult for mounting flags due to odd angles or vegetation, this may be a necessary step to getting the job done.