It’s easy to be intimidated by a project as imposing and immediately visible as a flagpole installation but with this simple guide it’s never been easier to lend a touch of personality and patriotism to your home’s landscape. Whether you’re looking to honor our nation’s troops, celebrate game day in style, or simply increase your home’s curbside appeal and property value, a DIY flagpole installation is a quick and easy way to lend a fresh new look to your home. Use this simple step-by-step guide to perform your own flagpole installation in just a couple of days that you can count on to look amazing for years to come.
Step 1: Safety and Legal Planning
The basic idea of installing a flagpole on your property is fairly simple but with plumbing running under your feet and electrical lines hanging over your head you can’t afford to begin this project without some careful planning done beforehand. In fact, many communities have made it unlawful to perform installations of any nature without proper permits from local authorities. With that in mind, begin your work by researching the building codes in your area or consulting with local utility companies or professional contractors to ensure that the positioning is safe and in compliance with local laws. If you live in New England it’s highly suggested that you contact the professionals at Dig Safe to dispatch your local utility company to mark potential problems free of charge.
Step 2: Digging the Anchor Point
Once you’ve decided on your perfect flagpole position you need to dig the anchor point for it to stand on. How deep and wide to make this hole, however, will depend on the height of the flagpole you’re installing. Flagpole installation kits come in a variety of different heights and without a sturdy enough base any of them are prone to falling over and damaging anything from your landscape to your home’s roofing. The pros at Admiral Flag Poles advise DIYers to dig a hole which is at least 18” in diameter and at least 29” deep for a standard 20’ tall flagpole.
Step 3: Securing the Anchor Point
With your flagpole you should have received a hollow tube labelled “ground sleeve”, “anchor”, “PVC sleeve”, or a variety of other terms. In all cases, this tube is the grounding guide of the entire flagpole, which makes it very important to the stability, reliability, and beauty of the finished result. Now that your anchor point is excavated pour about 2” of gravel into the bottom and then hold this ground sleeve into the center of the hole and gravel, using a level to ensure that it’s standing perfectly straight and centered. With the ground sleeve held in place pour a pre-made mixture of concrete and water into the hole around the sleeve up to about 1” from the ground surface. It’s wise to avoid pre-mixed concrete for this step as they tend to weaken quicker than hand-mixed varieties.
Step 4: Concrete Drying
Allow at the very least a full day (preferably) two for your concrete foundation to dry fully before performing any additional steps. If there’s a risk of rain or snowfall over that period carefully cover the anchor point with a waterproof tarp to prevent damage to the strengthening cement.
Step 5: Pole Installation and Securing
When your concrete has fully dried carefully aim the base of the flagpole at the ground sleeve and tip the pole up until it slides into the sleeve fully. Once settled, secure all bolts and clamps which may be included in your kit as tightly as possible. With that done you’re ready to raise your home’s new flag and enjoy your the stunning new feature you’ve installed all by yourself.
