How to Build a Residential Flag Pole
You may want a flag pole to fly an American flag in front of your house, or perhaps to raise a flag of surrender. Either way, a flagpole isn't a difficult thing to construct. Be sure to use quality materials, and don't skimp on the base. You don't want your flagpole coming through your front window on a windy night. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Straight pole
- Shovel
- Cement
- Pulley
- Rope
- Tar
- Level
- 3 2x4s, 8 feet long
- Hammer
- Nails
Instructions
-
Prepare the Base
-
1
Dig a hole in the spot where you want to put the flagpole. Make the hole at least one foot in diameter, and one foot in depth for every 10 feet the pole will be above ground. For a 20-foot-tall flagpole, dig a hole two feet deep. Remember that this will then require a pole that is 22 feet long.
-
2
Pile the soil that you have dug out of the hole on a tarp spread on the ground. This will prevent the hassle of trying to pick soil out of your lawn.
-
-
3
Mix enough cement to fill the hole up to six inches below ground level. If you have rocks or bricks hanging around, you can have these ready to toss in with the cement, thus reducing the amount of cement that you will need.
Prepare the Pole
-
4
Attach a pulley to the top of the pole. Thread the rope through it. Attach a small cleat about six feet from the bottom of the pole. Tie the rope off at the cleat.
-
5
Cover the bottom three feet of the pole with tar in order to prolong its life and deter rot.
-
6
Attach an eagle to the top of the pole if you want an eagle there. Do it now or never.
Raise the Pole
-
7
Stand the pole up with the help of a few friends. Have someone hold it in place vertically. Hold a level against it to be sure that it's perfectly vertical.
-
8
Shovel the cement in around the base of the pole. Work in any bricks or stones that you have. Push them into the cement with the shovel. Work the cement up and down with the shovel in order to compress it.
-
9
Position a 2x4 diagonally so that it extends from the ground up to the pole and meets the pole about five feet off the ground. While someone else continues to steady the pole so that it remains vertical, push the base of the 2x4 into the ground with your foot, and nail the other end into the flagpole.
-
10
Do the same with two more 2x4s, so that the flagpole is supported in all directions.
-
11
Allow the cement to dry with the flagpole supported for 24 hours.
-
12
Remove the 2x4s. Fill in above the cement with topsoil, and plant some grass seed on it. Enjoy your flag.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Michelle McCarron/Digital Vision/Getty Images
