Help me find a large flag display case

April 12, 2009 8:47 PM

I need help finding a display case for a very large US flag.

My church has a very large US flag hanging in our building- the shorter side is about 7', which I suppose would make the longer side at least 15' (though I'm not sure- it's hanging so high I can't measure the long side). It was flown at a military base and hangs in memory of a member of our community who died on 9/11. We would like to take down the flag from the wall where it is presently hanging, and put it in some sort of display case. I'm having trouble finding display case options for such a large flag- are they not mass-produced, is this something we'd have to have custom made?

posted by ThePinkSuperhero to shopping (12 comments total)

Does the flag need to be laying flat? It appears that a lot of the cases for larger flags are based on them being in the folded-triangle formation.
posted by WCityMike at 8:54 PM on April 12

The traditional flag case should work. This company makes them in several sizes.
posted by JujuB at 8:54 PM on April 12

Here's an example of what I mean — this one's a 5'x9.5' flag and it's built for the flag being in the folded-triangle formation. If the flag needs to be laying flat for display, then I'd maybe approach it not from a "display case" perspective (since the depth wouldn't be significant) but from a "framing" perspective — there are a lot of custom framers out there in nearly any town, plus tons online. That'd probably be a bit of a pricy endeavor but it'd also be easier to find.
posted by WCityMike at 8:59 PM on April 12

It does not need to lay flat- I figured we'd have to fold it.

Also, JujuB, I don't see cases for flags the size I'm talking about on that page. Do you?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:00 PM on April 12

Further investigation points if you go the framing route.
posted by WCityMike at 9:00 PM on April 12

It looks like because you're running into difficulty because flag boxes seem to be built for, at most, the standard burial flag measurement of 5'x9.5'. But the site that both JujuB and I linked to appears to get their flag boxes from Spartacraft Woodworks. Maybe dropping them a line might yield a reasonable rate for a custom job?
posted by WCityMike at 9:11 PM on April 12

Are you sure of the shorter side measurement? Common sizes for flags are 5x 9.5, 6x10, and 8x12 ft.
posted by JujuB at 9:19 PM on April 12

Army post flags are 8 ft 11 3/8 in x 17 ft, so it might be that.

And, yeah, flag boxes are made for the oddly-sized burial flags, so you'd have to have one specially made to fit your flag.
posted by lullaby at 9:23 PM on April 12

Can you go to a local custom framing shop and ask them about your options? They do stuff like this all the time.
posted by zachlipton at 9:24 PM on April 12

That or properly fold the flag and take it to any local wood worker. He or she can measure it and whip out a simple and attractive display case in less time than it will take the case's finish to dry.
posted by Science! at 9:31 PM on April 12

Army post flags are 8 ft 11 3/8 in x 17 ft, so it might be that.

I think that must be it. I was hoping someone would have a knowledge of standard flag sizes, so once again, AskMeta, you do not disappoint.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:51 PM on April 12

Medals of America will sell you a case and a plaque. I ordered some items when mounting my grandpa's (replacement) WWII medals and they were Goos People. Sure like to send the catalogs, though.

http://www.usmedals.com/FlagCases.aspx
posted by wenestvedt at 10:25 AM on April 13