Big flag + wall = how?
August 17, 2016 5:17 PM Subscribe
What's the best way to hang this huge old flag in my apartment?
I recently came across a huge (5'x9') old 48-star American flag and bought it because why not? I kind of underestimated exactly how big it is compared to the walls in my apartment though, and now I'm having some trouble hanging it. There's pretty much one wall that it will fit on if I display it horizontally, which is how I'd prefer to do it. The problem is that even then it blocks the light switch for that room, so my original idea of just making some kind of rigid frame isn't going to work. It also probably wouldn't fit if I framed it anyway. I tried just attaching it to the wall but ran into other problems, mainly that it's relatively heavy and sags a lot. To keep the sagging to a minimum it needs to be stretched pretty significantly in the upper corners, which doesn't look all that great but also puts a lot of stress on the material. The upper-left corner isn't that big of a deal since it has the grommets for hoisting on a pole but if I were to put a nail or tack through the upper right corner I'm afraid it'd stretch and tear eventually. I tried some heavy duty velcro strips I had laying around, and those seemed to work fine but the adhesive backing wouldn't stick to my wall all that well and it fell down after about 10 minutes.
So what's the best method here? Googling isn't turning up much as most of the results are about the correct orientation and other etiquette of hanging the flag. My next idea is to stretch the flag around a huge piece of cardboard, secure it with staples or something else, and then attach that to the wall (cutting out a section to go around the light switch), but where the hell do I find a 5x9 piece of cardboard anyway?
I recently came across a huge (5'x9') old 48-star American flag and bought it because why not? I kind of underestimated exactly how big it is compared to the walls in my apartment though, and now I'm having some trouble hanging it. There's pretty much one wall that it will fit on if I display it horizontally, which is how I'd prefer to do it. The problem is that even then it blocks the light switch for that room, so my original idea of just making some kind of rigid frame isn't going to work. It also probably wouldn't fit if I framed it anyway. I tried just attaching it to the wall but ran into other problems, mainly that it's relatively heavy and sags a lot. To keep the sagging to a minimum it needs to be stretched pretty significantly in the upper corners, which doesn't look all that great but also puts a lot of stress on the material. The upper-left corner isn't that big of a deal since it has the grommets for hoisting on a pole but if I were to put a nail or tack through the upper right corner I'm afraid it'd stretch and tear eventually. I tried some heavy duty velcro strips I had laying around, and those seemed to work fine but the adhesive backing wouldn't stick to my wall all that well and it fell down after about 10 minutes.
So what's the best method here? Googling isn't turning up much as most of the results are about the correct orientation and other etiquette of hanging the flag. My next idea is to stretch the flag around a huge piece of cardboard, secure it with staples or something else, and then attach that to the wall (cutting out a section to go around the light switch), but where the hell do I find a 5x9 piece of cardboard anyway?
Curtain rod and curtain clips to hold it up.
posted by ilovewinter at 5:23 PM on August 17, 2016
posted by ilovewinter at 5:23 PM on August 17, 2016
Best answer: I think I would look for a quilt hanger.
posted by Michele in California at 5:29 PM on August 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Michele in California at 5:29 PM on August 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
Best answer: The 'Smithsonian Guide to Saving Stuff' (or some similarly-named compendium) recommends Velcro all the way across, so the weight is evenly distributed.
posted by kmennie at 5:39 PM on August 17, 2016
posted by kmennie at 5:39 PM on August 17, 2016
You might be able to find a 5x9 piece of cardboard at a company that makes custom shipping packages. Certainly you get up to 8 feet, single or double ply.
posted by metahawk at 5:40 PM on August 17, 2016
posted by metahawk at 5:40 PM on August 17, 2016
Best answer: There was a similar question asked a few weeks ago, and I stand by my answer there.
If you get some thin, wood strips cut a few inches larger than the width of the map, you can compress the flag between the strips, and use the actual wood to hang the thing. This will distribute the weight of the flag evenly, and you won't be risking holing it anywhere.
posted by furnace.heart at 7:08 PM on August 17, 2016
If you get some thin, wood strips cut a few inches larger than the width of the map, you can compress the flag between the strips, and use the actual wood to hang the thing. This will distribute the weight of the flag evenly, and you won't be risking holing it anywhere.
posted by furnace.heart at 7:08 PM on August 17, 2016
Best answer: Here's a solution that will (hopefully) preserve the physical integrity of the flag as an old, cool object and prevent sagging fabric:
Expanding on furnace.heart's suggestion, find two pieces of wood, plastic, or lightweight rust-proof metal that are 9 feet in length. Go for something with the dimensions of, say, a ruler or paint stirrer, but really long. Staple multiple pieces together to create length if needed.
Sandwich the top of the flag between the two long pieces. Clamp in place with several sturdy binder clips (one every foot or so), and hang from nails or the wall-mounting hardware of your choice.
If you go with wood for the sandwiching pieces, know that acid could damage the fabric over time. To slow that process, line the pieces with some sturdy acid-free paperboard, attached with a very neutral glue, tape, or paste (check out conservators' recipes for making the paste at home). This will also have the advantage of protecting the fabric from any staples you end up needing to use, preventing snags or rust marks.
A great resource for conservation in general is a book called "Caring for Your Family Treasures" by Jane and Richard Long.
Enjoy! This sounds like a really fun idea.
posted by delight at 11:29 PM on August 17, 2016
Expanding on furnace.heart's suggestion, find two pieces of wood, plastic, or lightweight rust-proof metal that are 9 feet in length. Go for something with the dimensions of, say, a ruler or paint stirrer, but really long. Staple multiple pieces together to create length if needed.
Sandwich the top of the flag between the two long pieces. Clamp in place with several sturdy binder clips (one every foot or so), and hang from nails or the wall-mounting hardware of your choice.
If you go with wood for the sandwiching pieces, know that acid could damage the fabric over time. To slow that process, line the pieces with some sturdy acid-free paperboard, attached with a very neutral glue, tape, or paste (check out conservators' recipes for making the paste at home). This will also have the advantage of protecting the fabric from any staples you end up needing to use, preventing snags or rust marks.
A great resource for conservation in general is a book called "Caring for Your Family Treasures" by Jane and Richard Long.
Enjoy! This sounds like a really fun idea.
posted by delight at 11:29 PM on August 17, 2016
We have a giant (easily 7 or so feet wide?), somewhat rustic piece of art on the wall in our living room. It's on a heavy fabric, and looks better hung with some drape to it vs. flat and straight.
The artist came to hang it for us.
He used the stapler from my desk. It's got several staples across the top, right into the sheetrock. Looks great, has held for years, minimal wall and work damage.
posted by uberchet at 8:17 AM on August 18, 2016
The artist came to hang it for us.
He used the stapler from my desk. It's got several staples across the top, right into the sheetrock. Looks great, has held for years, minimal wall and work damage.
posted by uberchet at 8:17 AM on August 18, 2016
Best answer: I worked on a museum exhibit to display an old quilt - we used velcro like kmennie suggested and I think that would work well for a flag.
posted by Shadow Boxer at 5:05 PM on August 18, 2016
posted by Shadow Boxer at 5:05 PM on August 18, 2016
Response by poster: Lots of great answers here. I think I'll give the velcro another try first just because it'd be easier and quicker, though I really like the quilt hanger idea as well. The only thing that I'm not crazy about with using the velcro is the affect the adhesive will have on the flag itself over time. Either way, I've now got a few things to try and I'm sure at least one of them will do the trick. Thanks again.
posted by Venadium at 6:38 PM on August 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Venadium at 6:38 PM on August 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by youcancallmeal at 5:20 PM on August 17, 2016 [2 favorites]