Large/Grand-Format Banners and High Winds

Although large-format outdoor banners are a very cost-effective method of advertising, one thing to be aware of is the potential of damage from high-winds. With Springtime comes more thunderstorms and more chances to have your investment trashed within a few minutes. Here are some things you can do to extend the life of your outdoor banners.

1. Take the banner down when high winds are expected. This isn't always a great solution, as uninstallation can sometimes be a pain at a minimum and costly if it is a more technical installation (up on the side of a building, extra-large banner, etc).

2. Use mesh instead of solid banner medias. Mesh is a newer media that has been gaining popularity over the last few years. The mesh allows more of the wind to pass through the banner, thus lessening the wind load on the tie-down points.

3. Make sure your sign/banner provider puts wind-slits in any standard banner material that is larger than 4'x6'. If you are going to go with the traditional scrim vinyl media, wind slits can lessen the wind load significantly. They are not particularly attractive, but are functional.

4. Make sure the banner is installed securaly so it cannot flap in the wind. 

a. For large banners, the life will be greatly extended if it is installed in a banner frame system. There are several on the market; some are even designed for installation of grand format banners on the sides of box trucks or tractor-trailer trucks. This is the best solution we've found, but if you can't use a frame system, ensure that the banner gets installed flat against a building with hard anchor points at each grommet.

b. For medium-sized banners, we love to use heavy-duty bungee cords. They stretch under the load of wind gusts, but if installed properly, will keep the banner nice and tight.