How to Make Your Own Flag Pole at Home

• Measure and cut a length of PVC pipe to your desired flagpole height.
• Attach a cleat kit to secure the rope and a truck pulley to thread the rope through.
• Wrap the flagpole in plastic and sink it into a cement-filled bucket to create a base.
• Attach the hooks, rope, and the flag itself to finish your DIY flagpole.

Assembling the Pole

Cut a piece of PVC to your desired flagpole height. For this flagpole, four to about seven feet high is best. Within that range, you are free to choose the exact height. Buy the PVC and either have the store cut it to length or measure and cut it yourself. Use a hacksaw to cut the PVC.

Mark the halfway point on the PVC. You'll be attaching a cleat, which is what holds the rope in place on the flagpole. Use a tape measure to find the halfway point on the pole and mark it with a marker.

Drill holes in the PVC for the rope cleat. Buy a rope cleat kit at your local hardware store, a flag store, or online. The kit will provide screws. To make it easier to screw the cleat onto the pole, make holes with a power drill. Use a bit that is slightly smaller in diameter than the cleat screws. If the cleat kit includes a parts list, check the size of the screws. For example, they might be ⅛ inch (3.18mm). Choose a drill bit that is one size smaller than the screws so the screws will still catch the sides of the drilled holes. You'll drill holes for two screws. Use the cleat as a guide for how far apart the holes need to be.

Follow the cleat kit instructions to attach it to the PVC. Open the kit and lay the pieces out on the ground. Lay the PVC flat on the ground and fit the cleat into place. Use a screwdriver to screw the rope cleat to the PVC.

Attach a flagpole truck pulley to one end of the PVC. Buy a flagpole truck pulley when you buy the cleat kit. If you don't know exactly what to buy, ask someone at the store or search on the website where you bought the cleat kit. Use the provided screws to attach the pulley to the flagpole.

Wrap the end of the PVC with plastic. Get some plastic sheeting, and cut out a piece that is roughly a 3ftx3ft (.9 m) square. Place the non-pulley end of the PVC in the center of the square. Bunch the plastic up around the pole. Secure it with duct tape. You'll stick the flagpole into a bucket, which you'll fill with cement. The plastic wrap helps make it so the PVC can be removed from the concrete. The directed size is an estimate. The height of your bucket will determine how high up the PVC needs to be covered with plastic. The important part is that you put the hole of the PVC in the center so the hole does not get cement inside it.

Smear the plastic with petroleum jelly. In addition to the plastic wrap, petroleum jelly will help you remove the flagpole from the cement once it hardens. Rub a thin layer of jelly all over the plastic. You don't need to use an excessive amount, as petroleum jelly is slick with only a little bit.

Creating the Base

Buy quick-dry, pre-mixed concrete from a hardware store. For a small project like this, your best option is to by a bag of dry mix, which has the concrete, stone, and sand all in the same bag. One bag should be more than enough for a single flagpole.

Mix up the cement by following the directions on the packaging. Grab a bucket that is not the one you'll use for the flagpole base. Unless the package directs you differently, add the mix to the bucket and slowly add water, mixing it up as you go. Use a shovel or a hoe to mix the cement. The right consistency is when the cement slowly slides off of the tool.

Set the pole into the bucket. If you have someone who can help you with the next steps, ask them to help you now. Grab the bucket you want to use as the flagpole base. Hold the PVC so the plastic-wrapped end is right in the middle of the bucket. It's best to hold a level against it to make sure it stays perfectly straight up.

Pour cement evenly into the bucket around the pole. While your partner holds the PVC and the level, pour cement into the base bucket. Make sure to pour it evenly around the pole. You don't have to fill the bucket all the way to the top, as this will make the base too heavy to move. Fill the bucket at least halfway full with concrete. Hold the PVC for a few minutes until the top of the cement forms a crust. At this point it will be settled enough that you can let go of the PVC.

Leave the cement to dry overnight. It can take a while for the cement to fully harden, so leave the flagpole somewhere that it won't be bothered. You can test the hardness of the cement every so often by gently moving the PVC. When it doesn't move at all, the cement is hardened fully. Always read the directions for the specific brand of concrete mix you've bought. They will give you an idea about how long the concrete will take to full set.

Finishing the Flagpole

Take the plastic wrap off of the pole. Once the cement is hardened, slide the PVC out of the base. The petroleum jelly should keep the pole from staying stuck in the cement. Remove the plastic wrap and discard it in the garbage. Stick the flagpole back into the hole which formed when the cement hardened.

String a rope through the pulley. Find a length of rope that is the right length for your flagpole. The rope should be about one foot longer than the full length of the PVC flagpole. Loop it through the pulley at the top of the pole and let it hang down.

Attach flag hooks to the rope. Use fasteners designed specifically for flags, or use carabiners or other fasteners. String them onto the rope and tie a knot under them to hold them at that same position on the rope.

Hang your flag and tie the rope off. Attach your flag to the fasteners through the eyelets on the end of the flag. Then raise the flag to the top of your pole. Tie the rope around the rope cleat, which is designed to hold the rope in place.