Fiberglass Flagpoles FAQ

All flagpoles sold in the United States are made in the United States. Our plant is located in Mebane, North Carolina, at the following address:

    Fiberglass Flagpoles of America Inc
    Carolina Central Industrial Center
    1404-A Dogwood Way
    Mebane, NC 27302

FFA uses heated steel molds - a unique production process. We also use the highest-quality raw material, a special type of woven fiberglass that contains more fiberglass than resin. Finally, fiberglass is laid with its unbroken strands directed along the vertical axis of the pole to increase the pole's flexural strength. FFA's claim about its poles' sturdiness is supported by official tests and actual experience with tens of thousands of poles installed over half a century in some of the world's harshest climates. The claim is underwritten by FFA's 20-year warranty.

Yes. Wind loads have been calculated by Kaydos-Daniels Engineers, PLLC, an American engineering firm based in Raleigh, N.C. The calculations were based on the composite properties of material used by FFA, as published in mechanical testing reports issued by Alpha/Owens-Corning, a manufacturer of raw materials used by FFA. Testing shows that our claims for the strength of our flagpoles actually are conservative. The figures presented on our website and in our most recent brochures include a 1.25 factor of safety against bending failure.

Wind loads presented in our earlier marketing documents had been established by an independent European, government-accredited company, APAVE, which tested our poles for compliance with very stringent European standards.

APAVE used forces that simulated the effect of wind on both flagpoles and flags of various sizes. This process was used on our complete product line. Details of the testing are available upon request and can also be obtained directly from APAVE.

For more information on wind speed resistance tests, click on the following link:
Product info, PicturesPole resistanceSnow & Wind Rules [PDF - 90 KB]

It is important to note that both sets of results, while obtained through different approaches, reach similar conclusions and confirm that FFA's poles have the highest wind resistance in the industry.

Alpha/Owens-Corning (AOC), a large manufacturer of raw materials used by FFA to manufacture its fiberglass flagpoles, has tested all our composite materials and has established that FFA's poles, depending upon the pole type, have a flexural strength of 57,000 PSI to 72,000 PSI. Our competitors say their best poles have a flexural strength of 50,000 PSI and can resist winds up to 120 mph.

No. The finish of our poles remains the same for the life of the pole thanks to our unique production method and to the quality of the raw materials we use. At the end of the manufacturing process, the poles are completely cured and the three components, fiberglass, resin, and gel coat have been transformed into a true composite. To keep our poles looking like new for many years, we recommend cleaning them from time to time with a mild household detergent.

The lines result from our process in which we use a clamshell mold. Once the mold is closed, the inside, hollow part of the pole is put under air pressure to compress the composite and eliminate excess resin. The two thin lines are produced by the excess resin which is expelled through the space where the two mold sections meet. This has no impact on poles' resistance and cannot be seen beyond 10 feet. We want to emphasize that FFA's poles are made of a single conical element and are not made of two halves which have been assembled and glued together. Thus, the mold lines are just a cosmetic issue which has no impact on the poles' structural characteristics.

All of our poles can be installed either with an in-ground sleeve or with a hinge/tilting base.

The tilting base is slightly more expensive, but more practical whenever a halyard breaks and needs to be replaced. We highly recommend the use of the hinge/tilting base with the no-halyard banner pole.

Not at all. On the contrary, FFA's poles are very light and thus easy to install. We recommend that two people handle such a project, but one person could easily install a 20 or 25 foot pole.

Installation of an in-ground sleeve or a hinge/tilting base requires digging a square hole, the size of which depends upon the height of the pole:

It is very important to:

• Make sure that the PVC sleeve stays perfectly vertical when the concrete is poured in the hole.
• Wait until the concrete has cured before installing the pole (complete curing takes about a week in dry weather). The use of quick setting concrete may allow installation of a pole only a few hours after having poured the concrete.

We install polyester halyards with 1/4" diameter on 20-foot and 25-foot poles, and 5/16" on 30-foot poles and higher (except for the small access door internal halyard poles which all come with a 1/4" halyard).

It is added once poles have been removed from the mold.

No, it does not. Our poles have been reinforced with added fiberglass layers and resin over an area 40 inches above and below the trap, as well as on the side of the 9-inch high opening.

Yes. Our flagpoles are available in any color upon special request.

One important benefit of our production process is the quality of our colored poles. No other fiberglass pole manufacturer offers anything close to what FFA produces. In our process, the colored finish is not applied to the surface of the pole like paint, but is a colored gelcoat which is applied to the mold and which is also mixed with the resin so that the entire composite is tainted. As a result, our colored poles will keep their color and shine over their lifetime without ever needing to be painted; and any scratch which may occur will be barely visible as the composite below the gelcoat has the same color.

For the internal halyard banner arm poles, the banner arm size is:

• 4' 3" for 4' wide banners
• 5' 3" for 5' wide banners.

For the no-halyard banner-arm pole, we supply a 5 foot aluminum tube which can be easily sawed to desired length.

It's made out of polyurethane. It has a diameter of approximately 1/4 of an inch.

It is composed of two halves which are assembled together with 2 screws. The flash collar is not attached to the pole or to the ground. It can be replaced without taking a flagpole out of its ground sleeve or tilting down a hinge-base pole.

The weights are 2.6 lbs.

Yes. Sizes are as follows.

The yardarm must be installed at a distance from the top of the pole which is equivalent to 1/3 of the pole's exposed height. For example, on a 30 foot pole, the yardarm should be 10 feet from the top, or 20 feet from the ground.

The same rotating truck is used for all poles using either an external or an internal halyard. It is made of cast aluminum with two pulleys (two pulleys are needed for an external halyard; only one pulley is needed for an internal halyard). It has been designed to accept any finial with a 1/4" thread, and can handle halyards up to 6/10". Smooth rotation is ensured thanks to ball bearings.

Yes, it is pre-installed. We believe that installing most accessories on our poles at the factory eliminates the risk of improper installation and is a benefit to our clients

However, we can supply poles with either just the holes for the cleat, or no hole at all so that the cleat can be installed where convenient.

Banner-arm internal halyard's swivel: stainless steel and aluminum.
Cleat's metal support part in the internal halyard, large access door: stainless steel.
Snap hook which connects the weight to the flag: electroplated steel.
Pulleys inside the banner-arm: aluminum.
Ball-bearing for banner poles: steel or stainless steel, optional.
Banner arm internal halyard: galvanized, anti-torsion steel cable.
Tilting base: heat-galvanized steel.
Counter-weight L-shaped connector: aluminum.
Large access door for the IHL: a special type of glass reinforced resin
Halyard: polyester
Finial: spun anodized aluminum
Cleat: nylon

Yes. Fiberglass flagpoles have what is called "wind memory", meaning they bend under wind pressure (with winds above 50 mph) but regain their initial shape once the wind stops. When an aluminum pole bends, it does not revert to its original shape. It is permanently damaged. Fiberglass flagpoles' ability to bend depends upon the type and quantity of fiberglass used. If not enough fiberglass and too much resin, the pole will loose flexibility and might snap. This is why FFA uses more fiberglass than resin in its poles, and why our flagpoles have the highest wind resistance level on the market. For example, our 20-foot flagpoles can withstand winds in excess of 210 mph.

FFA's poles were initially manufactured and installed on the Mediterranean sea coast, a region where elements are particularly challenging: It is very hot during the summer. The sea water salinity is unusually high. And the region is frequently hit by a high wind called Mistral, a cold, dry and powerful wind, reaching average speeds of 60mph (100kph), with gusts of 90mph (150kph). It generally blows for 2-3 days without interruption, at least half a dozen times every year. FFA's poles installed in that region have aged very well and can still be seen decades after installation.

Over the years, we have installed flagpoles throughout the world in areas with extreme weather. For example, FFA's flagpoles have been standing for many years at the Ryad International Airport in Saudi Arabia, where the summer heat regularly hits 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

FFA has also installed poles in Siberia, on the tundra, where temperatures regularly fall below zero. The decision to install our poles in that region was made after our poles were tested for their reaction to temperatures reaching minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fiberglass Flagpoles of America is proud to have assembled a group of reputable and experienced dealers and distributors who can provide you with high quality products and services. Most of them also offer professional flagpole installation, a very important service that will save you time and money. Please contact them to get information and pricing, and schedule delivery and installation.

Official Dealers & Distributors