Banner Finishing: Grommets, Hems and Pole Pockets Explained

What Do Grommets Do on a Banner?

Grommets give each tie a reinforced metal hole to pull against, so the banner can be stretched flat without tearing the vinyl. Ours sit at every corner and about every 2 feet along the edges, which spreads the load across the whole hem instead of four corners.

Use one tie at every grommet. A banner held only at the corners sags in the middle, flaps in a breeze and puts all of the pull on four points. Zip ties suit a fence or a railing that will hold the banner for a season. Bungee cords suit a wall or a frame and give a little in wind. Rope suits a span between two posts or trees.

Grommets are on the vinyl banner and the mesh banner by default. For a deeper look at the hardware itself, read our banner grommets guide.

Why Do Banner Edges Need Hems?

A hem stops the cut edge from fraying and tearing, and it doubles the vinyl where the grommets go. Without it, a grommet sits in a single layer and is more likely to pull through once the banner is tied tight.

The hem folds about an inch of the printed edge to the back. That is why the background should run all the way to the edge of your file and why words belong at least 2 inches inside it. A headline that touches the edge loses its last letters to the fold.

Most banners keep the hem on. Turn it off only when the frame or hardware you are using calls for a raw edge.

When Are Pole Pockets Better Than Grommets?

Pole pockets are better when the banner slides onto a pole, a rod or a bracket arm, such as a street pole bracket, a parade pole or a rod hung from a ceiling. The sleeve spreads the banner's weight along the whole edge and hangs it with no visible ties.

Pockets can go on the top edge, the bottom edge or both. Top only lets the banner hang like a flag; top and bottom with a second pole holds it flat and stops it from swinging. On our product page, pockets replace grommets: turn grommets off first, then pick Top, Bottom or Both. The price beside each choice shows what the pockets add at your banner's width.

Measure the pole before ordering. Note its outside diameter and check it will slide through the sleeve with any end caps or brackets on it. If the hardware is unusual, say so in the order notes so it shows up on your proof.

Do Mesh Banners Need Different Finishing?

No. Mesh banners get the same standard hems and grommets as vinyl, and they offer the same pole pockets on the top, bottom or both edges. The one finishing option mesh does not offer is wind slits, because the 9 oz perforated mesh already lets air through; the product page notes the perforation passes roughly 30 percent of the wind.

On a chain link fence, tie off every grommet on mesh. The perforation lowers the pull on each tie, but a mesh banner tied at four corners will still sag and whip in the wind.

Which Ties Work Best With Grommets?

Pick the tie from the surface and how long the banner stays up. Every option below threads through the same grommet; the difference is how tight it holds and how it comes off.

Use the same tie at every grommet so the pull is even, and trim zip tie tails short so they do not snag clothing or scratch the print.

Do Double Sided Banners Use Different Finishing?

No. An 18 oz Heavy Duty banner printed on both sides gets the same hems and grommets, or the same pole pockets, as a one sided banner. 18 oz is the only vinyl weight that prints on both sides, and the grommets and hem pass through both faces.

That means both files need the same clear margin. Keep every word and logo at least 2 inches inside the edges on the front and the back, and line up any corner artwork so a grommet does not land on the second face's logo. For the full picture on one or two sided banners, see our guide to single vs double sided banners.

How Does Finishing Change Your Artwork?

Finishing takes space at the edges, so the layout has to leave room for it. Keep all text and logos at least 2 inches inside every edge, which clears the 1 inch hem and the grommets. With pole pockets, keep text clear of the whole sleeve on that edge, since the folded pocket covers more of the print than a hem does.

Run the background past the edge in your file. The hem folds color, not a white border, to the back. If you are building the file at a standard size, our banner size and viewing distance guide lists the file and safe area numbers for 2 x 4, 3 x 6, 4 x 8 and 6 x 10 ft banners.

What to Check on Proofs for Banner Finishing

Check the corners for a logo or phone number. Corners carry a grommet and the hem fold, so anything printed there gets a metal ring through it. We pull it in and show the change on the free proof.

Next, check for pole pockets chosen with no pole in hand. A sleeve that will not fit the hardware means a banner that cannot hang, so measure first. Then check for a banner ordered with grommets off by mistake for a fence. A fence banner needs grommets; double check that toggle before you approve.

How Do You Order the Right Banner Finishing?

Decide how the banner will hang, then set the finishing to match on the custom vinyl banner page or the mesh banner page. Leave hems and grommets on for ties, bungees and rope. Turn grommets off and add pole pockets for a pole or rod.

Upload your file or use AI image to print for $14.99 once per item, then check the free digital proof for anything near the edges. Production is 3 business days after approval, every banner is printed in the USA, and shipping is a flat $10 per product to any US address, with transit on top.