Stainless Steel vs Aluminium Flag Poles

Modern flag poles are composed primarily of either stainless steel or aluminium due to their strength and suitability for outdoor use. So which is better? PILA investigates the properties of both to find out.

Corrosion

It is well-known that steel is a hardy material for construction, however if left exposed to the elements it corrodes. Stainless steel overcomes this obstacle for external structures such as flag poles. In this respect it is comparable with aluminium as a low-maintenance, non-corrosive substance.

Weight

Stainless steel is significantly heavier than aluminium and is approximately 3 times denser. The disadvantage here is that it makes installation of your flag pole much harder and more dangerous. While an aluminium flag pole can be installed quickly and easily as a DIY project with one or 2 people, a stainless steel flag pole may require a crane to manage the weight. And once installed there is also the risk of a heavy stainless steel structure with a flag attached responding to the wind.

Cost

Aluminium is more expensive than steel, but stainless steel is a lot more expensive than aluminium - approximately 1.5 times more!  Aluminium wins hands-down in this respect - it is less expensive to produce, handle and ship. Stainless steel flag poles sold in Australia are all imported from offshore as the cost to manufacture a stainless steel flag pole in Australia is far too high.

Durability

High quality versions of both materials are long-lasting and durable in the extreme conditions of Australia. Unfortunately many stainless steel flag pole manufacturers import low-grade steel to compete on cost. While 316 grade stainless steel would offer a suitable quality, the 304 grade commonly used does not perform well when exposed to the elements, staining, pitting and tarnishing among other failures.

Verdict

Stainless steel is an unnecessarily expensive material for producing flag poles when aluminium is equally low-maintenance and rustproof, equally durable, and is lighter and easier to handle. The best all round material for a flag pole is aluminium, in particular marine grade 6063 T6 alloy as used by PILA flag poles.

Contact PILA on 13 7452 or email info@pilaflagpoles.com.au  

The Dangerous Practice of Retrofitting Poles for Signage

Banner poles (signage poles) are an elegant way to display advertising, with many businesses aspiring to use them. Unfortunately some businesses seek to save money by cutting corners and using existing infrastructure to retrofit signage. While this may appeal as a cost-effective solution, the risk outweighs the benefits and can be fatal.

Banner Poles

A banner pole is an engineered structure, designed for the purpose of bearing an appropriate banner or flag and compliant with Australian standards for wind action and aluminium structures. When installed properly and used for its original purpose and within its wind rating it is an extremely safe structure. In fact, PILA is so certain of the safety of our banner poles and flag poles that we provide a 7 year warranty – the longest in the industry.

Risky Business

So it is disconcerting when we hear that there are businesses manufacturing and selling bracket systems as a cheap option for attaching banners to existing poles. This practice is fraught with risk and liability, not only for the manufacturer but also for the owner of the site.

Tragic Results

A recent tragic event in Melbourne demonstrates the gravity of inappropriate retrofitting. Australia’s largest privately owned construction company, Grocon, faces charges over the death of 3 people when a wall collapsed. A sign had been hung on the wall without proper safety checks or permits. Grocon did not obtain a risk assessment on how wind would affect the wall with the added sign, nor did they have an engineer assess the wall after the sign was installed. As the site owner they are facing 6 charges while the manufacturer, Aussie Signs, is facing 2.

Bracket Systems

A pole and its footing must be engineered to support its bracket system and banner. Certifying the safety of these after-market bracket systems would involve the costly and time-consuming practice of contracting an engineer, if an engineer is able to retrospectively certify an already installed pole at all. It would be far more sensible to simply purchase already compliant new banner poles.

The best and safest practice is to always use a banner pole specifically designed for this purpose and to only install the pole and fit banners in accordance with the manufacturer’s product guide. 

PILA’s Flag Pole Stands Proud at Gai Waterhouse Racing’s Flemington Stables

Flemington is aflutter as we race towards “the race that stops the nation”, and at Gai Waterhouse Racing’s stables at Flemington the flag is aflutter atop a PILA flag pole.

While Gai may not have a horse racing at this year’s Melbourne Cup, 2013’s winning trainer is already onsite for the Spring Carnival, based out of her stables at Flemington Racecourse. And there at the entrance to her stables is an elegant 7.5m PILA flag pole. After facing the disappointment of not being allowed to install it in time for last year’s triumphant Melbourne Cup, the flag pole has since been erected at the premier stables.

The 7.5m flag pole is the perfect size for the grand Flemington stables and is the size recommended for 2-storey buildings. Anything shorter would have been dwarfed by the stables, while bigger may have towered over.

The heritage listed racecourse offers extensive stables and is the centre for horse training for many famous trainers who maintain stables at the course, with hundreds of horses in residence at Flemington, the oldest racecourse in Australia. Gai Waterhouse Racing is primarily based at Tulloch Lodge at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, but as a leading trainer Gai also has boxes at Flemington in Melbourne.

PILA wishes Gai every success with this year’s Spring Carnival and we also hope to see her enjoy future Melbourne Cup success. 

Learn more by contacting PILA flag poles: 13 PILA (13 7452) or info@pilaflagpoles.com.au