How to hang a banner on a brick wall

Brick is a great surface for a banner: it's strong, flat enough, and usually right where you need a sign, on a storefront, a school gym wall or a garage. But it's hard, it's porous, and on most buildings you don't want to drill into the face of the brick itself. The trick is to work with the brick: grip its edges with clips, or fix into the mortar joints, which are softer, easier to drill, and far cheaper to repair than a cracked brick.

Before you start

• Ask permission. If you rent, or the building is listed or in a historic district, drilling may not be allowed. Brick clips (no drilling) are often the answer.
• Check sign rules. Many cities limit temporary banners on buildings, by size and duration.
• Measure the banner's grommet positions and compare them with the brick pattern. Fixing points rarely line up exactly with a brick course or joint; that's fine, use cords, bungees or S-hooks to bridge the gap.
• Plan for wind. A banner on a flat wall gets less wind than one on a fence, but gusts still lift and slap it against the wall. Fix every grommet.

Method 1: Brick clips (no drilling)

Brick clips are spring-steel clips that clamp onto the top and bottom edges of a single brick and give you a hook. They work on walls where the mortar is recessed behind the brick face; one major maker specifies at least 1/8 inch of recess. Each clip has a weight rating (Brick Clip fasteners, the original design, are rated up to 25 pounds each), which is plenty for a banner when you use several.

How to use them:

1. Choose bricks at the height of your top grommets.
2. Measure the brick's height (brick only, not mortar) and buy the matching clip size. Common house brick is about 2 1/8 to 2 1/2 inches tall; larger clips exist for 2 5/8 inch and 3 inch bricks.
3. Pull the clip open and snap it over the brick so its teeth grip the top and bottom edges.
4. Hook the banner's grommets on with S-hooks, bungees or cord.

Brick clips leave no marks, come off in seconds and can be reused. They won't work if the mortar is flush with or proud of the brick face, on smooth-faced glazed brick, or on painted brick where paint fills the edges.

Method 2: Drill into the mortar joints

For a banner that will stay up, or on a wall where clips don't fit, fix into the mortar:

1. Mark the fixing points on the mortar joints nearest each grommet. Horizontal joints are easier than vertical ones.
2. Drill with a masonry bit in a hammer drill, sized for your anchor. Mortar drills quickly; let the bit do the work.
3. Insert anchors: plastic wall plugs with screws, or masonry screws (blue concrete screws) driven straight into a pilot hole.
4. Leave screw heads or eye hooks proud to hang the banner, or use cup hooks.
5. Hang the banner with zip ties, bungees or S-hooks through each grommet.

When the banner comes down, the holes in mortar can be filled with a little mortar repair compound or matched filler, and they're barely visible.

Method 3: Drill into the brick (permanent fixtures only)

If you'll be hanging banners in the same spot again and again (a storefront that changes promotions monthly, a school gym), it can make sense to install permanent fixtures: eye bolts in sleeve anchors, a horizontal rail, or banner brackets. These go into solid brick with proper masonry anchors. Drill slowly with a masonry bit, keep at least a couple of inches from the brick's edges, and get help for anything above a ladder's safe reach. Once fixed, every future banner goes up in minutes.

Method 4: Adhesives (indoors only, light banners)

Some heavy-duty construction adhesives and masonry-rated hooks bond to brick, but most removable strips don't hold well on rough, dusty brick. Indoors, for a light banner on smooth, clean brick, masonry-rated adhesive hooks can work; test one first. Outdoors, temperature swings and moisture make adhesive unreliable. Use clips or anchors.

Method 5: A rail, rod or cable

To avoid lining grommets up with bricks at all, fix two anchors (or two brick clips) at the ends and stretch a cable, rope or rod between them. Hang the banner from it with clips, rings or a pole pocket. This spreads the load and lets you change banners without touching the wall again.

Tips for a flat, secure banner on brick

• Tension evenly. Tighten the top corners first, then the middle top, then the bottom.
• Bungees on top, zip ties at the bottom let the banner give in gusts without lifting off.
• Mind the downspouts. Water runoff stains banners; keep clear of gutters and drips.
• Protect the print. Rough brick can scuff vinyl as it moves. A slightly tighter installation means less rubbing.
• Consider mesh for large banners on exposed walls. See mesh vs vinyl banners.

Taking it down

Cut zip ties rather than pulling them through grommets. Lift brick clips off by pulling the bottom tab. Remove screws, and fill mortar holes if the banner isn't going back. Wipe the banner clean, let it dry, and roll it printed side out (banner care and storage).

Hardware checklist

• Brick clips sized for your brick, or masonry anchors and screws
• Hammer drill and masonry bit (for anchors)
• S-hooks, ball bungees and UV-rated zip ties
• Tape measure, chalk or painter's tape to mark positions
• Ladder and a helper for anything above shoulder height
• Mortar repair compound if you'll remove fixings later

For other surfaces (chain link, wood fences, siding, posts), see how to hang an outdoor banner. If your banner has no grommets, start with how to hang a banner without grommets.

Questions people ask

How do you hang a banner on brick without drilling?

Use brick clips: spring-steel clips that grip the top and bottom edges of a brick and give you a hook. They work on most walls where bricks stand slightly proud of the mortar.

Should I drill into brick or mortar?

Mortar, for temporary fixings. It's softer, easier to drill and much easier to repair than brick. Drill into brick only for permanent fixtures, with proper masonry anchors.

How much weight can a brick clip hold?

It depends on the product. Brick Clip fasteners are rated up to 25 pounds each, and some other brands claim 30 pounds. Check the package and use several clips across the top of a banner.

Can I use adhesive hooks on brick?

Only indoors, on clean, smooth brick, with masonry-rated adhesive products, and with a test first. Standard removable strips rarely hold on rough brick, and adhesives are unreliable outdoors.

How do I hang a banner on a brick wall outside?

Fix every grommet to brick clips or mortar anchors, use bungees on top so gusts don't tear it, and consider mesh for large or exposed walls.

Sources and further reading

• Brick Clip Fasteners: FAQ (sizes, 25 lb rating, mortar recess)
• How to hang an outdoor banner (this site)
• How to hang a banner without grommets (this site)
• Grommets, hems and pole pockets (this site)

Written and checked by K.R. for UnlimitedBanners.com. Product specs and prices change; confirm details with the printer or seller before you order. Spot an error? Tell us.