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Flagpole Guides
Belgium

Flagpole accessories in Belgium: from finial to ground sleeve

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This page is an English translation of the Dutch original. Where the two versions differ, the Dutch text is the original.

A flagpole is more than the pole itself. Accessories such as the pulley, the halyard and the flag fixings determine how smoothly the flag is hoisted, how it flies and how long everything lasts. Circular VR 2015/37 recommends regularly checking on Flemish public buildings that the hoisting mechanism works and the ropes are in order.

At the top of the pole

  • Finial: the ball or cap at the top, which closes the pole and keeps rainwater out. According to the protocol service of the FPS Home Affairs, the foot of the finial is the reference point for measuring how far a flag is lowered at half-mast.
  • Pulley or revolving truck: the pulley over which the halyard runs. A revolving truck turns with the wind, so that the flag wraps around the pole less.
  • Banner arm: a crossbar at the top for a banner flag, which keeps the flag spread out.

Halyard and fixings

  • Halyard: usually a braided synthetic rope that stretches little and resists UV light. The halyard wears, especially at the pulley and the cleat.
  • Snap hooks or flag clips: connect the flag to the halyard. Plastic or coated hooks slap against the pole less loudly than metal ones.
  • Counterweight or halyard tensioner: keeps the halyard taut, so that the flag does not slip and the halyard does not strike the pole.
  • Cleat: the fitting at the bottom of the pole to which the halyard is tied off.
  • Lockable hatch: on poles with an internal halyard, the halyard sits behind a hatch with a lock. Circular VR 2015/37 points out that isolated poles are more exposed to vandalism and theft.

At the base of the pole

  • Ground sleeve: a tube set in concrete in which the pole stands, so that it can be taken out for maintenance.
  • Base plate: a plate used to bolt the pole to a concrete plinth or a roof.
  • Tilting base: a hinge at the bottom that allows the pole to be lowered without an aerial work platform.
  • Façade bracket: the bracket that holds a façade pole on the wall, often with several angle settings.

Mourning and celebration

  • Black ribbon: according to the protocol service of the FPS Home Affairs, the top of the pole is wrapped with a clearly visible black ribbon in mourning when the pole is too short to fly the flag at half-mast. More on this is in the guide on half-mast.
  • Second halyard: for poles that regularly carry two flags one above the other, for example a club flag below a national flag.

Lighting

Spotlights at the base of the pole or set into the ground light the flag in the evening. A fixed outdoor electrical installation falls under the AREI/RGIE, the Belgian General Regulation on Electrical Installations. More on this is in the guide on flag lighting.

Maintaining the accessories

Halyards, pulleys and hooks wear faster than the pole itself. Checking and replacing them is covered in the guides on flagpole maintenance and flagpole mechanics.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cleat on a flagpole?

A cleat is a fitting at the bottom of the pole to which the halyard is tied off, so that the flag stays at the desired height. On poles with an internal halyard, the fixing sits behind a lockable hatch.

What is a black ribbon on the pole for?

According to the protocol service of the FPS Home Affairs, the top of the pole is wrapped with a black ribbon as a sign of mourning when the pole is too short to fly the flag at half-mast. The ribbon flies with the flag and does not constrict it.

What is a ground sleeve?

A ground sleeve is a tube set into a concrete foundation. The pole stands in it and can be taken out later, for example for maintenance or in a storm. The type of sleeve goes with the pole and is specified by the manufacturer.

Sources

This guide is based on the following sources, most of them in Dutch:

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