The Roosevelt Flagpole by Stand Flags

This is our new upgraded flagpole for our front yard.  The Harbor Freight Special just was not cutting it anymore. So this is how simple it is, the cost of the new flagpole was about $300, and if we were to hire concrete guys to pour a 4x4 slab it would have cost about $700.  So this is the cheaper but also just as effective way to install a flagpole.

Step One: Go to Lowes and buy a bucket, a bag of gravel, and a bag of 50 lb concrete. Also a level and a tarp if you don't have one already. 

Step Two: Dig a big hole, wider than the bucket by a few inches and deeper than the bucket.  The bigger the better. 

Step 3: Drill a hole in the center of the bucket, this allows extra water that gets into the flagpole to drain to the bottom of the bucket and escape the bucket. Also wrap some duct tape around the sleeve, cut four slots and tape the bottom sleeve to the bucket so the hole is in the center of the sleeve. The duct tape helps keep the sleeve in place and prevents the concrete or gravel to get into the sleeve.

Step Four: Place some gravel about 3 or four inches into the bucket, this helps anchor the sleeve in place and prevents it from moving when you pour the concrete in. Also in a separate bucket, or wheelbarrow or something, mix the concrete with water. Pour concrete into bucket and make sure the sleeve is level. I mixed about 30 pounds of gravel into the concrete with extra water just to add more weight, this is a heavier duty flagpole than my previous one. 

Step 5: Place the bucket in the hole, but first put a few layers of gravel on the bottom, the gravel will help with drainage of water, and it makes it easier to level the bucket in the hole.  Check again with the level to make sure the sleeve is level. If it is off, the pole will be off and it sucks to fix it. 

Step 6: Pour whatever gravel you have left around the bucket which helps anchor it in place, backfill with dirt.  I have hard clay which is just about has hard as concrete when it is dry so I'm not worried about the bucket moving. But if you have soft dirt, consider putting in more concrete, or gravel, or something else more solid. 

Step 7: Put together the flagpole, and place into the sleeve and send Old Glory Up as High as she can go.

Step 8: Have a beer or other kind of refreshment, make a burger, watch football or baseball, and enjoy the new addition to your home.