{"id":5160,"date":"2019-06-14T11:34:33","date_gmt":"2019-06-14T18:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alconlighting.com\/blog\/?p=5160"},"modified":"2026-04-21T11:51:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T18:51:09","slug":"lighting-americas-flag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alconlighting.com\/blog\/lighting-design\/lighting-americas-flag\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Lighting America\u2019s Flag at Night"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Continental Congress passed an act establishing an official flag for the new American republic on June 14, 1777, stating \u201c\u2026that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.\u201d On August 3, 1949, President Truman declared June 14 Flag Day. Historians believe the first American flag was designed by New Jersey Congressman Francis Hopkinson and sewn by Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross, though this is a matter of some dispute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone displaying the American flag after sunset should review these guidelines for proper illumination and fixture placement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

American flag lighting tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Generally, when darkness makes it necessary, it\u2019s best to illuminate the American flag with light fixtures that use the appropriate beam spread. Depending on the distance, LED narrow or medium-angle flood lights account for the flag\u2019s movement in the wind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fixture spacing and aiming strategies help multiple luminaires maintain consistent illumination across moving flags.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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While flood lights have a variety of applications, outdoor fixtures with focused beam spreads for flag lighting may also be called spot lights or landscape lights. <\/span><\/span>Using light fixtures with appropriate beam spreads provides more illumination while mitigating light pollution. Specifying flood lights with glare shielding or snoots can also help minimize light spill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether hanging a U.S. flag on a front porch bracket, which is common for residential display, or hoisting or displaying the flag on a commercial or residential property flagstaff, the flag ought to be properly lighted after sundown. The alternative is withdrawing the flag from display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the U.S. Flag Code, as the law passed by Congress in 1942 came to be known, America\u2019s flag should be displayed at dawn and lowered or removed at dusk if it is not illuminated<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fixture quantity and placement guidelines<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Those choosing to display the flag at night should consider using two or more lighting fixtures, depending on the flag\u2019s size and the height of the flagstaff or pole. When the flag is mounted above 20 feet, three fixtures provide optimal illumination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In-ground uplights with narrow beam spreads help achieve uniform vertical illumination across the flag surface.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Alcon
Proper fixture spacing and aiming illuminate the flag while minimizing spill light around the flagstaff.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Two to three fixtures should be installed around three feet from the flagpole, and directed toward the top of the pole. For taller poles, the light fixture should be set back from the pole \u2155 of the pole’s total height. The minimum level of illumination on the flag should be 3 footcandles of vertical illumination and 10 footcandles of horizontal illumination. Lighting fixtures producing 500 to 2000 lumens are considered ideal with narrow beam spreads ranging from 10-25\u00b0. This calculation is based on flagpoles ranging in height from 10 to 25 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IES RP-43-22 \u2013 Lighting exterior applications, an American national standard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While RP-43-22<\/a> does not prescribe specific illuminance target values, it does suggest that the flag be illuminated with sufficient vertical illuminance to ensure visibility, color recognition and uniform appearance. In practice, designers often translate this into vertical illuminance targets in the range of approximately 15\u201335 footcandles, depending on context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alcon Lighting\u2019s footcandle recommendation of 15\u201335 footcandles is derived from Industry practice and designer heuristics, which include: older IES guidance documents, exterior accent lighting norms and experience with visibility thresholds for colored objects at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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