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We use 1/2" or 3/4" PVC pipe, for the 3 x 8 banner it is 7-foot tall so the banner lines up with the top of the stall.
(For the 4 x 8 we also use a 7-foot tall piece of pipe so the banner will start 3 feet off the ground.)
Our secret to a strong banner pole is to construct the side poles in sections (it makes it stronger as well as makes it easier to transport (we use a ski bag to store the poles).
For a 3x8 banner, you will need:
6 - 4' sections of PVC (they may all need to be
trimmed to get a nice tight fit - a simple PVC
cutter costs around $9 and is an invaluable tool)
2 - 3' sections of PVC
2 - straight unions of PVC
2 - T-unions of PVC
2 - 90-degree angle unions of PVC
A picture of how the pieces go together is to the left. They don't need glue, although if you would like to glue one side of the unions to one piece, setup will go faster because you won't have to look for the pieces and figure out what goes where (we also number our pieces from left to right and top to bottom so they fit the same way each time).
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Drill a small hole in the 90 degree and T-unions of PVC for best results. It will help keep the banner from sliding on the PVC.
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Zip tie through the middle grommet to the top PVC pole
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Zip tie the banner corners to the PVC frame (or through the holes you drilled in the corner pieces) while on the ground.
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Raise up the frame and zip tie the whole thing to the paneling of the stall.
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Trim the zip ties and make sure they can't poke any eyes out. And you're all set.
I'm sure this sounds like a lot more work than it actually is. Our banners go up in less than 5 minutes. And, you can make this a free-standing frame by adding 90-degree angles at the bottom and making a "foot" of sorts that sticks out about 3 feet with another 90-degree union and a piece of PVC connecting both sides. It is less stable and we don't like to use it if it will be windy or if there is an uneven surface.