Oh how beautiful and elegant they look at the entrance - but how do decorators make those balloon arches? Follow these steps to learn too.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Simple Method
Step 1. Buy a bow
You will use it as a base for attaching the balloons. Ready-made bows can be found in gardening supply stores or those that rent equipment. A bow made of thin wire is the best choice. Just make sure it's tall enough for what you need - a garden birthday party and a wedding reception require two of different sizes.
Step 2. Alternatively, you can build it yourself
If you want or need to do it yourself, use flexible, sturdy plastic tubing and two bricks. (Using other anchoring systems, such as filled plastic buckets or tables with an umbrella hole can be a viable alternative). Arrange the bricks on each side of the arch and fold a piece of PVC pipe over each so that the arch develops between both sides. Fill the holes in each brick with sand or gravel to stabilize them.
- Even with a sand-filled base, an arch of pipes could fail. If you're worried that this will happen, look for trees or poles nearby to tie the ends with garlands. Pull the ribbons tight before tying them to ensure maximum stability.
- To make sure your bow is the right size, buy more tubes than you think you need, and use all of them. Each time you check the arch size, if it is too wide, remove a pipe from the brick and ream 12 cm, then readjust the arch and check again.
Step 3. Inflate the balloons
For the first type of arc, both helium and normal air are fine because the arc will stay upright regardless of the balloons. Inflate about six balloons to start and take a look at how they would perform around the arch, then make a rough estimate of how many you might need and finish inflating them. Remember that the balloons should go around the arch and hide most of the structure.
Step 4. Stop the balloons
Using string or duct tape, secure the base of each balloon to a free point in the arch, starting on one side and moving towards the other to avoid missing points. Wrap colored ribbons around the bow to hide the tape or threads. Leave the remaining balloons to decorate other corners or to replace the ones that burst. Your arch will be colorful and cheerful and the balloons will move in the breeze without flying away.
Method 2 of 2: Elaborate Method
Step 1. Purchase some rope
Buy the thinnest one you think can hold a helium balloon garland, because that's exactly the purpose. Spread the string on the ground giving it the shape of a bow and arrange it until it is the desired size for the finished bow, then cut it leaving an extra margin of a few centimeters to tie it securely.
- To save yourself the hassle, consider tying rings at the end of each garment for a quicker grip.
- Twine or fishing line is fine. Skydiving ropes or thin nylon are better for wide arches.
Step 2. League
Secure one end of the rope to the anchor. Just like with the pipe method, a brick is the least expensive and most reliable solution. You can also exploit elements of the garden such as trees or statues for a greater seal. Just make sure the string is tight to keep the bow from flying off. The other end can still remain loose.
Step 3. Inflate and attach the balloons
With a helium tank, inflate one balloon at a time and attach it tightly to the string. Use florist's wire that won't come loose. Packaging tape or electrician's tape is also fine.
- Keep the material handy and use as much as you need to tie each balloon, wrapping it several times to keep it from loosening.
- As above, work carefully, starting on one side and moving up to the other. The string will rise as you go, reducing the chance of the balloons scratching at something, bursting.
Step 4. Hide the nodes
For this type of bow, crepe paper works better than ribbon because it is very light. Wrap it along the rope from the anchor base to the other side. Not only will it hide the florist's wire, but it will also give a festive touch; moreover, it can easily coordinate with the colors of the balloons.
Step 5. Finish the arc
If you've wrapped crepe paper around the string, you should be holding it with your hands. Cut or tear the paper at the end and secure it with a piece of clear tape to keep it from unrolling. Also attach the other end of the rope to the anchor. Finally, if you are holding the arch with bricks or a similar anchoring system, use something decorative to hide them. Your bow will swing with the breeze while standing upright thanks to the helium and creating a beautiful, festive and colorful movement.
- While floral décor elements are heavy on this type of arch, they remain ideal for hiding anchors.
- Each anchor can be moved or varied for a wider, lower or taller, slender arch, so experiment to find out which one you prefer.
Advice
- Buy helium cylinders with cannula so you can inflate them faster. You can also rent them from party equipment warehouses.
- Attach the spiral balloons along the string or tubes, to get an unusual and rather rich decoration that will cover the whole arch without too much work.
- If you use more than one color, consider varying the patterns to create a confetti effect. You can cover the spiral base in one color by placing each subsequent balloon about 12 ° from the previous one or decorate it with different sections for a more colorful look.
Warnings
- Firmly stopping everything to something is the most important thing, especially with the string bow and helium. Being able to make nice knots will help you just as much as running the ribbon or thread around each balloon several times.
- Balloons inflated with helium begin to lose consistency after about 8-15 hours, so plan to set up the arch no more than a couple of hours before the event.
