Balloon Garland Over Fireplace? The 154 Detailed Answer

Earlier this week I shared my Christmas mantel garland. It’s a textured and layered look and I wanted to share my step-by-step guide to hanging a garland from a mantle (or mantel). It’s that time of year when you update your winter coat decor and hanging garlands is a task I’ve struggled with so I thought I’d share how I solved this problem.

Decorate a mantle with garland

To complete this project you will only need a few simple tools and materials:

Step 1: Gather your mantel decorations

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

The first step is to collect all the garlands and accessories that you will use to decorate your mantel. Group similar items together. You should think about the order in which you attach the items to the garland to make sure you don’t miss a step or have to repeat things.

Step 2: Clean the mantel

Next you want to clean your mantel. Simply wipe with a clean, dry or slightly damp cloth, but do not use detergent. I’ll explain why in the next step.

Step 3: Attach the Command hooks to the mantel

3M Command hooks are what you need to hang the garland. Before sticking Command Hooks to a surface, clean that surface with it

It is important to use the correct size hook for your situation. Since my garland only protruded slightly past the front of the mantel (option 2), and because my garland was fairly light, these clear hooks to ensure they weren’t seen in the arrangement.

How to hang a heavy garland If you want to hang a very heavy garland, you can use both

The first step is to collect all the garlands and accessories that you will use to decorate your mantel. Group similar items together. You should think about the order in which you attach the items to the garland to make sure you don’t miss a step or have to repeat things. Next you want to clean your mantel. Just wipe it down with a clean, dry or slightly damp rag, but use any cleaning product you like. I’ll explain why in the next step. You will need 3M Command hooks to hang the garland. Before attaching Command Hooks to any surface, clean that surface with rubbing alcohol. This allows for better adhesion. For this reason, you should not use any detergent beforehand as it will make the rubbing alcohol less effective. It is important to do this. Because my garland only protruded slightly past the front of the mantel (option 2) and because my garland was fairly light, these Command mini hooks did the job. I use hooks to ensure they don’t show in the arrangement. If you are hanging a very heavy garland, you can use either larger Command hooks or two or more smaller hooks in the same spot to distribute the weight. Make sure you follow the instructions for the Command hook exactly, and allow enough time for the hook to stick to the surface before hanging anything on it.

Step 4: Lay the garland on the mantel to determine the length

Step 5: Wire Multiple Garlands Together

Step 6: Attach the garland to the command hooks

With your garland in the right place and the right length, you can now attach the garland to the hooks. You can do this one of two ways: You can stick a branch of the garland into the “U” of the hook and make sure it’s secure. Or, if you want to make it more secure, wrap one end of the floral wire around the garland and then the other end around the hook a few times.

Step 7: Fluff up the garland Use your fingers to spread out the leaves and branches of the garland. Give volume and shape to the garland. Don’t worry it will look perfect. A more natural look is charming.

Step 8: Adding Twigs and Twigs You can add additional twigs and twigs to add dimension and texture and extra richness to your garland. Tuck in the branches and secure with floral wire. Make sure they are in the same direction as your garland.

Step 9: Add decorative accents

Once the larger branches and sprays are in place, you can add the smaller accents. Work by type. Here I first added all the magnolia leaves and placed five clusters along the length of the garland. Then I added the red eucalyptus berries. Spread your accents in random placements. Anything too neat will look fake and unnatural.

If you use ornaments on your garland, these should be added as well. You can add your ornaments individually, but it will have more impact if you place the ornaments in clusters. To form a cluster, wire the ornaments first (odd numbers look best) before wiring them to the garland.

Step 10: Add Accessories

In the final step, add anything that isn’t attached or attached to the garland. You can see where I added the garters and stockings, candles, birds and an owl above and below the garland.

And your garland is ready. I hope this helps you create and hang your garland and create a beautiful mantel!

***

For more holiday guidance, see:

How to make a Christmas urn in 8 easy steps

7 ways to hang wreaths on Windows

5 must-have gadgets you need for hanging Christmas decorations

With your garland in the right place and the right length, you can now attach the garland to the hooks. You can do this one of two ways: You can stick a branch of the garland into the “U” of the hook and make sure it’s secure. Or, if you want to make it more secure, wrap one end of the floral wire around the garland and then the other end around the hook a few times. Use your fingers to gently spread the leaves and branches of the garland. Give volume and shape to the garland. Don’t worry it will look perfect. A more natural look is adorable. You can add extra branches and sprays to add dimension and texture and extra fullness to your garland. Tuck in the branches and secure with floral wire. Make sure they are in the same direction as your garland. Once the larger branches and sprays are in place, you can add the smaller accents. Work by type. Here I first added all the magnolia leaves and placed five clusters along the length of the garland. Then I added the red eucalyptus berries. Spread your accents in random placements. Anything too neat will look fake and unnatural. If you use ornaments on your garland, these should be added as well. You can add your ornaments individually, but it will have more impact if you place the ornaments in clusters. To form a cluster, wire the ornaments first (odd numbers look best) before wiring them to the garland. In the final step, add anything that isn’t attached or attached to the garland. You can see where I added the garters and stockings, candles, birds and an owl above and below the garland. And that’s it, your garland is complete. I hope this helps you create and hang your garland and create a beautiful mantel!

But first: I’m convinced that mantle is the most misspelled word of all time. “Mantel” is the correct spelling, although I see it more often as “mantle” which is why I included it here. If you’re wondering how to hang a garland on a coat, I want you to be able to find that information here ;)Ok, enough of the English lesson! You should attach the Command Hooks to a surface (top of the mantel) as opposed to a vertical surface (the front of the mantel). This allows the hooks to carry more weight and stay secure. Place the hooks at least 1 inch from the front of the mantel. Install at least one in each corner and one in the center of the mantel. If your garland is swung around the front of the mantel and has multiple shells (option 3), you should add additional hooks, one at each end of the shells, as needed. In this step, your goal is to determine how far your garland will extend down the sides of the mantel. My garland was only 5′ and I knew I wanted to go down at least a foot on each side, so I had to use two garlands. If using multiple strands of garland, wire them together with floral wire. I used 22 gauge floral wire. Place the garlands together with a slight overlap. Pay attention to the natural “direction” of your garlands. Should all branches fall in the same direction? Or do you want them to fall outwards from the center of the mantel (I did, see two photos above)? If you’re weaving different types of garlands over each other, or using different materials (like the plaid scarf and magnolia garland I used in this 2018 mantel), now is the time to combine them and also hold them together with floral wire.

A question I get asked every year is “How do you hang garlands, stockings, ornaments and wreaths on your fireplace or around doors and windows and at different levels without getting holes all over the mantel?”

Well that’s a good question!

With my fireplace spruced up with the new stone front, wood planked area above, and fresh paint on the surround and mantel, I don’t want it to be filled with holes just so I can hang Christmas decorations.

Here are a few items I use and some tips that might come in handy no matter where you decide to hang your Christmas decorations!

1. Command hook.

Command hooks really are the best thing I have found for hanging wreaths, garlands and stockings on my mantel, door or wall without nails! If you haven’t used them yet, they are small hooks with non-marring double-sided tape on the back. I can get mine here or at a hardware store like Home Depot. They come in different sizes, from small to large, to accommodate light or slightly heavier items. I glued a few to the back of my mantel and to the sides (although sometimes I just use a nail as a hook if it’s tucked into the side).

I also use larger command hooks to hold the wreaths, especially in places where there is no other way to hang them or when I’d rather not make a nail hole, like in my planked walls. They also work to hang garlands on and around doors or windows.

The hooks will not generally damage walls or paint if you remove them, but follow manufacturer’s instructions and use at your own risk. You definitely want to make sure that the area where you plan to attach a hook is clean and dry (and free of dust!).

I don’t think they’ll stick well if they’re too close to the heat of the fire (sometimes mine have fallen off, probably from melting the glue!), but if decorations are that close to the heat they probably shouldn’t be hung there only for security reasons. One thing I do just as a precaution is to pick up any ornaments that get in the way and place them on the mantel or somewhere else when we have a fire so nothing gets too hot or breaks.

2. String, thread, ribbon, or clear fishing line.

To hang ornaments or stockings at different tiers, you can hang them with brown twine like I used on my mantel for a slightly more rustic look, or you can use festive ribbon, plain clear fishing line or white thread or use a cord look you want.

Last year I hung gold mirrored ornaments on my dining room lantern using clear fishing line so that from a distance the line basically disappears and all you really notice are the hanging ornaments. When hanging the ornaments on a mantel or window, simply stick a command hook in a discreet place and then you can hang the ornaments with thread, fishing wire, ribbon or twine and attach to the hook.

3. Large sticks or branches.

This year I used a birch branch I found on a walk for my mantelpiece! It was heavy enough to stay on the mantel without support, but I could have tied it to the command hook as an extra precaution. My ornaments hang directly from the branch. For a bit more sparkle I put the branch on some fun beaded lights and wrapped some wires around the branch. I love it! Last year I hung a branch over our window and hung ornaments on it. I only had to secure the branch with a hook, not each individual ornament.

Thank you everyone for your kind comments on my Christmas house tour. It was so much fun opening up my home and inviting you in, and hopefully you also got a better sense of the rooms and layout as you were able to ‘walk through’ one post and see more angles much like the real one Life. I love walking through other people’s houses!

I’m still doing a few little things around the house here and there, we have a huge tree right now (you may have seen it on my Instagram) so I’ll show you that soon along with my porch that’s finished and photographed, I’ll show you next Week!

Every day this week there are new Christmas Housewalk Tours at other bloggers, so be sure to visit Jen Rizzo for the full list of links each day. Here are links to her posts Day One, Day Two, and Day Three. These women are so creative and ambitious with their Christmas decorations! It’s quite an impressive housewalk, so don’t miss it! (I feel like an underachiever after seeing how much these ladies do, but I still love watching their beautiful home tours, even if I feel like a slacker in my own house!). I know bloggers all work so hard cleaning, decorating, and photography for their tours, and opening your home to the world can be stressful, so appreciate our visits and support!).

How is your week so far? 🙂

With the right mantel decor, your fireplace will become the focal point of a room. Try one of these mantel ideas that combine artwork, mirrors, vases and other accents to turn a lackluster fireplace into the center of attention.

01 of 26 Painted Mantle Ideas Stacy Goldberg Emphasize the features of your fireplace by painting the brick surround, mantel, wall and mantel the same color. A full coat of varnish helps to highlight the crown molding and other details while providing a cohesive backdrop to the mantel decor. The gray color used here contrasts sharply with the warm white walls while showcasing candle holders, greenery and artwork.

02 of 26 Simple Mantel Decorating Ideas David Land If you’re lucky enough to have a mantel with character, let the mantel be the star by minimizing your accessories. Fill the wall space with a simple mirror and just a few well-placed items. Decorative accents like glass vases and hurricane candle holders take a back seat, keeping the emphasis on the mantel itself.

03 of 26 Overlapping Mantel Decoration Helen Norman Overlapping artwork to make your mantel stand out. The key is to make sure the pieces vary in height and width. Here, a colorful map becomes a unified background, while a framed print and painting overlap. The hues of the mantel decor are repeated on books carefully arranged by color on the built-in shelves.

04 of 26 Contrasting Mantel Colors David A. Land To turn an ordinary fireplace into a focal point, paint the wall above the mantel a shade that contrasts with the main wall color of the room. Base the color on another element in the room for a cohesive look. Here the blue of the chimney has been matched to the stone of the mantel.

05 of 26 Quick Mantle Makeover Werner Straube For a quick mantel makeover, collect items you already own to quickly swap out your mantel decor. Items like potted plants, colorful vases, and vintage collectibles can easily transform a plain mantel into something special. Be sure to vary the size and scale of objects to create a balanced display. Bonus: Create easy DIY artworks using leftover plywood and spray paint.

06 of 26 Fireplace Decor for Visual Contrast Annie Schlechter Emphasize the height of a room by displaying a tall frame, mirror, or artwork on your mantel. Choose an object that contrasts with the mantel for even more impact. Here, a framed painting with a black background stands out against deep blue walls. The piece’s tall, narrow frame draws the eye to the blue-painted ceiling.

07 of 26 DIY Mantlepiece Paul Dyer Have a fireplace but no mantel? Create a mantel using a few materials from the hardware store. Start with a wooden beam that matches the width of your mantel. For a rustic look, stain the wood to create a distressed finish. Install the mantel over the fireplace using a masonry drill bit and lag screws.

08 of 26 Simple Mantel Decoration Michael Partenio Instead of one oversized work of art, choose three coordinating frames for a more budget-friendly mantel decoration idea. This set of prints features a world map in three parts, forming an eye-catching display that spans most of the mantel. A few glass vases and votive candle holders punctuate the arrangement.

09 of 26 Maximalist Mantel Decoration David A Land Mantel decorating ideas that eschew minimalism and pull out all the stops are fun but require a bit of strategy and know-how. Scale is key: choose elements that fill the space and are relative to each other. Here, a large piece of art dramatically accentuates the height of the room, while two medium-sized pieces of art adequately fill out the arrangement. Several large parts might have competed with each other, and smaller parts would have created an imbalance. The definition of a theme, for example a red thread, connects the different elements.

10 of 26 Off-Balance Mantel Decorating Ideas Anthony Masterson An asymmetrical mantel arrangement feels bold and airy, but it can also be a subtle and intelligent design strategy. Arranging the mantel artwork on the left naturally draws the eye to the upbeat sofa cushions on the left side of the fireplace. Simple accessories, on the other hand, draw the focus to the mantel’s star artwork.

11 of 26 Coordinated Mantel Accessories Stacey Brandford In a neutral living room, use accessories that take inspiration from colors found elsewhere. Here, blue and yellow vases pick up on hues used on the sofa, while the brown wooden mirror frame echoes the finish of the floor, furniture and shelves. The result is a mantel arrangement that feels right at home and doesn’t overshadow the charming rack on the mantel.

12 of 26 Elegant Mantel Ideas Sarah Dorio Elegant mantel decorating ideas rely on limitation and thoughtful consideration of every detail. Striking Art Deco-influenced wallpaper is the wow element in this classic living room. Everything else lags behind, but holds up. Delftware-style vases support the mantelpiece for a pop of color.

13 of 26 Mix and Matched Mantel Decoration Adam Albright Mix and match mantel decoration ideas from different styles for an eclectic, personalized look. Here, a bold contemporary painting adds color and balances the traditional design of the white fireplace. Simple accessories direct the focus to the striking artwork.

14 of 26 Coordinated Mantel Art John Bessler Consider how above the mantel art relates to the mantel and fireplace, both in terms of style and size. Mix and match like with like for a unified style. The size of your art should proportionally fill the space. If a piece is too small, arrange it with a few other hanging pieces. Here a traditional mantel plays off against an abstract splatter painted piece that features a neutral background that continues with the stone mantel. The screen reaches close to the ceiling and is not too small.

15 of 26 Layered Mantel Decor Laura Moss Skip the fancy artwork and let fun frames shine with this everyday mantel decoration idea. Simply place several empty frames of different sizes and styles on your mantel. Complete the look with a few accessories – even a vintage croquet mallet will do – and top it off with a flourish of flowers or greenery.

16 of 26 Soothing Mantel Decoration Greg Scheidemann The right mix of accessories can enhance a plain mantel. For a simple mantel decoration idea, hang a mirror in the center and a sconce on either side. Anchor the mantel with a larger vase in front of the mirror and fill it in with smaller accessories like vases, candle holders and decorative items. Pick up colors and materials found elsewhere in the room. Here, a mix of white, blue, and gold pieces reflect the space’s soothing palette. Vary the height and apparent weight of items to easily create a well-dressed mantel.

17 of 26 Traditional Mantel Decor Michael Partenio Symmetrical arrangements project a classic order. Use the approach as an elegant mantel decoration idea for instant visual appeal. Start with two sconces, one on each side of the fireplace, and place a round mirror in the center. Use similar shaped items on the mantel to keep the neat look. Here, tapered vases with feet mimic the shape of the candlesticks on the wall.

18 of 26 Mantel Lighting Ideas Kim Cornelison Industrial style sconces add definition and a stylish light source to this mantel. A round mirror contrasts with the many straight lines throughout the room. The rustic mantel made of reclaimed wood is perfect for presenting a few selected accessories. If there’s not much space between the mantel and the ceiling, focus on accessorizing with just a few smaller pieces rather than overwhelming the space with mantel decor.

19 of 26 Statement Mantel Art Robert Brinson A large, striking painting transforms this worn mantel into a look that embodies both country and contemporary mantel ideas. Items in neutral tones, including a brown jug, small basket, and found objects, allow the painting to take center stage while still giving the mantel a complete feel. The mix of textures within the ensemble adds dimension to the monochromatic color palette.

20 of 26 TV mantel solutions Michael Partenio Flat screen TVs often naturally find a place above a fireplace, but the appearance can disrupt the decorative facade of the fireplace. Regain the look of your mantel by recessing the unit into the wall behind the fireplace and enclosing it with double doors. Here the doors are clad with corrugated boards to match the coffered ceiling.

21 of 26 Chimney bar details Werner Straube Give your chimney wall character with a chimney bar. Paint moldings the same color as the wall and install them in rectangular shapes that fill the space around your fireplace. In this living room, a large rectangle frames the space above the mantel, while a narrow rectangle either side of the fireplace fills the space and draws the eye upwards.

22 of 26 Robert Brinson Mantel Accent Wall Dress up a cookie cutter fireplace by painting the surrounding wall a bold and eye-catching color. In this living room, a steely midnight blue wall elevates an average white fireplace. Paired with a gold sunburst mirror, the mantel becomes the center of attention. Adding simple accessories like candlesticks and matching deer figurines gives the mantel a custom feel.

23 of 26 Decorating a Fireplace with Built-Ins Sarah Dorio Consider your entire fireplace wall when designing your mantel. If your fireplace is flanked by fixtures, consider how the look of the fixtures relates to the mantel. In this living room, the objects on display in the fixtures are coordinated with the colors of the abstract painting above the fireplace.

24 of 26 Mantel Styling Tips Ray Kachatorian Play with objects of different heights when decorating your mantel. Here, high, delicate branches draw the eye upwards, while books arranged vertically and horizontally emphasize the simple, slender form. A large, horizontal mirror with a gilt frame adds character to the mantel.

25 of 26 Affordable Mantel Update Michael Partenio For an affordable mantel artwork update, try a decal to add visual interest without the expense of a gallery piece. When choosing a decal, consider the size of the wall above your mantel and the width of the chimney so you choose a design that isn’t too small or too big. Here, a black clock detail against a white wall maintains an air of cool sophistication that is maintained in the mantel’s display of black candlesticks and white candles. A few well-placed books add subtle dimension, while a vase of yellow flowers adds understated pop.

Mantelpieces are often the focal point of the rooms in which they reside. Learn how to make the most of them with these fireplace decor ideas. As with any home display, a mantel display needs a certain amount of balance and proportion. Don’t just place items randomly. No matter what you wear on it, keep the following tips in mind.

Tips for decorating mantels

These simple guidelines will help you be thoughtful in your mantel decor decisions.

Variation: Use items of different shapes and sizes. Start with larger items at the back and use smaller items as you work your way forward.

Use items of different shapes and sizes. Start with larger items at the back and use smaller items as you work your way forward. Layering: Don’t be afraid to layer elements on top of each other – it creates depth. Remember that a mantel is not a photograph and people don’t always look directly at it. Elements in the foreground should overlap those in the background so that no element is obscured.

Don’t be afraid to layer elements on top of each other – it creates depth. Remember that a mantel is not a photograph and people don’t always look directly at it. Elements in the foreground should overlap those in the background so that no element is obscured. Symmetry: The tried-and-true formula that always works is to place a large item in the center (e.g. a flower bowl) and then flank each side with matching items (to create a mirror image).

The tried and true formula that always works is to place a large item in the center (e.g. a flower bowl) and then flank each side with matching items (to create a mirror image). Odd Numbers: When using multiple items, always use an odd number of them. For example, three candlesticks instead of two, or five bud vases instead of four. That goes for almost everything in decorating: when it comes to groups, odds are more interesting than straights.

When using multiple items, always use an odd number of them. For example, three candlesticks instead of two, or five bud vases instead of four. That goes for almost everything in decorating: when it comes to groups, odds are more interesting than straights. Elegance: For a formal look, anchor the mantel with matching items on each side. A pair of Staffordshire dog figurines, for example, always looks classy and polished.

For a formal look, anchor the mantel with matching items on each side. A pair of Staffordshire dog figurines, for example, always looks classy and polished. Connection: Don’t try to use a completely random selection of items. Find items that complement each other either in color, style or theme. The objects should be connected in some way.

Try not to use a completely random selection of items. Find items that complement each other either in color, style or theme. The objects should be connected in some way. Proportion: Balance doesn’t have to mean that all parts fit together. Multiple light items on one side can be balanced with a visually heavy item on the other side.

Balance doesn’t have to mean all the pieces fit together. Multiple light items on one side can be balanced with a visually heavy item on the other side. Accent Piece: To really draw attention and draw attention to a piece, place a large element in the center.

To really draw attention and draw attention to a piece, place a large item in the center. Avoid Overcrowding: Don’t put so many items on the mantel that it ends up looking cluttered. Give the items room to breathe or they will get lost in the chaos.

Some of these mantel ideas, especially those that deal with balance and proportion, can seem confusing, but they really aren’t. Your eye will tell you when something isn’t working. Just keep experimenting until you find your mantel pleasing to the eye. The really important thing to remember is that no ad is permanent. You can always move things around and play with the setup.

Great items for decorating mantels

Don’t know what to put on your mantel? Here are a few ideas:

When it comes to gluing balloons and other materials, there are many different glues to choose from, but which one is the best glue or…

What climate do helium balloons prefer?

Helium balloons have become synonymous with parties. From birthday parties to high school dances to weddings, a colorful balloon bouquet represents celebration. However, due to their delicate nature, most helium balloons last less than a week. Learn the best conditions for inflating and storing helium balloons, plus other tips to keep them floating long after the party is over.

advertisement

video of the day

facts

Helium is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-toxic noble gas that is often used to inflate party balloons because it is lighter than air. According to the law of buoyancy, the balloon will float as long as the weight of the helium and balloon is less than the weight of the air. Helium, which makes up about 0.0005 percent of the air we breathe, is the second lightest element. It weighs 0.1785 grams per liter. Hydrogen is actually the lightest element, but it is highly flammable.

advertisement

story

Early balloons were made from animal intestines. According to Helium UK, a leading supplier of helium in the United Kingdom, Professor Michael Faraday made the first rubber balloon in 1824, which he inflated with hydrogen. According to Beginnersguide.com, helium was first used to inflate balloons some time after World War I. Google’s History of Helium Balloons reports that the giant helium balloons that appear at parades like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade made their debut in 1927. Twister balloons, popular with balloon sculptors, appeared in the 1950’s and Mylar foil balloons were introduced in the 1970’s.

advertisement

Best climate

Helium is sensitive to temperature changes. Cold air shrinks the helium, seemingly deflating the balloon even though it’s still floating. Heat can cause the helium to expand and the balloon to burst. Latex balloons are also sensitive to light and balloons of any type are weakened by dirt and dust. Therefore, the best place to store a helium balloon is a cool, dark room away from wind and dust.

advertisement

More performance tips

Ultra Hi-Float and Super Hi-Float are liquid products designed to form a thin protective layer inside the balloon that helps helium balloons float 10 to 25 times longer, according to Hi-float.com. Additional ways to extend the life of a helium balloon include coating the outside with a silicone spray or hairspray, inflating the balloon at the same temperature as the area of ​​its intended use, and pre-inflating a latex balloon by pre-inflating it with air to inflate with helium.

advertisement

warning

Although helium is non-toxic and non-flammable, inhaling large amounts of helium from balloons can be dangerous and cause suffocation. Even inhaling small amounts can cause injury as the drop in oxygen can cause a person to lose consciousness and fall.

How far in advance of a birthday party should a balloon arch be made?

by Byanca

(Inglewood, California)

How long before the party can you make your balloon arch? | Share or pin for later!

I am asking how far in advance as I am wondering if it can be done the night before or should it be done on the day of the party? I do it myself and try to figure out how much time I need.

REPLY

Hello Byanka,

This depends on what type of balloon arch you want to make.

If it’s a helium-filled bow, like a pearl necklace bow, it’s best to make the bow on the day of the birthday party.

Latex balloons filled with helium only float well for about 10 to 12 hours. If you plan to do your helium-filled arch the night before the event, I highly recommend treating your balloons with Hi-Float.

If you plan to make an air-filled bow, it’s fine to make the bow the day before.

I hope it helps! Good luck in decorating the birthday party.

Preferably,

Margit

Related questions and answers on balloon arches

How long do balloons stay inflated?

Can balloons be inflated the day before the event?

Can I do a balloon arch the night before?

How does a balloon arch last longer?

If possible, place your balloon arch in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, moisture and air movement.

Choose quality balloon brands as listed on my Best Balloons for Arches page.

Use bigger balloons. The bigger the balloon, the longer they stay inflated.

Treat the balloon surface with a silicone compound like Balloon Shine. You can also try hairspray. This seals the surface of the balloon and keeps the air in the balloon longer. As a bonus, the balloon stays shiny longer.

Replace deflated balloons with new ones. With organic balloon arches, it’s easy to replace a deflated or burst balloon. Just remove the old one and use a 160q balloon to tie the new balloon to the arch.

For a classic balloon arch with clusters, you would have to remove the cluster from the frame, replace the deflated balloon’s duplet with a new duplet, and put the quad back in place.

How do you prevent air-filled balloons from deflating?

How long does a balloon arch last outdoors?

direct sunlight

Heat, cold and temperature changes

humidity and condensation

wind

Blades of grass, sand or other small particles that can be blown against the balloons

How long does it take to make a balloon arch?

Latex balloons inflated with air will remain fully inflated for several days to several weeks, depending on the environment. They will last the longest in a cool, dark, air-conditioned room. Their lifespan is much shorter when exposed to sunlight, heat and humidity. Foil balloons inflated with air or helium can last for years. Check out the reviews on my “How Long Do Mylar Balloons Stay Firmly Inflated” page. The longest period was 30 years! Yes, you can inflate both latex and mylar balloons the day before the event. Be sure to protect your balloons from direct sunlight and heat. It is best to store the latex balloons in large, tightly sealed plastic bags to prevent them from oxidizing. As soon as a latex balloon comes into contact with air, it begins to lose its shiny surface. Whether or not you can do a balloon arch the night before the event depends on the type of balloon arch you want to do. Is it a helium-filled levitating bow, like a pearl necklace bow? Then you should create the sheet on the day of the event. Latex balloons filled with helium will only float well for 10 to 12 hours unless you treat them with a product called “Hi-Float”. Such as a floating arch made of foil balloons, you can create your arch the night before the party. Follow these tips to make your balloon arch last longer: To prevent air-filled balloons from deflating, keep them in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Avoid temperature fluctuations. If you need to store them before the event, put them in large, tight-fitting plastic bags, like these 55-gallon garbage bags. or hairspray. Finally, always tie the balloon knot tightly so that no air can escape through the neck. In general, an outdoor balloon arch doesn’t last very long. At best, the arch will last overnight and for most of the following day. In the worst case, balloons begin to burst after just a few hours. Outdoors there are many factors that shorten the life of an arch balloon or other balloon decoration: also check out my page on the best outdoor balloon brands. How long How long it takes to make a balloon arch depends on many things such as: B. the type and size of arch you want to make, whether you use an electric balloon pump or a manual pump and whether you do it alone or have some helpers. First and foremost it depends on your experience! Is it your first balloon arch? Allow a whole afternoon. Have you already made balloon decorations? Allow approximately two hours to create an arch of 100 balloons. This estimate assumes you are using an electric inflator and either a pre-made frame or balloon decorating strip

If you’re wondering whether to make a balloon garland the night before your party or special event, you’ve come to the right place. The short answer is yes. Read on for more detailed answers to many common questions about making balloon garlands and how long they last.

Balloons are an easy way to add lots of life and color to any celebration. Balloon arches and garlands are ideal for making any occasion spectacular, whether it’s a baby shower, birthday party, wedding or any other event.

You want to make a DIY balloon arch or garland for your upcoming party but don’t have time on the day of the party. Balloon garlands can definitely be made in advance! All you need is some time the night before your party to put it together.

(This post likely contains affiliate links. For more information, see the disclosure policy. You can find the disclosure policy here.)

Can you make a balloon garland the night before?

Yes, you can make a balloon garland the night before your party. This is the best time to do it if you have time as the inflated balloons will still look new and shiny too. Making the balloon garland the day before the party is great because it takes the stress out of decorating on the actual day of the party.

There’s nothing worse than being rushed just before your guests arrive. It’s so much better to be feeling cool, calm, collected and ready to have fun than trying to add balloons to your garland.

Balloon garlands have become so popular in recent years and are a very popular party decoration and photo backdrop. They look stunning and add the wow factor to any party area or room. It’s the perfect way to easily turn an area into a party zone. They’re also a great topic of conversation. Your party guests will be amazed at how clever and creative you are.

Balloon garlands can make a huge impact on the look of your party without taking too much time or expense.

How long does a balloon garland last?

Balloon garlands can last anywhere from 24 hours to a week. The longevity of the balloons depends on the weather, temperature, heat and humidity, and the quality of the balloons used in the garland.

The reason balloons don’t last forever is because the latex slowly allows air through the undetected pores in the balloons, causing them to deflate over time.

How to make a balloon garland last longer

To make your balloon garland last longer, store it in a cool, dry place just before party time. If your party is indoors, you can definitely set it up beforehand. On the other hand, if you are decorating outside with the balloon garland, it is best to take the garland outside closer to the start time of the party.

If you plan to decorate your garland with fresh flowers, branches of greenery, photos, ribbons, it is best to wait until the day of the party.

How far in advance can you make a balloon garland?

For best results, you can make a balloon garland up to three days before your party. Balloons are at their best when they look new and shiny, so for that reason, use them within 2-3 days of the party.

Some people have been known to make them a few weeks in advance and store the balloons in a large, clean plastic bag. I do not recommend this. I believe it’s best to bring it closer to the time of your party so your balloons will still have their nice glossy finish. In my opinion, the eve is perfect if that’s doable for you.

The good news is that balloon garlands don’t take too long to make, so you can make them closer to the day of your event. It’s a good idea to plan and set everything up a few days in advance to make sure you have all the materials you need.

How long does the balloon garland stay out?

Balloons don’t last as long outside because of heat and humidity or wind and rain. Even too much wind can burst your balloons. Weather can contribute to the biodegradation of the balloon’s latex material and it will not last as long as if stored indoors.

So if you make a balloon garland in advance, it’s a good idea to keep it inside until just before the time of your party or event. It’s best to take it outside just before the party starts.

How long does it take to make a balloon garland?

How long it takes to make a balloon garland depends on the overall size of the decoration as well as how you inflate the balloons.

Inflating each balloon with your mouth will take a long time, especially if you have a large number of balloons. If this is the case and you have patience, enlist the help of friends and family.

However, for a really easy way, I recommend investing in at least a balloon hand pump. Some balloon garland kits come with one of these. If this isn’t the case for you, you can find one here.

If you need to inflate a lot of balloons in a short amount of time, definitely invest in an electric pump. An electric balloon pump will change the game and get the job done really quickly and efficiently.

Once all the balloons are inflated, it can only take about 20 minutes to make an average sized balloon garland.

Inflating the balloons is definitely the most time consuming part. For example, I use about 100 balloons for most of my balloon arches, which span half of our door. So blowing up so many balloons with your mouth will make you breathless and get over it!

Remember that your first balloon arch/garland will take the longest. Once you’ve created one, you know what you’re doing and it will take significantly less time to create the next one you create.

Balloon garland tips and tricks

The best tip for creating your own DIY balloon garland is to definitely get more balloons than you think you will need. Some might crack. Some may be too big or too small for the look you want your garland to have as you will need different sizes for your arrangement. You will most likely want to add a few more once you’ve hung it.

You don’t need helium…in fact, it’s a lot easier without. I never use helium when making my balloon garlands. The balloons are easier to handle and style with regular air. It’s cheaper and means I don’t have to rely on the local party store to fill them up. I can fill them up quickly and easily at home.

Many different balloon sizes add interest and visual appeal to a balloon garland. It looks great with a combination of larger and smaller balloons. You don’t need special sized balloons for this. Simply inflate regular latex balloons of different sizes per color. It will look great. Trust your judgment and have fun.

The best tool for making a balloon garland is this balloon strip! This is the magic ingredient for a balloon garland! Make sure you snag one like the strip in the picture below. It’s much easier to work with if it has two holes per balloon. It makes the balloon much safer. (Don’t get the strips with only one hole).

And have fun! Making balloon garlands is really fun and you will be so pleased with yourself when you see the end result.

Buy a balloon garland or make one yourself

My number one piece of advice for having a beautiful party on a budget is to make as much of your own at home as possible, so I knew learning how to make a balloon garland would be pretty inexpensive. The cost of a DIY balloon garland is a lot cheaper than you think.

However, if you don’t have enough time or energy to make one, or you just want to focus on other things for your birthday parties or special occasions, then by all means buy a premade one from a local party store.

What do you need for a balloon garland?

The easiest way to make a balloon garland/arch is with a balloon arch kit/balloon garland kit. You can buy these online or at party supply stores. They come with the balloon strip and all the balloons you need.

Grab some extra balloons in case something pops. To be honest, I often buy twice as many balloons as I think I’ll actually need. The extra balloons just don’t get lost.

I often need a few more in the garland, and when I have leftover balloons I use them to decorate other areas. Because they are the same color as the garland, they also look great in smaller arrangements.

If you are sourcing your own balloons, you will need a balloon strip to hold your balloons in place.

The next thing you need is an electric balloon pump. It will save so much time! They are not expensive and will change your party decorations forever!

How to hang your balloon garland

Just a quick side note: a balloon garland, like any other balloon decoration, will not float without helium. It needs to be hung on the wall or anchored somewhere.

You can hang your balloon garland on the wall or above a door frame. Use string or fishing line to attach to a nail on the wall or command hook. You can also use sturdy safety pins or clear zip ties through the holes in the decoration strip to secure your garland to a curtain or fabric backdrop.

To attach to the hooks, you can use fishing line or clear cable ties threaded through the holes in the decorative strip. You can also use curling ribbon.

I love a balloon garland with lots of greenery. It’s my favorite way to add something special to balloon party decor!

Step by step instructions

Would you like to learn how to make your own balloon garland at home? It’s a lot easier than you think! Watch this step-by-step tutorial video below for some great pro tips.

If you want to make a balloon garland the night before, it’s entirely doable and won’t spoil the look of your balloon garland. It will look just as fresh as if you did it an hour before the party started. Thank you for reading this article. Have fun decorating your special occasion.

Related posts:

Can you blow up helium balloons with your mouth?

Posted on October 5, 2018 | Last updated December 1, 2021

I’m officially the boy who cried wolf when it comes to this balloon garland tutorial! I’m sorry that so many of you have had to wait so long, but life has been crazy the last few months. I haven’t been sharing content as much as I’d like while trying to figure out how many projects are too many with Piper. Trying to settle into my new normal has been harder than I thought. But I’ll talk more about that later and get to the good stuff! I’ll do my best to answer your questions, but you can also leave a comment below and I’ll respond as soon as possible. If you are a visual person, you can check out a short tutorial saved under the balloon highlight on Instagram.

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR YOUR DIY BALOON GARLANDE

Balloons of Different Sizes and Colors: I usually use a variety, but most of these are 11 inches. Bargainballoons.com has a wide selection. Honestly, the best part about these balloon garlands is that you can’t mess them up! I recommend ordering 9″, 11″, 16″ and some 36″ round balloons.

balloon ribbon

Balloon Pump – this will make your life WAAAAY easier!

Fishing line or string for hanging

Command hooks, thumbtacks or wall mount. Or to make it easier, you can hang from existing furniture or nails, a stair rail, window treatments, etc. The balloons are only filled with air, so the garland is almost weightless!

First things first, the materials. I use Qualatex balloons every time. I think they last the longest and are more durable. Also, they have a matte finish which I really like! But I’ve used balloons from every store that sells them, so it just depends on what’s easiest for you. You can also buy on Amazon!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR DIY BALLOON GARLAND:

Inflate your balloons with the balloon pump. I like alternating colors and sizes. You can start by inflating about a dozen in the main color, then a handful in the other colors. See some examples below! Don’t worry that all the balloons are the same size, I love the variation.

Take your tape and insert the balloons into every other hole. There are big holes and smaller holes, I use the smaller ones so it’s really secure. Add a balloon that goes up and down. The alternating aids give some movement to the balloon garland. Don’t worry about changing colors or anything like that. It might look a bit odd at first, but I promise once it’s 4-5 feet long it will start to take shape!

Ta-da! You have the ultimate balloon garland ready!

Color combination ideas for balloon garlands

Balloon garlands are a DIY project and can be made in any color combination. Here is a list of color combinations:

Red, Gold and Blue (for Memorial Day)

Green and Orange (for St. Patrick’s Day)

White, Silver and Pink (for Easter)

Black, White and Gold (for a casino party)

Pink, Peach, White, and Gold (for a Baby Shower)

The easiest way to hang your balloon garland is to thread string or fishing line through one of the empty holes, creating a large loop. Then hook the loop to a command hook, press a pin, or use tape. Once it’s attached in 2-3 places you can adjust some of the balloons to create more movement. I usually like all the huge round balloons in front so they can be seen.

UPDATED 10/9: I received some questions about how far in advance you can inflate the balloons. You can inflate them 1-2 days in advance and leave the garland inside until your party (the heat will shrink them). Many balloons stay inflated much longer, but this is how they look best!

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some of my favorite balloon garlands from the past few years!

How long does a balloon garland last?

A balloon garland can usually last for several days if you take good care of it. It is best to store the garland flat in a cool, dry place; If not stored properly, balloons will burst.

How long a balloon garland will last depends on how many balloons are used and what color they are. Also, for best results, it is recommended that you make the garland at least 12″ longer than where it will be hung to allow for weighting of the ends. If the garland is too short, balloons will burst and the garland will fall.

Do you need helium for balloon arches?

Balloon garlands don’t usually require helium to stay in place and look good. These types of balloon decorations can be made at home and will last for several days with good care. Balloon arches are best for one-time use or short-term display, but balloon garlands are great for both situations and more.

Children’s parties, easy DIY

If you’re planning on making your own balloon garland and want easy instructions, you’ve come to the right place! I’m sharing the step-by-step instructions and the materials you’ll need below. I’ve made a lot of balloon garlands and I have to say I dreaded making them until I perfected this method. It used to take ages to make and never seemed to last more than a few days.

Balloon garlands make any party extra special and are an easy way to add decoration without breaking the bank. I love decorating events with balloons!

To get the Balloon Garland Party Kit above, click here and use code CHELSEEHOOD for 10% off!

How long does it take to craft them?

This balloon garland took me about 30 minutes from start to finish. It will probably take about an hour if you are assembling one for the first time. Let me know if you follow this tutorial! I would like to see a photo. Be sure to scroll down to see the video of me assembling our balloon garland too!

I used to use balloon tape (which is basically a clear, non-stick “tape” with holes in it to put the balloons through) to make my balloon garlands, but I’ve found that thick fishing line works MUCH better. I’ll also share how I make a balloon garland with balloon tape below in case you want to try that option.

Supplies you need to make your balloon garland

To make your balloon garland, you only need a few utensils. Balloons (the bottom garland uses 64 balloons), strong fishing line, electric balloon pump, and command hooks.

Balloon Garland Stock 1: Balloons of different sizes

First decide how big you want your balloon garland to be. For a 10ft balloon garland (like the pink balloon garland above and below) you will need about 64 different sized balloons. You can find balloons at Party City, Amazon, The Dollar Tree, Michaels, etc. Or you can buy a balloon garland kit. I like this one and there are a ton of color options. It’s a more expensive option, but the balloons are great quality and biodegradable.

Balloon Garland Supply 2: Strong fishing line

Next you need a strong fishing line. This one is great! You will use this to loop the balloons to it. More on that later.

fishing line

Above is our single electric balloon pump

Balloon Garland Supply 3: Electric Balloon Pump

Most importantly, you want to get yourself an electric balloon blower. No one has time to inflate all those balloons alone! This one works great and I own two of these! Better yet, snag this option for about the same price, which comes with four nozzles.

Balloon Garland Supply 4: Command Hook

To hang your balloon garland, you should tie each end to something. I often use my stair railing, but if you don’t have that nearby you should use command hooks. These and these are my favorites because the fishing line stays in place.

Shop our favorite balloon garland supplies

Click any photo below to shop our favorite balloon garland items!

Activate your JavaScript to display content

Print Recipe Rating 3 out of 1 DIY Balloon Garland Here’s our step-by-step guide to making the easiest balloon garland ever! Prep time 1 hr Total time 1 hr Servings: 1 balloon garland Cost: $30 Equipment Electric balloon pump Ingredients 64 balloons (less or more depending on length)

15-20 foot Strong Fishing Line

2-4 Command Hook Instructions Blow up your balloons. Again, I use different sizes and colors. You’ll need roughly equal amounts of small and medium balloons, and then a couple of large balloons. After inflating them and before tying them off, I press them against my body while holding the opening and letting some air out. This gives me a longer “tail” to work with, and it also makes the balloon more rounded versus longer.

Next we tie our balloons together. Of course, if you decide to go with more of a rainbow garland, you’ll want to keep all of your colors separate. If you want it more random, tie one of your colors together. I take a medium balloon and a large balloon and tie them together. Then take a medium balloon and a small balloon and tie them together. Next, take a small balloon and a medium balloon and tie them together. Basically you should tie random sizes together in groups of two. We’ll take our groupings of two balloons and tie them together with another grouping of two balloons. This creates a “quad” that makes up our balloon garland!

Now that all of our balloons are inflated and tied together in groups of four, this next step is super quick! You take your first quad of balloons and fishing line and tie them up. Be sure to leave about a meter of fishing line at the end so you can tie it down. You wrap the fishing line around one of the balloons on the quad and tie it twice.

Next, take your second balloon square and slide it as close to the first quad as possible. When I say close, I mean squeeze them really close (it’ll almost feel like you’re popping them!). Then you loop the fishing line around a balloon and push it up firmly. They should be super tight to give a complete look. Please watch my video above if this doesn’t make sense! You will loop each quad onto the fishing line until you have your balloon garland as long as you want it.

Use glue dots to add extra small balloons if needed. You can also use masking tape or a low temperature glue gun. The low temp glue gun works really well and lasts the longest!

Our final step is attaching our balloon garland! Again, I like to tie our balloon garland to our stair railing or attic railing, but that doesn’t always work where I want our balloon garland. You can also tie your balloon garland to a command hook, leave the end hanging, or attach the other end to another command hook. It really just depends on the look you are going for!

Our how-to video

More tips and tricks here:

How to make a balloon garland – tutorial

Now that you have your balloon garland supplies, here is our tutorial. Hopefully this helps explain our simple balloon garland method easily! I’ve been making balloon garlands for about 4 years now, so I can whip them up pretty quickly.

I made an EXTRA long balloon garland for Madison’s birthday. Our new home has a 2 story great room so I wanted to hang down the garland from the 2nd story. That worked great! I didn’t need command hooks for this, since I could tie it to the railing and to a latch on our window. For this method I used fishing line to attach the balloons. You will definitely want an electric balloon pump to inflate your balloons.

Step 1 – Inflate the balloons

Blow up your balloons. Again, I use different sizes and colors. You’ll need roughly equal amounts of small and medium balloons, and then a couple of large balloons. After inflating them and before tying them off, I press them against my body while holding the opening and letting some air out. This gives me a longer “tail” to work with, and it also makes the balloon rounder vs. longer.

This is our electric pump – I squeeze the air out of the balloon to make the ends extra long and make the balloon rounder

Step 2 – Tie balloons together

Next we tie our balloons together. Of course, if you decide to go with more of a rainbow garland, you’ll want to keep all of your colors separate. If you want it more random, tie one of your colors together. I take a medium balloon and a large balloon and tie them together. Then take a medium balloon and a small balloon and tie them together. Next, take a small balloon and a medium balloon and tie them together. Basically you should tie random sizes together in groups of two.

We’ll take our groupings of two balloons and tie them together with another grouping of two balloons. This creates a “quad” that makes up our balloon garland!

here is our grouping two

here is our grouping of 4 (or a quad)

Step 3 – Thread balloons onto fishing line

Now that all of our balloons are inflated and tied together in groups of four, this next step is super quick! You take your first quad of balloons and fishing line and tie them up. Be sure to leave about a meter of fishing line at the end so you can tie it down. You will loop the fishing line around one of the balloons on the quad and tie it twice.

here is our finished garland for our daughters birthday!

Next, take your second balloon square and slide it as close to the first quad as possible. When I say close, I mean squeeze them really close (it’ll almost feel like you’re popping them!). Then you loop the fishing line around a balloon and push it up firmly. They should be super tight to give a complete look. Please watch my video above if this doesn’t make sense! You will loop each quad onto the fishing line until you have your balloon garland as long as you want it.

Step 4 – Add Small Balloons (Optional)

We didn’t do that with this balloon garland. We did it for our New Year’s Eve balloon garland (below). This one came with really small balloons so I used glue dots to add those. I knew I wouldn’t last very long or I would have used a low temp glue gun. You can also use tape. The low temp glue gun works really well and lasts the longest!

This was our balloon garland for New Year’s Eve. The girls loved popping the balloons with confetti for our countdown!

bench // olive tree // cushions

Step 5 – Tie the balloon garland together

Our final step is attaching our balloon garland! Again, I like to tie our balloon garland to our stair railing or attic railing, but that doesn’t always work where I want our balloon garland. You can also tie your balloon garland to a command hook, leave the end hanging, or attach the other end to another command hook. It really just depends on the look you want! For our New Year’s garland, I had a random nail on the wall, so I tied it to it!

frequently asked Questions

How many balloons do you need? – Of course it depends on the length of the balloon garland. But for the longer pink balloon garland above, we used 64 different sized balloons.

– Of course it depends on the length of the balloon garland. But for the longer pink balloon garland above, we used 64 different sized balloons. how long do they last – I’ve had balloon garlands for several weeks! You can definitely prepare them the day before your event or even longer.

– I’ve had balloon garlands for several weeks! How long will it take me? – If this is your first time making a balloon garland, allow at least an hour. Again, I made a bunch of these so I can make them in about 30 minutes. Your first garland will probably be very frustrating, but keep going and you’ll get better!

– If this is your first time making a balloon garland, allow at least an hour. Again, I made a bunch of these so I can make them in about 30 minutes. Your first garland will probably be very frustrating, but keep going and you’ll get better! How many balloons pop? – I rarely pop balloons when I inflate them surprisingly! I’d say I could lose 1-2 for each balloon garland, which isn’t bad!

– I rarely pop balloons when I inflate them surprisingly! I’d say I could lose 1-2 for each balloon garland, which isn’t bad! Do I need helium? – No! The great thing about balloon garlands is that no helium is required.

– No! The great thing about balloon garlands is that no helium is required. How far in advance can I make them? – It’s really nice to have a balloon garland as a party decoration because you can make it in advance. Although I’ve gotten really good with this method and it only takes me about 30 minutes, it’s still nice to make it a day or two in advance. The only downside is my kids end up trying to play with it!

– It’s really nice to have a balloon garland as a party decoration because you can make it in advance. Although I’ve gotten really good with this method and it only takes me about 30 minutes, it’s still nice to make it a day or two in advance. The only downside is my kids end up trying to play with it! How do I attach it to the wall? – Again, I mainly use command hooks. They seem to last the longest. I also use random things around the house if it works for my setup. I’ve tied the balloon garland to my stairs, closet knobs, a random leftover nail on the wall, or even a thumbtack! To keep your walls looking nice, I still recommend command hooks over any other hook.

– Again, I mainly use command hooks. They seem to last the longest. I also use random things around the house if it works for my setup. I’ve tied the balloon garland to my stairs, closet knobs, a random leftover nail on the wall, or even a thumbtack! To keep your walls looking nice, I still recommend command hooks over any other hook. What size balloon should I use? – I like to use different sizes with a few extra large balloons thrown in. 9″ to 24″ and everything in between!

method two

This is my original balloon garland method. I still like it, but the fishing line method is just so much easier.

Here are the materials you will need:

Balloon ribbon (I’ll talk more about that in a moment)

Low temperature glue gun

Balloons (I like 2-3 different colors depending on what look you’re going for)

Balloon Pump – I linked this to Amazon which costs about $20 but is worth it if you keep making balloon garlands!

Command hooks (or, if you don’t mind patching small holes, you can use thumbtacks)

balloon ribbon

My old method of creating balloon garlands was to literally pin them to the wall. I have a wall in our bonus room that I use when setting up party scenes. It really needs to be filled in because it’s full of holes! The girls would rip them off the wall too, so it was basically a disaster.

I discovered balloon tape while searching on Amazon. It’s basically just a roll of clear “tape” (it’s not sticky) with holes punched through it. Put your balloons through the holes. This will help create the base for your balloon garland.

Low temperature glue gun

This made a huge difference to my old balloon garland method! I used to glue the smaller balloons onto the larger balloons and it never lasted more than a day or two. You can use the low temperature glue gun to glue your smaller balloons onto the larger ones. You need to specifically look for the low temperature as the high temperatures will pop the balloons!

Assembling your balloon garland

For the base of my balloon garland, I used about 30 balloons, inflated to capacity. This is where your balloon pump comes in. Nobody wants to inflate 30 balloons alone!

I attached them to the balloon ribbon with two pinks, then one white and so on. I wanted the pink to stand out a bit more, so I used more pink.

When you receive your balloon tape, you will find that there are larger and smaller holes. I used the larger holes for this garland. I placed our larger balloons on top of every other large hole. This gives me room to actually tape the balloon tape to the wall without popping any balloons.

Once I have my base ready I glue the balloon tape to the wall. Again, you can use command hooks if you don’t want to leave holes.

If you tie a string to each end of the balloon garland, it will easily hang from the command hook. We patch our walls a lot (thanks toddlers) so I didn’t mind adding a few more spots to the list.

add dimension

It looks a little sparse and sad, doesn’t it? This is where the smaller balloons come in to give it dimension.

Our next step is to add the smaller balloons for some dimension. This really makes your balloon garland “pop”. Ok, not really pop because that would be bad, but you know what I mean. I inflate more balloons of different sizes from medium to super small. Then I start randomly placing the smaller balloons where I think they look good and add a dot or two of glue.

I hold them against the large balloons for about 20 seconds until the glue sets. Keep doing this until you are happy with the look! You can also add greenery if it fits your party theme.

3 balloon sizes for this garland

Previous balloon garland photos

our NYE balloon garland

McKinlee’s Trolls themed party

Balloon Garland Inspiration

There’s some pretty intense balloon art out there, and these are all so beautiful! I love the addition of foil balloons for a little extra sparkle. Click on the links below to check out these talented artists!

Image via Instagram – The balloon girl

Image about balloon therapy

image via Girly Gifts – Check out her shop for easy and beautiful DIY garland kits

This is such a cute set from The Happy Wish Company!

Other posts you might like

Science Theme Birthday Party // Pink Halloween Party // DIY Fringe Backdrop

Pin this photo for later!

I hope you found this balloon garland tutorial helpful! Balloons really do add so much to a party that is set up in an easy and inexpensive way. Let me know if you try any of these methods and what you think! Feel free to leave a question in the comments below, or DM me on Instagram!

Are you trying to figure out how to make a balloon garland? A balloon garland is a super easy way to make a big impact at any type of party! They’re actually incredibly easy to make, which is what you’ll see with this tutorial.

If you’ve been on my world for a minute you know I LOVE balloon arches. And honestly, they make such an impression that they really limit the rest of the decorations needed for any type of celebration!

I was so intimidated by them before I even did my first one because they seem so difficult! In reality, they’re one of the easiest things you can make, which is why I wanted to share this balloon garland tutorial.

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission on something you purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for helping me support my family through Paisley + Sparrow!

Examples of balloon garlands I’ve created

I’ve made pretty much every party, baby shower and holiday with balloon garlands for the last 3 years. I’m now known in my family as the official party launcher because I love making them and everyone loves to have them!

After making my first balloon arch, there was no stopping me! Now I make them for almost every birthday party, shower, or any other gathering I throw. Here are a few I’ve made over the year:

My very first was this Mickey Mouse balloon garland! I used a variety of red, white, and yellow balloons for Roy’s Mickey Mouse birthday party.

To follow the Disney theme, I made a fun but simple pink and white one for Penelope’s Minnie Mouse party using this kit from Amazon.

When I buy another set, I take a good look at what’s included. I didn’t realize there were only a few gold pieces in the kit so I would have bought an extra pack of gold or just bought them all individually!

And sure enough, a handful of the gold balloons popped before the party even started, which made sense as to why they added a few “extra” gold balloons! (Next I need to make a Disney princess!)

I created a rainbow balloon garland for my daughter’s 3rd birthday and it was a hit!

I even made a balloon garland just to celebrate National Coffee Day!

The last balloon garland I made was for our son’s superhero birthday party. We live in a new home now (and it was a beautiful summer day) so I put it outside of our house! It was the perfect way to welcome guests to the party.

As you can see, making a big impact with balloons is super easy! A handful of balloons and a little time can make a huge impact on any special day.

Now let’s talk about how to make a balloon garland.

How do I make a balloon garland?

There are a few ways to make a balloon garland.

The first is that you can tie each balloon to a LONG piece of string. The second option is to sew your balloons together using a needle and thread or fishing line and sticking the needle through the bottom of each balloon. Or the easiest way is to use a balloon decorative strip!

I’m convinced that a balloon decorating strip is by far the easiest way to make a balloon arch, so let’s walk through the steps to do it.

Balloon Garland Accessory List

First, you will need the following items:

1. Balloons

You will need a lot of latex balloons. The size of the balloons matters if you want a more unique and interesting balloon garland. I use a mix of large balloons and small balloons for mine. For the majority of my balloon arches, which go halfway across our door, I use about 100 balloons.

That should give you a good idea of ​​where to start. If you want to do a full door opening I would go closer to 200.

Remember. It’s far better to have too many balloons than not enough!

2. Decoration strips for balloons

This is the most important tool for making a balloon garland! This simple strip will make creating your balloon arch a breeze!

I like to refer to these as flypaper for balloons. It is a long strip of plastic with holes for the balloon’s knot to pass through. You can’t make a balloon garland without one of these! I found my balloon strip on Amazon (the single hole style).

3. An electric balloon pump

Yes, you need an electric balloon inflator! I made a balloon arch without this and it took 3 times as long! An electric balloon inflator not only saves you a lot of time, but also prevents fainting. 😉

The one I have is this balloon buddy from Amazon, but this balloon pump gets AMAZING reviews! You can get the ones I own from Michaels too!

4. Command hook

You need something to hang your balloon garland on the wall. Command hooks work great as they don’t create an extra hole in your wall! I have command hooks from Amazon or you can always get hooks from Target.

I used both the smallest and medium sizes. Balloon garlands are super light, so you don’t need anything too intense!

If you prefer nails, you can always go this route!

5. Glue dots

Use glue dots to attach balloons to holes at the end of the project. A pack goes a long way.

I got these from Amazon and I’ve used them for all my balloon garlands and have plenty left over.

You can also use a low-eat glue gun for this step if you don’t have glue dots or already have a glue gun handy.

6. Optional – fresh flowers, artificial flowers, greenery

Depending on your party and the type of balloon garland, adding fresh or artificial flowers or greenery can add a fun look!

How to make a balloon garland – tutorial

Ok you’ve got all your balloon garland supplies, now let’s get down to how to make a balloon garland! Don’t be intimidated by the process, I promise it’s easier than it seems.

{Can’t see the video? Turn off your ad blocker or watch it on YouTube now!}

1. Blow up balloons

Inflate balloons with the electric balloon inflator. Ideally, you want balloons of different sizes and colors to make it more fun and interesting. If you have different size balloons, simply inflate them to the size you want. Don’t blow them up too big to make them look bulky.

However, if you buy balloons that are all the same size, you can inflate them to different sizes! This is a super easy way to make a big impact.

2. Attach balloons to the trim

Using the balloon decorating strip, push the end of each balloon through the hole to secure it, leaving about a foot at the beginning and end of the strip (to make it easier to attach to the wall).

Just a note, you can always easily remove balloons if you find them difficult to attach to the wall.

And don’t stress about the pattern! I’ve found that when I try to be precise about certain color patterns, it never ends up the way I expected.

Just fill it up and remember you can always manipulate them to lay them differently when you hang them AND you’ll end up adding balloons to break up colors or sizes anyway.

3. Add more balloons!

Keep adding balloons to your balloon garland until most of the balloons are gone or the garland is as long as you like. Be sure to leave out about 5-10 of the smaller balloons to fill in gaps.

I left out even more on this blue and white one (closer to 15). You can always end up attaching them to the bottom of the balloon arch. Just wait to cut your balloon decoration ribbon!

4. Set up command hooks

Attach command hooks (or nails) to the wall where you want to hang your balloon garland. I recommend actually holding up your balloon bow before attaching the command strips!

You might be surprised how long it ends up being or how low it hangs if your balloons are fat.

5. Attach the balloon garland to the wall

Attach your balloon garland to the wall! I do this using command bars like the ones I shared above. For the top one, thread one of the balloon strip’s holes through the hook of your command strip.

Next, attach the other part of the balloon arch to the wall, either using the same method (by threading it directly through one of the holes in the balloon strip ribbon) or sometimes I poke baker’s twine through the hole in the balloon strip ribbon and attach it to the hook.

This depends on how thick your balloon arch is and how many balloons you have. With the white and blue one, I just removed a couple of balloons from where I was going to attach it to the wall to make it work.

6. Fill holes

When it’s up, use balloon glue dots to secure leftover balloons in gaps with holes. Be careful not to try to pull the balloon off after it’s cured! I’ve done this a few times and it popped the balloon.

My best tip for this is to put a dot of glue near the knot. Attach this to the inside of the balloon so you don’t see the knot sticking out.

Next, apply another dot of glue to the balloon you just attached and connect it to another balloon. This will ensure it doesn’t fall off accidentally during your party!

DIY Balloon Garland Yield: Balloon Garland Prep Time: 5 minutes Active Time: 1 hour Extra Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes Difficulty: Easy How to make a balloon garland for your next event! Wow your guests with this easy step-by-step tutorial for a simple but beautiful balloon arch. Printing Materials – Balloons (it’s best to use balloons of different sizes and colors)

– Balloon decoration strips

-an electric balloon pump

-Command Hook

-Glue Dots Tools None other than above! Blow up balloons instructions. Using the balloon decoration strip, push the end of each balloon through the hole to secure it, leaving about 15cm at the beginning and end of the strip (to make it easier to attach to the wall). Continue this process until most of the balloons are gone (leave out 5-10 to fill in the gaps) or until the garland is as long as you’d like. Attach command hooks (or nails) to the wall where you want to hang your balloon garland. Attach your balloon garland to the wall by threading one of the balloon strip’s holes through the hook of your command strip. Once it’s up, use balloon glue dots to secure leftover balloons in gaps with holes.

Notes Some extra tips: 1. If you are having trouble attaching the balloon arch to the strip, attach some baker’s twine (or fishing line or similar) into a loop at the end of the strip and secure the loop to the hook. 2. When attaching balloons with the glue dots, be sure to place them correctly the first time. I’ve popped numerous balloons by trying to remove them and place them elsewhere! It’s best to just leave them where they are. DO YOU LIKE HANGING OUT ON INSTAGRAM? Join me there for more home decor inspo, fashion tips and mom life fun!

More balloon garland tips

A few extra balloon garland tips:

1. If you are having trouble attaching the balloon arch to the strip, attach some baker’s twine (or fishing line or similar) in a loop at the end of the strip and attach the loop to the hook.

2. When attaching balloons with the glue dots, be sure to place them correctly the first time. I’ve popped numerous balloons by trying to remove them and place them elsewhere! It’s best to just leave them where they are.

Frequently asked questions about balloon garland

Here are some frequently asked questions about balloon garlands:

How many balloons do you need?

The number of balloons you need depends on the size of the balloons you are using and the space you are decorating. To decorate the entryway in my home I usually use around 100-120 balloons. I always err on the side of too much than not enough, especially if you plan on making these for other parties!

I would plan for between 100 and 150 balloons because you can always use leftover balloons for future balloon garlands!

Do you need helium for balloon arches?

No! That’s the beauty of these, they don’t use helium.

How far in advance can I make a balloon garland?

I’m often asked how far in advance I can make a balloon garland. For best results, make the balloon garland a day or two before the party. I usually make mine the day before I plan to use it. If you plan on hanging it outside, wait until the day of the party to do so.

How long do balloon garlands last?

A balloon garland lasts about 1 week. I usually keep mine for a few days after the party and then post them to our neighborhood app to see if anyone else could use them for a party of their own!

I have been able to gift each one for anything from a charitable annual event to another child’s birthday. It usually still looks good after a week if just a few balloons are starting to deflate!

Honestly most of the time when I make these I post them to our neighborhood app to see if anyone else could use them for others to use.

How long does it take to make?

This depends on how big it is and whether or not you are using an electric balloon inflator. Usually the ones I make with about 150 balloons take me about an hour to an hour and a half.

What size balloon should I take?

Get balloons of all sizes. The smallest I have used is 5″ and the largest I have used is 24″. They don’t have to be that small or that big, but a different size is great.

Other Use: Balloon Garland Photo Background

We also usually use our balloon garlands for photo ops! We pulled down the unicorn style balloon arch as the backdrop for Penelope and my niece’s first birthday party. It’s an easy way to get rid of all the mess behind the kids from the birthday celebrations!

We even took her outside for family photos. There are so many fun things to do with balloon garlands!

I hope this easy tutorial on creating a balloon garland helps you wow guests at your next event! If you want a specific rainbow balloon garland, be sure to check out this post. And check out this post for cheap things to do for a kid’s birthday party!

Attach balloon garland to the wall

How to hang a balloon garland without damaging walls?

How to apply command hooks [Image credit: command.com]

I can make a balloon wall and also a long balloon banner from 28 sets of 4 balloon clusters. But I’m not sure how to attach these to the wall. Can you help?

REPLY:

To attach individual balloon clusters or flowers to the wall, I usually recommend removable adhesive dots.

For a larger balloon garland like the one you envision, you’ll need to use something stronger. You also need to consider how to hang the balloon garland without damaging walls.

If there are no pre-existing hooks or other fixtures in the wall or ceiling, use detachable, undamaged hooks like these 3M Command Hooks.

Choose between clear (best matches all types of wall paint) or white hooks.

There are also different sizes. To be on the safe side, I recommend you choose hooks that can withstand at least 1200g of weight.

When decorating outdoors, use water and UV resistant outdoor mounting hooks like these Command Outdoor Light Clips.

They can be used on sealed, smooth exterior surfaces including doors, flat vinyl siding, soffits, finished fences, tiles, painted cinder blocks and windows.

They might work on bricks but only if the bricks are painted and smooth as the glue will not bond to porous surfaces.

Usually you need two to three hooks to hang a garland on the wall, depending on the shape you want to create.

For a hassle-free experience with Command Hooks, follow these tips:

The hooks can be safely used on painted walls, wood or concrete; also on tiles, metal or other smooth surfaces; You cannot use them on wallpaper, brick or textile.

Use them on wallpaper, brick or textiles.

Clean the surface with rubbing alcohol; Do not use household detergent or water.

Look at your hook type; some are only one piece, others consist of two parts. The steps to attach to the wall are slightly different for these two types (see video below).

Wait an hour before attaching the garland to the hooks.

As you remove the hooks, gently pull the strip down until it releases. Never pull away from the wall!

To attach your balloon garland to the hooks, use fishing line, ribbon, or twine. I personally prefer fishing lines as they are virtually invisible. If you made the garland using a balloon trim, you can simply hang the end of the trim on the hook. Hope that helps! Margit