A balloon arch is a flexible, large-scale decorating element you can quickly create for little cost. Building one takes just a few hours, and the elements you incorporate into your design can make it appropriate for just about any celebration, ranging from weddings and graduations to bar mitzvahs and retirement parties.
What You Need
The balloon arch does not require you to work with helium. Using helium makes the arch cost more and it makes the behavior of the arch unpredictable over time.
To create this arch, you will need to buy helium-quality balloons. These balloons stay inflated for longer, which means your arch will last longer. You need to buy six balloons per foot of arch. This means you should buy the balloons you want to use in bulk.
You will also need to enough clear 1.5-inch PVC pipe to define the length of the arch. PVC pipe is stiff enough to hold the shape of the arch, but flexible enough to bend into almost any shape. The instructions for creating a balloon arch can be tailored to create balloon hoops, tunnels, spirals and trees as well. You just need to have enough PVC pipe to create the structure to which you want to add balloons.
You may want to purchase LED lights to slide inside the PVC pipe. You can use this to make your balloon arch twinkle.
You may also need to purchase 1-gallon paint buckets and enough plaster of Paris or quick-setting cement to fill them. You can use these buckets to create bases for your arch. Note that if your arch is going to be tied to tent poles or the structure of a building, the bases are unnecessary.
Making the Balloon Arch Segments
Four balloons, tied together at their nozzles, create each segment of the arch. If you are creating a large arch by yourself, you'll need to purchase a balloon inflator. If you are working with five or six assistants, you can make do without one. Inflate all balloons to their full sizes. This ensures they are all the same size and that they cover the maximum space possible.
If you want to create a color pattern in the arch, make sure that you combine the right colors in each segment.
Attaching the Balloons to the PVC Pipe
Take a balloon segment composed of four balloons tied at the knots. Press the knots onto the PVC pipe, then twist one pair of balloons around the pipe. You will see that this firmly attaches the balloons to the pipe. Note that you should not try to slide the balloons along the pipe once they are attached. This will usually pop one or more of the balloons.
Adding the Lights
Once the balloons are attached to the PVC, you can slide the LED lights inside. Note that the PVC pipe diameter must be large enough to let the LED plug slide inside.
If you prefer, you can weave LED lights, which do not get hot, through the balloons by wrapping them around the PVC pipe.
Making the Balloon Arch Stand Up
Often, you can just tape a balloon arch to tent poles or door frames because you are using them to decorate the entrance to an existing structure.
In some cases, you need to create a somewhat freestanding arch. To do this, mix plaster of Paris or quick-setting cement into your paint cans. Stick the ends of the PVC pipe into the paint cans, and hold the arch still as it sets. Plaster of Paris sets in a matter of minutes. If it is not heavy enough for your arch, put some heavy rocks in the base of the paint can, then pour the plaster of Paris, then stick in the PVC pipe. This will create a heavy, fast-setting base. For large arches, you will have to use quick-setting cement, which costs a little more and can take up to 30 minutes to set. Decorate the bases using balloons.
If you are using LED lights, you will have to cut the PVC pipe to allow the cord for the lights to escape from the PVC before the PVC goes into the base.
It's Reusable
Once nice thing about this design for a balloon arch is that it is reusable. Just pop the balloons when the party is over. If the bases are set with plaster of Paris, you can usually pull the PVC straight up out of the base with just a few very hard tugs. Alternatively, you can just cut the PVC and have a shorter arch next time.
