How to make a BALLOON ARCH (EASY Step-by-Step Tutorial) 🎈🌈

A DIY BALLOON ARCH is a great decoration for birthday parties, graduations, baby showers. Once you learn how to make one, you’ll find it elevates the fun at any event. An arch works great for the snacks table decor or a photo booth op. Here is how to make a balloon arch in 5 EASY STEPS.

🌈 Easy DIY Balloon Arch Tutorial 🎈

How long does it take to make a balloon arch?

By far, the most time-consuming part of making a balloon arch is blowing up 80+ balloons and tying them together. You can make a small balloon arch by yourself in 2-3 hours. If you have help blowing up balloons and tying them together, you could make it much faster.

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Supplies: How to Make a Balloon Arch Kit

To make the balloon arch pictured, I used the following supplies (Link to this DIY balloon arch kit of supplies)

(80) 5″ colored balloons (8 of each color)
(8) 12″ balloons for the larger base balloons (OPTIONAL).
About 7 feet of this 18 gauge 1mm craft wire.
- Note: If you’re using 12″ standard-sized balloons, I would use this arch instead.
A balloon pump (optional – but it definitely speeds things along).

1. Balloons

- What size Balloons should you use for a Balloon Arch?

– The size of balloons you should buy depends on the desired size of your arch.

- I used 5″ balloons for the arch pictured in this blog post.

how to make a balloon arch- how to make a rainbow ballon arch-21 — I used these 5″ Balloons for this rainbow balloon arch.

- (Note: In addition to the 5″ balloons, I also used 8 full-size balloons to make the bigger base balloons on the ends of the arch.
  - These also helped serve as a stabilizing base so the arch could stand on its own.

- - If you want a larger arch, you can use standard-sized 12″ balloons but you’ll also need to buy a frame to support them (see below)

- Amount of balloons to use for an arch:
  - Depends on the size. The arch pictured above used 80 5″ balloons and 8 larger, 12″ white balloons.
    - Uses 20 rings of 4 balloons (8 ballons of each color)
  - If you’re creating a larger arch with standard 12″ balloons, you’ll need more balloons.

2. Wire (for an arch made with 5″ balloons) or Frame (for full-size balloons)

– The tension of the balloons will help hold the arch together, but a wire will add some structure.

- For a smaller arch made with 5-inch balloons that can stand on its own (like this one I made pictured below), I use some 18 gauge (1mm) artistic copper wire. My arch used about 7 feet of wire. I’ve used and re-used this wire for multiple balloon arches over the years.

For a larger arch make with full-size balloons, you’ll want a larger ballon arch kit that includes a frame made out of a material similar to a tent frame.

If you’ll been leaning your balloon arch against a wall for support, a simple fishing line will work.

The tension of the string will hold the balloons together.

3. Balloon Pump (optional)

A balloon pump is optional, but it does speed things along.

HOW TO MAKE A BALLOON ARCH (IN 5 STEPS)

Step 1: Blow up balloons in groups of 4 (these will form your balloon arch “rings”)

IMPORTANT: TRY TO BLOW UP YOUR BALLOONS TO A SIMILAR SIZE. This will make creating your balloon arch easier.

How many balloons do you need for a balloon arch?

A smaller balloon arch made with 5″ balloons will use ~80 balloons (20 “rings” made with 4 balloons).

A larger balloon arch made with standard 12″ balloons will use ~128 balloons (32 balloon rings made of 4 balloons each).

Step 2: Tie balloons together in “couples” of 2.

Step 3: Twist 2 balloon “couples” together to make a balloon quad.

I twist the balloons couples together ~3 times to form this quad. These quads will be your rainbow “rings” for your balloon arch.

Step 4. Secure the balloon quads to the wire to form an arch

Starting with the larger white balloon quad, TWIST one balloon from each quad onto the wire, then SLIDE into place.

Alternate directions so the next “balloon ring quad” fits snugly against the previous balloon quad.

Keep the balloons tight to form a tension that will hold your arch together.

How many rings of each color you use is up to you. This balloon arch uses 2 “rings” of 4 balloons for each color, or 8 balloons total per color.

I used 10 different colors, for 80 balloons total.

If you have fewer colors, you’ll want to use more rings per color. Overall, this arch made from 5″ balloons has 20 quad rings + 2 rings of larger 12″ balloons for the base.

Larger arches made with 12″ balloons have 32 rings for a total of 128 balloons.

how to make a diy rainbow ballon arch-7 — I used 1 ring of larger 12″ white balloons on each end to form a solid base so the rainbow balloon arch could stand on its own.

how to make a balloon arch - how to make a diy rainbow ballon arch-7 — To end the rainbow balloon arch, I did one white ring of 5″ balloons followed by a ring of 12″ white balloons to form a more stable base so this balloon arch could stand by itself.

Step 5: If needed, tighten the balloon rings closer to each other or adjust the wire to make the ballon arch even and stable.

Step 6 (Optional): For extra sparkle or light, add a string of lights to your rainbow balloon arch.

This was a last-minute impulse for me, but I love how it turned out! This would be especially fun for an evening event.

Balloon Arch Kit

Good luck with your DIY Balloon Arch! Find inspiration for more DIY Projects and Crafts here.

A popular one is this DIY Valentine’s Day Heart Tree.

Rainbow Party Treats and Party Favors

Since this particular arch was a rainbow, read on for more rainbow party ideas (party favors and treats). Whatever the occasion for your rainbow balloon arch, scroll on for ideas for your rainbow party treats and party favors.