How to Make Homemade Outdoor Banners

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Things You'll Need

  • Vinyl banner or white tarp

  • Super glue

  • Wooden dowel

  • Permanent markers

  • Spray adhesive

  • Stickers

  • Pictures

  • Glitter

  • String

Announce an event or welcome every guest to a birthday or other special celebration with a customized, homemade banner.You can make the banner as elaborate or as simple as you would like and incorporate the event's color scheme to help the banner blend in with the decor. When the day is done, give the personalized banner to the guest of honor as a keepsake of the special day.

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Step 1

Determine where you will hang the banner and select an appropriate size.

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Step 2

Add three inches to the height of the banner you would like and cut a vinyl banner or tarp to size. Fold over 3 inches of the top of the tarp and secure the fold with hot glue or strong adhesive. Insert a wooden dowel inside the fold for hanging. The dowel should be 4 inches longer than the width of the banner.

Step 3

Write a message on the banner with permanent markers so the ink will not smear if it gets wet. Alternatively, use tape or pre-cut vinyl letters. Write in simple print and keep your words at a minimum so the banner is easier to read and doesn't seem cluttered.

Step 4

Decorate the banner using stickers, glitter or signatures of the guests.

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Step 5

Attach pictures of the guest of honor with spray adhesive. Place each picture on newspaper or papers to protect surfaces. Hold the can 8 inches away from the picture and spray in a side-to-side motion until the back is covered with a single layer. Wait approximately 30 seconds before you turn the picture over. Position it onto the banner and smooth out any wrinkles using your hand.

Step 6

Hang the banner using heavy string. Tie the string to the ends of the dowel.

Tip

The standard size of vinyl banners is 2 x 8 feet to 4 x 8 feet and the standard tarp size is 5 x 8 feet.

Instead of a dowel, considering adding grommets to the banner for easy hanging. This consists of cutting a hole in the banner where the grommet will be, and then setting the grommet using a pair of grommet pliers.

Use thicker vinyl and/or a liquid laminate on the banner for longer-lasting protection from outdoor elements.

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