How to make a balloon arch

A balloon arch looks like a professional job and costs about £25 to do yourself. The version almost everyone builds now is a garland arch: balloons threaded onto a decorating strip, clustered in fours, then hung in a curve over a doorway, table or photo corner.

You don't need helium. Air-filled balloons hold their shape far longer, cost nothing to inflate and won't drift off overnight, which is why every arch you've seen on a wall is air-filled.

Allow ninety minutes for your first one, and build it the night before rather than on the morning of the party.

What you need

• Balloons: roughly 60 to 70 per metre of arch, in three or four sizes (5in, 10in, 12in). Shop this card
• Balloon decorating strip — the plastic tape with holes. About £4 for 5 metres. Shop this card
• Glue dots for tucking small balloons into the gaps. Around £3 a roll. Shop this card
• A hand pump or electric inflator. An electric one is £15 and saves your hands. Shop this card
• Command hooks or 3M strips for hanging without damaging paintwork. Shop this card
• Fishing line or cable ties if you're anchoring to a frame or bannister. Shop this card
• Optional: eucalyptus or ivy sprigs to fill gaps and lift a plain colour scheme. Shop this card

How many balloons you need

• 1 metre arch: about 60 to 70 balloons — good for a doorway top or a cake table. Shop this card
• 2 metre arch: about 130 balloons — the standard doorway or backdrop size. Shop this card
• 3 metre arch: about 200 balloons — a full photo backdrop wall. Shop this card
• 5 metre garland: about 330 balloons — a whole feature wall or a marquee entrance. Shop this card
• Split them roughly 40% large, 40% medium, 20% small for a natural garland look. Shop this card
• Buy 10% more than you calculate. Some will pop while you're threading them. Shop this card

Step by step

• 1. Choose three or four colours: two main shades, one accent, one metallic or neutral. Shop this card
• 2. Inflate in mixed sizes — don't fill every balloon to the same size, or the garland looks like a tube. Shop this card
• 3. Tie balloons in pairs, then twist two pairs together to make a cluster of four. Shop this card
• 4. Push the cluster onto the decorating strip, threading two opposite balloons through a hole each. Shop this card
• 5. Alternate cluster colours as you go, turning each cluster slightly so it faces a different direction. Shop this card
• 6. Keep going until the strip is full, then hold it up and check for gaps. Shop this card
• 7. Glue-dot 5in balloons into the gaps to fill it out. This is the step that makes it look professional. Shop this card
• 8. Hang it with Command hooks at each end and one in the middle, and tuck greenery in last. Shop this card

How to hang it so it stays up

• Use two hooks at the top corners and one at the arch's midpoint to stop it sagging. Shop this card
• Loop the decorating strip over the hook rather than sticking the balloons to the wall. Shop this card
• For an outdoor arch, cable-tie the strip to a frame — wind will pull it off hooks. Shop this card
• Don't hang it in direct sun. Heat expands the air and balloons pop. Shop this card
• Keep it away from radiators for the same reason. Shop this card
• Build it the night before and hang it the same evening; air-filled balloons hold for two to three days indoors. Shop this card

Birthday cards to go with the party

Designed in house, printed and posted in the UK.

Milestone birthday cards

The big-number designs for the guest of honour.

How to write it so it lands

• Don't inflate every balloon to the same size — mixed sizes are what make it look professional.
• Fill the gaps with 5in balloons on glue dots at the very end.
• Build the night before, not on the morning of the party.

Where to shop next

• Happy birthday banners
• Cake toppers
• Table confetti
• Party bag fillers
• Buy party supplies
• Balloon arch ideas
• How to use a balloon arch kit
• How to make bunting
• How to hang bunting
• Party bag ideas for kids
• What to put in a party bag
• Birthday party ideas
• Milestone birthday cards
• Buy a birthday card online
• All birthday cards
• How much helium do you need for balloons?
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Party bag ideas for adults

Frequently asked questions

How many balloons do you need for a balloon arch?

Around 60 to 70 balloons per metre for a full garland arch — so about 130 for a 2 metre doorway arch and 200 for a 3 metre backdrop. Buy 10% extra to allow for pops.

Do balloon arches need helium?

No. Garland arches are air-filled and attached to a decorating strip, which holds the shape far better than helium and lasts two to three days indoors.

How long does it take to make a balloon arch?

About 90 minutes for your first 2 metre arch, and closer to an hour once you've done one. Most of the time goes on inflating, so an electric pump is worth the £15.

How do you hang a balloon arch without damaging the wall?

Command hooks or 3M strips at each end and one in the middle. Loop the decorating strip over the hooks rather than sticking balloons directly to paintwork.

How far in advance can you make a balloon arch?

Build it the day before. Air-filled balloons stay inflated for two to three days indoors, as long as you keep them out of direct sun and away from radiators.

What colours work best for a balloon arch?

Three or four: two main shades, one accent and one neutral or metallic. More than four and the garland looks busy rather than designed.