A DIY parade banner can celebrate a sports team or even announce a political message. You can purchase a custom-designed parade banner, or just fabricate your own. In this post, you will learn how to make an eye-catching parade float banner in a simplified and easy-to-follow procedure.
Table of Contents
How To Make A Homemade Parade Banner
1. Select the background material
This banner background material is the most important step when making a parade banner. First, you need to keep in mind that a parade banner will be used in outdoor conditions meaning that there will be harsher conditions such as wind. In this regard, the first consideration should be the weight of the base material. Here the heavier the material is, the better it will withstand environmental factors such as wind.
The cost of the material can also affect its usage and it is needless to say that reasonably priced materials are preferable. Lastly, the material should be easy to work on and decorate.
A cloth background material is preferred as it balances the three factors discussed above. Another material that can be used as a base material for a parade banner is mural paper. Even though this material is cheaper and easier to decorate, it can be easily lifted by winds due to its low weight.
An average parade banner should not be less than 6 feet wide and 30 inches tall. Ideally, this should be the size of the banner background material you pick.
2. Letter/label and decorate the base material
Just as the background material, you have great versatility in how you can add the message and decors on the banners. For a cloth background, you can sew the letter in place or print them using fabric paint.
Gluing the letters on the cloth is also a feasible labeling alternative. If you picked mural paper as the background, you can print the message using tempera or acrylic paint. Please avoid washable paint when labeling and decorating the background material, as, in case of rain, the parade banner can be messy.
3. Add support and holding element
The upper edge of the parade banner should have wooden dowels to support it. Part of the dowel should protrude on either side of the parade banner as a holding mechanism like a grommet. A piece of PVC can also be used as a support and holding mechanism. Note that this means that the background material should have extra blank space on the top where you will fold to insert the support/holding mechanism.
Despite the material, you will use to make your parade banner, or the labeling method you will use, make sure that the message is visible even to onlookers that are far away. Always keep in mind that this banner is meant to be used in an event where a multitude of people have gathered and you will never go wrong with a properly done DIY. And at the end of the day, you can always run through the banner like a football breakthrough banner!