DIY Arches Wedding Ceremony Backdrop
Do you want a modern and unique wedding ceremony backdrop? Something different than a traditional wedding ceremony arch? Do you need a fun backdrop for a birthday party, bridal shower, or baby shower? Here’s a fun DIY to make that happen…With a few tools and some basic woodworking skills, you can create this unique backdrop at home!
Materials You’ll Need
- Three 3/4″ 4 ft.x8 ft. MDF boards (these are heavy! if you want a lighter version, use finished grade plywood. it is lighter but more expensive)
- Router
- Router Circle Jig
- Circular Saw
- Straight Edge Guide or 1×2 + clamps
- Orbital Sander
- orbital sandpaper discs (120 grit)
- Six L-shaped brackets
- Six 25″ 2×4 pieces
- Primer (white primer for lighter colors, or gray primer for darker paint colors)
- Paint (I used Behr Latex Paint in a Satin finish)
- 4 inch foam roller set
- N95 mask (MDF is extremely toxic and dusty so please wear a mask to protect your lungs!)
Dimensions of the Arches
- Smallest (5ft. height x 3.5ft. width)
- Middle (6.5ft. height x 3.5ft. width)
- Largest (7.5ft. height x. 3.5 ft. width)
Cut the Board to Correct Height + Width
The first thing you should do is cut each board down to size with your straight edge and circular saw. You could also cut these boards on a table saw, but I think it is easier to cut the excess off using a circular saw.
- Smallest: On the smallest arch, you will need to cut 6 inches off the width of the board and 3 feet off the height of the board. You will end up with a rectangle in the dimensions of 5 feet by 3.5 feet.
- Middle: On the middle size arch, you will need to cut 6 inches off the width of the board and 1.5 feet off the height of the board. You will end up with a rectangle in the dimensions of 6.5 feet by 3.5 feet.
- Largest: On the largest arch, you will need to cut 6 inches off the width of the board and six inches off the height of the board. You will end up with a rectangle in the dimensions of 7.5 feet by 3.5 feet.
Cut the Arch Detail
After you have cut the boards to the correct sizes, it is time to cut the arches using your router and a router circle jig! If you don’t have a router of circle jig, you could always cut the arch with a jigsaw tool, but it is more difficult to get it perfect.
In order to create an arch with a circle jig, you need to cut half of a circle on the top of the board. First, you need to figure out the diameter of the circle. For a 3.5 foot board, the diameter is 42 inches. Set your circle jig to 42 inches and mark the middle of the circle on your board. The middle point on the board should be 21 inches from each side of the board. Then, draw a line across the board to mark the half-circle. This will be where you stop the router to create an arch instead of a circle.
Screw your middle jig attachment into the board and attach the circle jig sled/router to the board.
Now it is time to cut the arch using your router! Repeat this on each board. The arch instructions will be exactly the same for each of the sizes since they are all the same width. Remember, DO NOT CUT AN ENTIRE CIRCLE! The circle jig allows you to create a full circle, but you only want to take off the top of the board to create an arch.
Sand the Arches
After you have cut all of the arches, it is time to sand the edges. I used an orbital sander, but you could easily hand sand using a sanding block or a sheet of sandpaper.
Prep for Primer + Paint
After you are finished sanding, clean up the arches with a shop vac and/or a tack cloth to ensure all of the dust is off. Remember, MDF is extremely dusty when cutting AND it is toxic. Remember to wear a respirator or mask while working with it!
Time to Prime!
Once all of the dust is gone, it is time to prime! It is extremely important to prime MDF before painting because MDF is absorbent. The primer will soak into the material, and allows the paint to have an even coverage. I applied two layers of this gray primer to each arch.
Time to Paint!
After the primer is dry, it is time to paint! I chose Behr Premium in Satin. Behr paint is hands down my favorite paint, but of course you can use whatever paint you wish. I prefer to roll paint most of the time, using a foam roller set for a smooth finish. You could use a regular size roller or a paint sprayer for this step as well!
Make Braces to Keep Arches Upright
Last, it is time to create the stands to keep the arches upright. I screwed the metal L brackets into the arches and into the 2×4 legs. To weigh down the legs, I suggest placing sand bags on the legs to make sure the arches don’t topple.
Enjoy your celebration!
