What kind of string do I use to make a balloon arch?

by Ashley
(Pasadena, California, United States)

I am making balloon arches for my 4 year old son's birthday party instead of buying them in order to save money due to this nation's poor economy. There are many different kinds of string in the world so I would like to know what kind of string I am supposed to use in order to make a balloon arch.

String for Balloon Arch

What string you need for your balloon arch depends on what type of arch you want to make, and what technique you prefer.

For a helium filled "String of Pearls" balloon arch you typically use 0.5 mm strong clear nylon line (also known as fishing wire or monofilament).

The advantage of fishing line is that it's strong yet almost invisible, so your balloons look as if they're floating in mid-air as if by magic!

You could also use fishing line for creating a simple air filled organic arch or garland, as shown in the video below.



One downside of using nylon line as balloon arch string is that it can be quite tough on your fingers (and it's hard to see when you tie a knot!).

Alternatives would be organic twine, curling ribbon or 150 lbs VB cord / Dacron line. The latter is recommended for large designs, as it doesn't stretch, even under a lot of weight.

Finally, if you're looking for a really easy way of creating an air filled arch or garland, follow my balloon decorating strip tutorial.

The balloon arch strip is a clear plastic strip with evenly spaced out holes where you insert the balloons. No need to tie the balloons with any kind of thread. You don't even have to tie them into clusters when you create your arch with this method.



Hope that helps, Ashley! Good luck for making a beautiful balloon arch for your son's 4th birthday!