Design Your Own Movie Screen for Summer Backyard Parties
Making your own screen for watching movies in your backyard will save you money over buying an expensive screen and make warmer weather more fun. Here’s how to put together your own with a couple of hours of work and some supplies.
This screen and film frame can be easily disassembled for storage or transport, so if you don’t need this feature, you can glue all the joints together to make your frame more stable. In addition to a hacksaw, a hacksaw for cutting an angle, and rubber glue, here’s what you need for the frame:
You will need the following lengths (all 1 1/2 inches, size 40, PVC Type 1):
4 legs – 24 1/4 inches
2 vertical frames – 63 1/4 ”
2 frames horizontally – 110 3/4 inches
2 ‘risers’ – 9 1/4 ” (I used leftover 10ft PVC cut to make horizontal lines)
However, you can make the dimensions whatever you want! This size is suitable for my screen, which I made widescreen with an aspect ratio of 16: 9.
You will also need the following PVC fittings (again, all 1 1/2 inches)
4 plugs
2 elbows at a 90 degree angle
4 drain tees
Use a white cloth, tablecloth, or tarp for the screen. This should be approximately 113 “x 60 1/2” and you should hem a couple of inches around the edges to reinforce where the bushings will go. You will need thirty-two ⅜ “bushings and thirty-six 10” canopy ties (you can also use a cord). Insert the eyelets into the screen at 10 ”intervals.
Begin assembling the frame by gluing two feet to the drain nipple and knocking out a plug at each end. Then glue the elbows at a 90 degree angle to the ends of one of the horizontal pieces (this is the top of the frame). Glue a T-piece to the bottom of each of the vertical pieces, then glue the risers to the other side of the T-piece. When everything is dry, you can start assembling the frame. Spread all the pieces on the ground and assemble them from top to bottom (insert vertical pieces into 90 degree bends, etc.). Hang the screen on the frame, start at the top two corners and secure them with two zip ties. Only one tie can be used on other eyelets.
Movie screen in the backyard | Instructables