How to make a backdrop

Tools you need:
Hacksaw
Miter Box
Drill
¼” drill bit

Materials you need:
5-1¼” Schedule 40 PVC—5 Foot Sections
3-1” Schedule 40 PVC—5 Foot Sections
1-90 degree PVC elbow joint1”x1”
1-90 degree PVC elbow joint 1”x1 ¼”
8-90 degree PVC elbow joints 1 ¼”x 1 ¼”
6-PVC T joints 1¼”x 1¼”
3- ¼” eye bolts at least 2 ½” in length
3- ¼” wing nuts
1-Small can of Medium, Clear PVC Cement (Not PVC primer, you don’t need it)

These materials cost me $48 including tax at a major home improvement chain.
(Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc…)

· Begin by using your hacksaw and miter box to cut 2 of the 1¼” pieces of
PVC into 8—10 ½” pieces. With the remaining cut 4—3” pieces. You will have
leftover PVC pipe.

· Following the directions on the PVC cement container. Glue 2 of the 3”
pieces into the 2 out ports on 1 of the T joints. This should leave 1 open port,
in the center, meant for incoming water. Repeat with a second T joint.






· Using the center port, glue 2 of the T joints onto the 3” pieces already
sticking out of your first T joint, you must be careful to line the T joints up
perpendicular to the first T joint. This is a little tricky because the glue
sets up quickly. You have very little wiggle time. This should form an H shape
with the center of the first T joint facing up.








· Next you will need to glue the 1 ¼”x 1 ¼” elbow joints to one end of
each 10” piece.
· Place the other end of each 10” piece into the remaining holes in the T
joints. Do this with the open holes of the elbow joints facing down and the open
center port on each H facing up. This will form the feet of your background
stand. I prefer not to glue mine because of how quickly the glue sets it is
tough to get them all facing flat on the ground. However, if you are feeling
lucky, feel free to glue these in place.

Take a deep breath, the hard part is over, it’s smooth sailing from here on out!


· Take 2 of your 5’x1 ¼” PVC pipes and place 1 in each of the center
ports. Do not glue these if you want to be able to break down your background
for transport.


· Take your 1”x1” 90 degree elbow and glue it to 1 of your 5’x1” PVC
pipes. Take your 1”x1 ¼” 90 degree and blue it to another 1 of your 5’x1” PVC
pipes. When these are dry, about 20 minutes, slide your 5’x1” PVC pipes down
into the 5’x1 ¼” PVC pipes sticking out of your background feet. These are your
background support stands. (Later you will drill holes in these to allow you to
adjust the height of your background).

· Take your remaining 5’x1” PVC pipe and slide it into your remaining 5’x1
¼” PVC pipe. Do not slide it in all of the way. Place the 1” pipe into the 1”
end of the 1x1 ¼” elbow and the 1 ¼” pipe into the 1 ¼”x1 ¼” elbow sticking out
of the top of your background supports. This is your cross bar. Do not glue
these if you want to be able to break down your background for transport. This
crossbar is perfect for backgrounds with a rod pocket or you can use clamps to
hold your backgrounds up.

Take another deep breath; we’re almost done now!

· Last but not least, using your ¼” drill bit. You will want to drill
holes through your background support stands at varying intervals. I have mine
set at 6” intervals; you may want to go 12”. You will want to go through both
your 1 ¼” PVC and your 1” PVC pipe. Using your ¼” eye bolts and your wing nuts
you can secure you stand at whatever height you choose. I have also drilled a
hole with the background all of the way down. This allows me to secure the pipes
inside one another for transport. You can also secure you crossbar this way if
you want.



Congratulations!! You have now completed you background stand.

Variations

You can come up with different variations on this to allow you to use wider
backgrounds. Example: Make another foot and background support with a T joint at
the top. Place this in the center and use 2—10’ sections of 1” and 1 ¼” PVC
instead of 5’ sections. This will allow you to used backgrounds up to 20’ wide
for only a few dollars more. You can also set it up to hold more than one
background by using 1”x1”x1” T joints and extra 6” pieces of 1” PVC. Instead of
putting your 1”x1” elbow joints at the top, place a T joint there. Add a 6”
piece of PVC and then another T joint, then another 6” piece of PVC and then
your elbow joint. ON the other side you will need to use 1 ¼”T Joints with
inserts to take 2 of your ports down to 1”. Leaving the port for your cross bar
at 1 ¼”. This will give you 3 crossbars instead of one. You can glue these on
permanently if you don’t want to disassemble your stand for location shoots. Of
course at this price you can afford to make 2, one for locations shoots and one
to leave up in your studio.