DIY Folding Display for Shows and Markets
Do you sell things at craft shows or vintage markets? I do and I needed a way to display things at these markets. My husband and I designed and made a DIY Folding Display that is perfect for displaying the things that I sell.
Our wall folds for storage and it is free standing. I am able to hang my things for display during a sale and when the sale is over, I removed the nails that I used for displaying merchandise, fold it, and store it until the next sale.
How to Build a DIY Folding Display for Shows and Markets
Supplies
- One Pressure Treated Privacy Fence Panel (6 ft. x 8 ft)
- Three 4″ Galvanized Hinges
- Plyboard
- 2×4 Scraps
- 2″ Deck Screws
- One – 5″ Lag Bolt
- Wood Glue
- Drill
- Clamps (These are our favorite and you can never have enough of them!)
Steps to Make a DIY Folding Display for Shows and Markets
1. Buy the Supplies
We purchased our supplies at Lowes and had one of the guys cut the privacy panel in half for us so that we could easily take it home. We have an Explorer and strapped the pieces to our roof.
2. Screw the fence pieces together.
The two fence pieces were lined up and screwed together using the hinges. Now the fence will fold for easy storage and for transport.
3. Build braces so that the fence will be free standing.
We wanted the fence to be free standing, so we devised braces to use on each side of the fence.
We cut two triangles from scrap 1/2” plywood, and utilized scrap 2×4’s to hold the fence vertically.
The triangle’s base measures 34” and its height measures 17”. The bottom 2×4 piece is 7” and the top on 5 3/4”.
We first attached the long 2×4 to the triangle base (glued with 2” deck screws), perpendicular to the bottom.
Then we clamped the base to the bottom edge of the fence so as to place the smaller 2×4 pieces to the triangle base.
Once clamped in place, these smaller pieces were glued and screwed into place.
Here you can see what the brace looks like in place.
A ~3/8” hole was drilled diagonally through the brace and fence, into the opposite side 2×4.
Through this hole we inserted a 5” lag bolt, so as to lock in the brace to the fence. Gravity keeps it in place – we did not bolt the other end.
The bolt is simply used as a peg. Therefore, a long wooden dowel would suffice for this function.
The lag bolt easily slides in and out of the hole.
The Finished Product
This DIY Folding Display was a quick and easy project that I’ll be able to use it for years to come for craft shows and vintage markets.
If you make this and plan to use it outdoors, I recommend further support. I try to pick a spot with a tree or fence available so that I can tie the wall to either to keep it from blowing over if the wind is particularly strong.
With the addition of a rug in front of the wall, I could also use this for photographing furniture makeover projects.
Another use for this DIY Folding Display is a backdrop for a party. People love to take pictures at parties and it would be easy to decorate this with a theme.
This picture is from the July sale. Since we were outdoors and it was windy, we further secured the wall by adding a few screw eyes to the back of the wall and tying it to the fence.
My sweet Mama joined me for the sale in July and I’m hoping that she’ll join me again on Saturday.
Favorite Projects
If you liked this post, check out more popular projects.
Hi Paula! Love this idea… passing it along to my daughter…. 🙂 What a great easy way to showcase items and then easy clean up, too!
Would you consider sharing this at our weekly Dishing It & Digging It Link Party? We are live Sundays @4pm. We’d love for you to share your creative ideas.
http://www.thestonybrookhouse.com/2016/10/dishing-it-digging-it-link-party-119.html
I love this idea! Passing it along to my daughter. What a great way to set up and clean up quick!
Would you consider sharing this at our weekly Dishing It & Digging It Link Party? We are live every Sunday @ 4pm. We’d love to see your creative ideas!
http://www.thestonybrookhouse.com
sorry, thought it didn’t go through…
I am super impressed with this whole set-up! That’s ingenious to get it to fold like that. You also made it look surprisingly simple! I love your whole set-up too! Hope your sales are going well!
I love this idea. I’m going to copy it but paint the wood and add my bird houses to it.
Thank you so much for sharing. April Ferguson
It will look great painted and will be perfect for displaying your bird houses.
Love this so much!
Do you think if it’s a windy day, you’d have to tie it down with weights?
I am planning on doing a show in November, but the wind worries me.
Thanks 🙂
Hello, Julia! You definitely want to tie this down for safety. I tied it to a tree the two times that it was used outdoors.
Did you have problems with wind?
I tied this display to a tree for safety. I wouldn’t use it outdoors without tying it to something because the wind could blow it down if it was strong enough.
Paula
Such a cool setup. How do you secure things to the fence?
I tied the fence to a tree to secure it since my shows were outside. Then to display things, I just used small nails in the fence boards. At the end of the show I removed the nails when I took down what didn’t sell.
What do you use to hang things up with and still make it “foldable”? I’m guessing if you nail things in place, then the nails have to come out in order to fold the display flat. Do you have some kind of temporary hooks or something?
I put nails in it to display and then remove them when it’s time to fold it up.
Paula
Lovely..
How much did it cost to build?
Question, did you have any winds? I have a tent now and the winds gets so bad it wants to fly away. any help would be appreciated.
Best idea I’ve seen in over 25 years of attending and participating in markets/craft shows. Would it be possible to make it with 3 hinged sections? Would then fit in my van. THX
I think you could make it with 3 sections but it would be very heavy!
Paula
Perfect backdrop for my photo shoots Thank You
How much weight do you think it could hold up? If I were to use hang arms I screwed on, do you think it could support children’s clothing for an event?
What a fabulous backdrop, this would be so fun for a fall festival photo booth or farm/barn wedding as well!
It would be a great photo backdrop. Maybe I should rent it out!
Paula