Outdoor Balloons: to Glow or Not to Glow?

Outdoor balloons always have a problem: to glow or not to glow? Over the past few years, shiny products that help balloons look shiny instead of matte have become popular. Meanwhile, a lovely matte finish is what other customers are asking for instead of shine. 

Latex balloons can oxidize in sunlight and heat, or time out when exposed to air and light on the inside.

Inform your customers that latex balloons will acquire a lovely velvety sheen when displayed outdoors or inside over time so they know what to expect.     

I have been in the balloon industry and have only used the shine product once for a paying client. It was indoors but exposed to the air of a nearby door for a week and was a black balloon. The client paid a premium price for the glitter product and had extra time to use it on their display. When clients want to use the glitter balloon outdoors, we use the foil balloons for their grand opening event.

If you do choose to light up your balloons

Charging, the time required, and drop cloth for glitter products

Safety issues - drop cloths must be used when spraying and "drying"

● Gloss on carpet, tile or wood can be very slippery, causing you or someone in your home, event or storage on the grounds to slip and fall.  

Sometimes this can happen from overspray - sometimes from a balloon popping and falling to the ground, or at the end of an event when you are on strike.

● I've heard several reports of falls from other balloon experts

● In one case, another balloon professional used a venue that had banned the company from going to their venue and is now using another company with a statement that glowing is not allowed at their venue due to a fall.

● Make sure your balloon business has liability insurance in case any accidents occur.  

If you choose to use a glowing product on an outside balloon, test it in your yard first. Glowing balloons deflate more quickly than non-glowing balloons and will attract bugs.

When customers want balloons with a shiny appearance, we offer a much higher foil design than latex. (You must practice proper inflation or they will burst in the sun and heat).

Latex balloons can blend together Outdoor makes "almost impossible to refresh"

Many people don't realize that the sun, heat and humidity (dew and rain) can actually fuse latex balloons together. The photos below are from 24 hours later when I went on strike. All of the balloons were still fully inflated. I moved them to an area to start popping.

When I started blowing up the balloons, I decided to take a picture so I could show you how latex balloons fuse together in the heat, sun and humidity. If one balloon pops and you try to replace it, by moving the balloon around you can easily start a chain reaction while the other balloons around it start popping. You can see below what the blue balloon looks like, just as I glued it to the orange. On outdoor installations, sometimes balloons will pop due to heat, sunlight, temperature changes and movement of high winds.

The more you practice and test your balloon in the environment, the longer your balloon will last in extreme conditions. Use the knowledge you gain from testing balloons to share with your customers so they know what to expect from an outdoor balloon display.

I am often asked how to make long-lasting outdoor balloon decorations, here are some tips.

1.) Write in your contract that the balloons may pop ...... No matter how many measures you take to prevent popping, the most important thing is - they are balloons and they will pop!

2.) Use inflatable balloons on frames that are lighter in color to best handle the sun. The type of frame is important. Outdoors, I prefer a 2-foot by 2-foot square steel base plate, which provides greater stability, and if I need extra weight on a windy day, I add an extra 1/4 inch of steel plate or barbell. I have them made locally. If a client says they want you to attach a background they purchased online, I usually say no. Online backdrops usually appear on light stands with legs that can easily fall over in the breeze.

3.) Use larger balloons and make them smaller in size. I feel best when using a 16-inch under 10 in. or 11 in. in size 7 or 8, depending on heat and direct sunlight.

4.) Test in your environment! Real balloon professionals practice and test designs and ideas to make sure they work before selling them to customers. When a customer requests a specific design or color that I'm not sure will last outdoors, I make a sample and stick it in my yard in direct sunlight and monitor it throughout the day to see how it handles heat, sunlight, and sometimes even rain.