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So you have this vision of making a balloon arch or balloon garland but how many balloons will you need? Generally, you will need about 4-8 balloons for every linear foot of balloon arch or balloon garland. For more specific balloon counts, check out my charts below.
This post is going to focus on a cluster balloon arch or cluster balloon garland. If you want more information about how many balloons you need for balloon columns, check out my post How To Make A Balloon Column – The Ultimate Guide here.
What Size Balloons To Use For A Balloon Arch Or Balloon Garland
The size of balloons for a balloon arch or balloon garland will depend on a few things. Balloon arches and balloon cluster garlands are generally made with standard 11″ or 12″ balloon sizes and sized down accordingly. Below I have put together a chart to show the different sizes of balloons depending on the size of the finished arch or balloon garland and how many balloons you will need depending on the size of your balloons and your finished balloon arch or balloon garland size.
Undersizing balloons is a common practice in the balloon industry to allow for expansion and minimize the popping of balloons in balloon decor.
What Is A Linear Foot
A linear foot is just a foot measured in a straight line. So for example, if you were to lay your balloon arch or balloon garland flat and measure how many feet it was, that is how many linear feet it is.
Balloon artists use linear feet as an easy way to figure out how many balloons they need and they even use linear feet to price their jobs correctly.
How Many Balloons For A Balloon Arch Or Balloon Garland
There are several different shapes of balloon arches and each one is calculated differently. First figure out what shape your arch will be and then check out the charts below to determine how many balloons you need for each
| Balloon Size(s) | Approximate Linear Feet Of Arch | How Many Balloons (1 color) | How Many Balloons (2 Colors) | How Many Balloons (3 Colors) | How Many Balloons (4 Colors) |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 10′ | 68 | 34 each color | 34 (1 color) 17 (2 colors) | 17 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 20′ | 136 | 68 each color | 68 (1 color) 34 (2 colors) | 34 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 30′ | 204 | 102 each color | 102 (1 color) 51 (2 colors) | 51 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 40′ | 276 | 138 each color | 138 (1 color) 69 (2 colors) | 69 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 50′ | 344 | 172 each color | 172 (1 color) 86 (2 colors) | 86 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 60′ | 412 | 206 each color | 206 (1 color) 103 (2 colors) | 103 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 70′ | 480 | 240 each color | 240 (1 color) 120 (2 colors) | 120 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 80′ | 548 | 274 each color | 274 (1 color) 137 (2 colors) | 137 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 90′ | 616 | 308 each color | 308 (1 color) 154 (2 colors) | 154 each color |
| 11″ or 9″ sized to 7″ | 100′ | 684 | 342 each color | 342 (1 color) 171 (2 colors) | 171 each color |
| Balloon Size(s) | Approximate Linear Feet Of Arch | How Many Balloons (1 color) | How Many Balloons (2 Colors) | How Many Balloons (3 Colors) | How Many Balloons (4 Colors) |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 10′ | 60 | 30 each color | 30 (1 color) 15 (2 colors) | 15 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 20′ | 120 | 60 each color | 60 (1 color) 30 (2 colors) | 30 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 30′ | 180 | 90 each color | 90 (1 color) 45 (2 colors) | 45 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 40′ | 240 | 120 each color | 120 (1 color) 60 (2 colors) | 60 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 50′ | 300 | 150 each color | 150 (1 color) 75 (2 colors) | 75 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 60′ | 360 | 180 each color | 180 (1 color) 90 (2 colors) | 90 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 70′ | 420 | 210 each color | 210 (1 color) 105 (2 colors) | 105 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 80′ | 480 | 240 each color | 240 (1 color) 120 (2 colors) | 120 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 90′ | 540 | 270 each color | 270 (1 color) 135 (2 colors) | 135 each color |
| 11″ sized to 8″ | 100′ | 600 | 300 each color | 300 (1 color) 150 (2 colors) | 150 each color |
| Balloon Size(s) | Approximate Linear Feet Of Arch | How Many Balloons (1 color) | How Many Balloons (2 Colors) | How Many Balloons (3 Colors) | How Many Balloons (4 Colors) |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 10′ | 52 | 26 each color | 26 (1 color) 13 (2 colors) | 13 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 20′ | 108 | 54 each color | 54 (1 color) 27 (2 colors) | 27 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 30′ | 160 | 80 each color | 80 (1 color) 40 (2 colors) | 40 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 40′ | 212 | 106 each color | 106 (1 color) 53 (2 colors) | 53 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 50′ | 268 | 134 each color | 134 (1 color) 67 (2 colors) | 67 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 60′ | 320 | 160 each color | 160 (1 color) 80 (2 colors) | 80 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 70′ | 372 | 186 each color | 186 (1 color) 93 (2 colors) | 93 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 80′ | 428 | 214 each color | 214 (1 color) 107 (2 colors) | 107 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 90′ | 480 | 240 each color | 240 (1 color) 120 (2 colors) | 120 each color |
| 11″ sized to 9″ | 100′ | 532 | 266 each color | 266 (1 color) 133 (2 colors) | 133 each color |
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