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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.DIY Folding Display for Vintage Markets and Craft Shows by virginiasweetpea.com

How to Build a DIY Folding Display for Shows and Markets

Supplies

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.

DIY Folding Wall for Craft Shows and Markets

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.

DIY Folding Display to Use at Craft Shows or Markets

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.

How to Make Braces for DIY Display for Craft Shows and Markets

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”.

Side Braces for a DIY folding display to use at craft shows and markets.

We first attached the long 2×4 to the triangle base (glued with 2” deck screws), perpendicular to the bottom.

How to Make Side Braces for DIY Display to use for Vintage Markets and Craft Shows

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.

How to Make Braces for DIY folding display to use for craft shows and vintage markets.

Here you can see what the brace looks like in place.

DIY Folding Display for Craft Shows - Brace Detail

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.

DIY Folding Display for Craft Shows - Bottom Detail

The lag bolt easily slides in and out of the hole. 

DIY Folding Display for Craft Shows - Bottom Detail2

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.  

DIY Folding Display for Craft Shows - Side View

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.

DIY Folding Display for Craft Shows

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.

DIY Folding Display for Craft Shows or Vintage Markets

My sweet Mama joined me for the sale in July and I’m hoping that she’ll join me again on Saturday.

Picket Fences Antique and Vintage Sale at Millstone Mercantile in Madison Heights, VA

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26 Comments

  1. 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!

  2. 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 🙂

    1. 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.

        1. 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

    1. 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.

  3. 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?

  4. 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

  5. Pingback: Make Your Own DIY Photo Booth Backdrops – CuratorLive
  6. 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?

  7. What a fabulous backdrop, this would be so fun for a fall festival photo booth or farm/barn wedding as well!

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