This post will show you how to make a projector screen.

 

Materials Needed:

1) Two (2) pieces of plywood (approx. 6″x6″ each). You can get these at your local hardware store or big box store like Home Depot.

2) Spray adhesive. The most common type found in stores is 3M Super 77, but Loctite PL Premium works well too. Just make sure the spray adhesive is rated for use with wood and paint, not just paper! Note that in this example we used Loctite PL Premium because it was cheaper in our area than 3M Super 77 at the time of purchase. This means our screen cost about $40 including spray adhesive, plywood, and paint.

3) Acrylic Paint. Any brand will do. We used a mostly white paint to get the best brightness from our projector. You can find flat white acrylic at most big box stores and hobby stores that sell model kits.

4) 1/16 inch grommets (for the edges of your screen). Make sure they are made for use with 1/16 inch thick material! You can find these at hardware stores or online through Amazon or eBay.

5) A flat surface to put the plywood on, such as an old door. We used a pine plank cut to be 6″x6″.

6) A drill with a ¼ inch bit.

Step 1:

Put down your two pieces of plywood on a flat work surface and use your spray adhesive to adhere them together on the both long sides (see photo below).

Step 2:

Using your drill, drill a hole in the center of the plywood (see photo below). Be sure to use a ¼ inch bit!

Step 3:

Paint your plywood (see photo below). You'll want to do this over newspaper or something that can get messy. Use two coats for best results. We recommend using spray paint.

This is what the spray paint looks like on the plywood.

These are our painted boards before we cut them to size. See below for cutting instructions.

Here is our screen ready to roll! We used 1/16 inch grommets at all of the edges except one side that we kept open for easy access when changing slides.

We've also got a couple of 1/8 inch grommets for hanging our screen when we're not using it.

We started by cutting our plywood to size with a utility knife, then drilled out the center hole with a ¼ inch drill bit.

Then we painted our screen and trimmed the edges to fit with a utility knife and fine cutters.

These are our 1/16 inch grommets that we use to attach the screens edges whenever they're not in use. These also make it easy to remove when needed.

The screen is ready to roll!

Outdoor screens really can brighten your room. They're the best way to get the most out of your projector. You'll enjoy a flat, glare-free image and can watch movies without having to wear sunglasses or have the lights on! Feel free to modify this project as needed. For example, buy two boards instead of one and paint them different colors when you're done. Or cut out a triangle from the middle of your boards for more flexibility in positioning and hanging.