How to Make a Disco Ball Out of Foil

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A disco ball is a classic 1970s party decoration that is still popular today. If you do not want to spend money on one, you can make your own disco ball! All it takes is foil from your kitchen, along with a few other materials.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 large Styrofoam ball, size of your choice

  • 12-inch length of wire for handing

  • Hot glue gun

  • Industrial double-sided tape, 1/2 inch wide

  • Aluminum foil

  • Scissors

  • Ruler

  • Pencil

  • Ceiling hook (optional)

Step 1

Fold the 12-inch length of wire in half. Twist the two loose ends of wire together to join them.

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Step 2

Poke the wire into the Styrofoam ball, pushing until it is about 1 inch deep in. Add a few drops of hot glue around the wire to secure it. This wire will be used for hanging the ball, so use it to mark the top.

Warning

Take caution and care when using a hot glue gun, since the glue can burn your skin.

Step 3

Starting at the center of the ball, peel back one side of the double-sided tape and wrap the tape all the way around the ball to mark the horizontal circumference. This will serve as a guide to help make your foil placement neat and even later.

Step 4

Repeat step 1, this time marking the horizontal circumference 1/4 inch below the original tape. There should be a 1/4 inch gap between the two rows of tape. Repeat this step until you have marked horizontal lines around the entire ball.

Tip

Because of the curve of the ball, it may be difficult to tape a circle on the top and bottom of the ball. In that case, use a pencil and ruler to mark the 1-inch circumference.

Step 5

Cut the aluminum foil into 1-inch squares. Don't worry if you do not cut enough; you can always cut more later.

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Tip

To get a straight edge on the foil squares, use the ruler and a pencil to mark the edges before cutting.

Step 6

Starting at the bottom row, peel back the protective layer of the tape. Place an aluminum foil square onto the tape, aligning the top edge of the foil with the top edge of the tape.

Step 7

Place a second aluminum foil square next to the first. Allow the squares to overlap by about 1/4 inch on one side.

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Step 8

Repeat Step 5 to add aluminum foil squares around the entire piece of tape.

Step 9

Moving to the piece of tape just above, repeat steps 4-6. Notice you are working from the bottom of the ball to the top so that the squares of foil overlap from row to row.

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Step 10

Continue adding aluminum foil squares to each row of tape until you have filled every row. When you reach the top of the ball, where the wire is, be sure the wire remains loose and not taped between the layers of foil.

Tip

If you used a pencil to mark the top or bottom of the ball, it may be helpful to cut individual pieces of tape to adhere to each square. This will help you create a neater circle of foil.

Step 11

Slip the wire through a ceiling hook to hang your new disco ball!

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