Don’t want to see a bunch of black, metal-y, box-y stuff in the background of all your wedding dance photos (First Dance, open dancing, etc)? Or maybe you are a wedding DJ who wants to provide this service for your brides & grooms? Either way…I’ve got the answer for you right here! This is my photo tutorial on how to make a DIY DJ facade. A DJ facade is a portable screen type thing that would be placed in front of the DJ’s equipment to conceal anything Radio-Shack-esque.
For me personally, I either place my speakers on the ground laying on their sides (like stage monitors) or use miniature speaker stands (got them on eBay…love ’em) so you literally everything but the lights is concealed behind the facade. But, brides & grooms, your wedding DJ might be a purist who is insulted by the idea of NOT placing their speakers 6 feet up in the air on stands. Just remember you’re the boss, AND I’ve never had a couple complain that my invisible speakers weren’t loud enough.
DIY DJ FACADE STEP #1
The first thing you are going to do is go to Home Depot and buy 12 one meter long sections of white PVC pipe and 12 white PVC “elbow connector” pieces to connect them all together. You’ll also need rubber cement, 8+ heavy duty clips, white zip ties, and 3 1/2 yards of a non-stretchy, non-see-through fabric that matches your wedding theme/colors.
DIY DJ FACADE STEP #2
Connect all of the PVC pipe pieces with rubber cement and elbow joints. You’ll have 3 PVC squares. For best results, lay the pipe on the ground as you fit the pieces together so your squares are even/level. Then you’ll use the zip ties to connect all 3 squares together forming a folding/accordion structure now.
DIY DJ FACADE STEP #3
Now you’ll connect your fabric cover to the facade with your large clips. You can cover your clips in white duct tape if you prefer. I try to place them on the facade so that no part of the clip shows from the front (as you can see above).
Alternatively, if you don’t like the clips, you can use velcro. If you are a bride or groom making this DIY DJ facade for one-time use at your wedding, the velcro might be best as it saves you the expense of buying the clips. Plus, the velcro holds fine for one use. If you are a wedding DJ making this, I recommend buying the clips. The velcro comes un-stuck when used over and over again.
If using velcro, get the kind with the sticky back. Put the two sides of the velcro together in about a 2-3 inch strip and stick it to the back side of the DJ facade. THEN push the fabric into the velcro and really press hard on it for maximum stick. Then carefully pull the two pieces of velcro apart. STAPLE the piece of velcro that’s on the fabric in place as it will come unstuck otherwise (hot glue will not hold). For the piece of velcro on the facade, secure both ends by wrapping 2 zip ties around it (taping the edges to the PVC will not hold). This will ensure it does not come unstuck from the PVC pipe.
Now reconnect the 2 pieces of velcro and continue until the entire fabric cover is in place. Once the entire fabric facade cover is in place, take a sharpie and very clearly mark on the backside of the fabric which end is right, left, top, and bottom. This way when you go to place the cover on the facade on the wedding day, you know exactly how to situate it. Then remove the fabric cover and mark the PVC the same way (right, left, top, bottom).
If your wedding is outdoors, I highly recommend you plan to place something heavy (like small sand bags or a few bricks) on the inside of the bottom PVC pipes to avoid the facade blowing away (it acts as a huge sail in the wind).
If you are a wedding DJ, you can offer your clients to provide you with 3 1/2 yards of a fabric of their choice so everything matches to their liking. Personally, I ask to see the client’s Pinterest board so I can get an idea of the colors/vibe, and I buy the fabric myself (although I do let the client provide it if they prefer…I once even had a client that decorated the whole facade themselves hanging little lantern lights off of it and so on).
DJs, I love the price of this DIY facade, but I also love that it’s lightweight compared to facades you would buy. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it can’t really be put on the cart and wheeled in with the rest of the sound equipment. It has to be hand carried due to it’s awkward shape and delicate nature.
Let me see pictures of how your DIY DJ facades turn out! Post them in the comments below for me.
Post by DJ Track Star Staci
I'm DJ Track Star Staci, an international DJ, MC, turntablist, & producer for 14 years. My clients have included: Lamborghini, Victoria's Secret, Reebok, and many more. My performances are trusted at A-list events like Comic Con, Entrepreneur of the Year, and movie premieres. I've rocked Sr. Frogs in Cancun, music festivals, the Vegas strip, celebrity events, & 500 weddings. Check my availability, get an instant fee estimate, or listen to some of my DJ sets or my original remixes & mash-ups.
