DIY Movie Poster Lightbox

File this under things I’ve been meaning to do and thanks to the COVID-19 virus, I’m actually finding time to put this together. If you’re bored and looking for a fairly cool home project, I got you.

About 18 months ago, I moved into a new house which just so happen to have a room with a projector mounted to the ceiling.

Before

Well, I love movies. After spending some time getting the audio where I wanted it, it was time to move on to the walls. I originally thought about doing movie posters but as I was researching posters, I ran across this:

Iron Man Movie Poster Lightbox (sweet child o’mine!)

Ok, just to be clear - I’m a HUGE Iron Man fan. Now that would look good on my wall.

So, I made it plus another because you can’t have Iron Man without Spiderman.

After making the first two, I thought I’d document the construction of the third lightbox - Thor. So, here are the steps I took to bring this to life including links and pictures to the items I purchased.

Total cost: ~$250 USD per lightbox (varies based on the poster you buy — more on that later)

Total time: ~4 hours

Here’s the room with the three finished lightboxes:

After

Ready? Here’s what you’ll need to make 1 lightbox:

• DC power 3–1 splitter ($7) we’ll be using 3 rolls of LED lights internally so this allows us to have one power source for all 3
• Movie poster frame ($80) note: this is a special type of frame that opens from the front — this becomes a huge time saver once the lightbox has been mounted.
• Single LED Daylight roll ($13)
• 2 Pack LED Daylight roll ($19) we need a total of 3 rolls per lightbox.
• DC Power ($13)
• Double-sided movie poster ($5 — $200) note about the posters: they are not your standard Farrah Fawcett poster. These are 2-sided posters which means they are printed exactly the same on both sides. These are the types of posters you see when you go the movies. Costs can vary widely based on how rare the poster is. I’ve ordered 3 through Amazon and been happy with the quality (disclaimer: read the reviews, some look like knock-offs from China). Average cost is roughly $30.
• HVAC tape ($10) note: you’ll use this inside the lightbox to reflect the light outward through the poster.
• Frame ($30) (2) 1×4×41 1/4" boards and (2) 1×4×26 3/4" boards note: I used red oak but poplar would be fine too
• Backing ($8): 41×28×1/8" hardboard or plywood
• Paint ($6)
• Hanging hardware ($12)
• (12) Wood screws size 8 1" ($1)
• Optional, I used a Kreg pockethole jig ($42) to connect the boards for the frame. Much sturdier than nailing them together. Never used a Kreg? Here’s a great video.

Step 1: Put the boards together using the Kreg

Using the Kreg to join the frame boards

Step 2: Nail and glue backing

Once I had the frame assembled then I used wood glue and nails to attach the backing to the frame:

Step 3: Hole for power cord

You’re going to need a hole big enough for the power plug to fit through. I drilled a hole in one of the shorter boards — it doesn’t matter which one at this point. I used a 3/4" wood drill bit:

Step 4: Paint

I used Rust-oleum paint and primer in one spray paint just for speed and ease. You don’t need to paint the back, just the sides. I used 2 coats waiting 30 minutes between each coat.

Step 5: Reflective Tape

To get maximum reflection through the poster, I highly recommend using HVAC tape inside the box. The 3M tape seems to work the best as it’s self-adhering and doesn’t have a backing that needs to be peeled off. When you’re done it should look like this:

Step 6: Add Lights

Now you’re ready for the lights. I started by attaching the power DC power near the hole you drilled for the power in Step 3. If your power will be attached to the top of the frame, you’ll want to secure it to the wood with nails, not tape. Gravity is a cruel mistress.

Power secured to the frame

Next you can attach your splitter which will attach to each of your 3 LED strands. I ran them up and down about 2" apart. You can use some additional HVAC tape to secure the turns to the frame.

Make sure you actually plug everything in to confirm it lights up before advancing to the next step.

Step 7: Add the Poster Frame

I know you’re wondering why a movie poster frame would cost $80 but SnapeZo doesn’t mess around. It’s top of the line and fits perfectly onto your wooden frame with holes already available for easy mounting. Listen, I already told you this whole thing was going to run ~$250 so let’s not start skimping now. You could go cheaper but don’t.

Before you attach the poster frame, make sure you’ve run your power cord through the hole and everything works. Now you’re ready for the 12 wood screws. Make sure to get size #8, anything smaller may not stand up to the torque when you screw it into the frame and twist off.

Step 8: Poster Time

The poster and UV protecting cover should fit perfectly. With double-sided posters, make sure the right side is facing out. Snap the sides of the frame down and you’re almost done.

Step 9: Hanging

Last step is to prepare for hanging to your wall. After many experiments, the best option I found was the Hillman Picture Hanging System. It supports weight up to 100 lbs.

And the final product:

That’s it! Questions? Ping me. Happy to help.