DIY Craft Show Display Shelves Using Foam Board

I have a craft fair coming up and was panicked I didn't have any shelving units to add some height to my table. I searched and searched online for an affordable unit or a template to make one myself. I found nothing of the sort, and to purchase one is not in the cards for me right now. 

I needed something lightweight, easily transportable and quick to erect and dismantle.

I found a photo online of a plexiglass unit that I used for my inspiration and designed one myself! I am pleased with the result, and I will share it with you!

I wanted my shelves to be about 6" deep with at least 3" between them vertically. I created this mini version to make sure it worked (1" = 6"). It took a couple of tries, but I got it just right. It measures 12" tall and is 18" deep - perfect for a craft fair table! I may make one for each side of the table.

For this unit I could have used white foam board but chose black instead. I found 22" x 28" foam board in the stationery department at KMart for about $3.00 each. One unit uses 2 sheets.

You will need:

2 sheets of 22" x 28" foam board

Sharp Exacto knife

Long, sharp scissors (for cleaning up edges)

Yardstick/Ruler

Pencil

Cardboard to protect surface under foam board while you cut

Patience

Here's the template I made:

Even though my Exacto knife had a new, sharp blade, I still had a difficult time with it. Towards the end of my project I discovered if I sawed up and down as I followed the line, the foam board was less likely to tear - a shame really to have struggled through almost to the end. My second one will go much smoother and not have such jagged edges. I will probably hit the edges with some black paint or "something" to smooth out the edges. Perhaps some black duct tape? We'll see.

You want to make sure your slots are the same width as the thickness of your foam board. This looks messy, but it's not visible once the shelf is in place.

All my pieces are cut out (and cleaned up around the edges with my scissors as best I could). Time to piece it together! Very gently wiggle the pieces together until they are all snug and in place. You should not have to jam them in place, but there should be a little bit of resistance between the pieces so it holds together firmly with no wiggles.

I am so excited to try my new displays out. They only cost me about $12.00 and a few hours of my time. They are lightweight, portable and lay flat when not in use. 

I hope this post helps someone out. Happy crafting!