If you’ve ever looked into buying a background board for “beauty” shots (for lack of a better term), you know how expensive they are. Just a quick search on Amazon returns a lot of listings, below are just two:

Pricey, right? And they are even more expensive if you search for some of the name brands in this area that are advertised out there. But I have a quick hack that can leave you with some beautiful background boards for a mere fraction of the cost. But be warned: it’s a bit - a bit - crafty. Here are some non-glam shots of my homemade boards, and I apologize ahead of time for the quality of picture (my phone broke, so I’m using an iPad here):

To make these, you will need to buy just two things, and the rest you probably have around your house.

Shopping List:

Foam core board - This is available at craft stores, and the Dollar Tree. For the purposes of this project, Dollar Tree board is perfectly fine. It’s a bit thinner and flimsier than the stuff available at craft stores, but that doesn’t really make a difference since it will literally just be sitting there. It may also be smaller, so keep that in mind if what you want to photograph is bigger. The price difference is less than $3, so not crazy expensive, but you can take a look at both to determine which will better suit your needs.

Contact paper - I find this on Amazon for pretty cheap and in a variety of prints/patterns. Pay attention to the measurements of your board and take that into consideration when buying contact paper as it comes in different dimensions. I have had to match all of my boards as I have not yet found a roll that covers the entire piece of foam core board, but it’s not too hard (and some patterns are easier than others). A quick search just for “contact paper” yield some of the following results:

I have purchased the wood print in the top center, as well as a marble and metallic rose gold roll. The average cost for a roll of contact paper seems to be about $5-6, and I have A LOT of the wood print left.

Other supplies you’ll need include something to smooth air bubbles out (like a credit card or gift card), and a craft/xacto knife. One roll of contact paper I bought actually came with a smoother and a knife, which was really nice. A pair of scissors can also be used, but it might be a bit more fidley.

Directions:

First, measure out the length of contact paper you will need for your board. You will probably need two pieces that measure slightly more than the length of your board (unless you were able to find/purchase a roll of paper wider than your board). My suggestion is to make the contact paper about 1/2 - 1 inch longer than your board ON BOTH ENDS. If you plan on photographing smaller items, you can get away with having a white border on one edge of your board.

Next, begin by removing one corner of the backing from your contact paper and match the long edges up, allowing for overhang on the starting edge. Working along the long side (not the end you would typically begin with when using contact paper on a drawer or shelf, for example), continue to match the clean edge of your paper to the edge of the board. Use the scraper/smooth to ensure good contact all along the edge. This is the most important edge as it will be the one most likely to be seen in subsequent photos. Take your time and make sure it looks good.

Once you have adhered your contact paper to one edge of your board, S—L—O—W—L—Y work your way across the board, peeling back your paper and using your smoother to push out any air bubbles. Peel back to expose the adhesive only small amounts at a time as you are ready to adhere them. This stuff is sticky, and you can make small adjustments, but if too much of it sticks at once then it’s really hard to get it back up without damaging the paper or the board.

Continue across the board until the entire thing is covered. If you are matching the other side of the board, try out different configurations to best match up the print (though this does not have to be super important - depending on how you will use it), and repeat the process.

Once everything is stuck down, use your scrapper to smooth out as many stray air bubbles as possible. I do not advise popping those bubbles on any metallic or reflective paper, because I did and it made a visible mark. This may work with other papers, but I have not had to try it out.

When you are happy with the surface of your board, use the craft knife to CAREFULLY cut the excess paper off, using the edge of the board as a guide. The cut edges do not need to be perfect as they will probably not be in the photos that you will be taking. As long as that first edge is clean (the one you started with), then you should not have any problems using this in your product photography.

And you’re done! Easy peasy (and a little tedious-y)! You can cover both sides of your foam core board with different contact papers to maximize your options (or keep it white for backgrounds as well). I store mine upright between two bookshelves, but anywhere they can remain flat, won’t get knocked into, and nothing heavy put on top of them should work just fine (under a dresser or bed, behind the couch, etc.).

Below are a couple of photos I took using my background boards:

A couple of things to remember: These boards do not need to be perfect. The marble board has a pretty sizable area of rippling, and a very distinct line down the center where the patterns do not match, but I am still able to creatively use it in photos with no problem. Also, I would consider the reflective property of any metallic contact paper, as you will be able to see other items in the room or yourself in the photograph. You could use a blurring effect on it in Photoshop or a similar app is you want, but it’s just something to consider.

Also, remember that these boards are going to be backgrounds in your photography. Whatever is in the foreground will get the attention, so little imperfections shouldn’t matter much. Creative angles, lighting, and some simple editing software should be able to handle any small problems if needed.

Below is a video of how I covered one of the boards. It’s not a great video, but it’s clear enough that you should get the gist of the process. Feel free to leave any questions, or let me know if you try this for yourself!