Introduction: Hogwarts Great Hall Storm Cloud Ceiling
The Harry Potter bedroom transformation continues, and I thought a storm cloud ceiling would look pretty awesome. So this Instructable will lay out how we took a regular white ceiling and made it look like the cloud-filled ceiling of the Great Hall in Hogwarts Castle! We used LED lights underneath a layer of Poly-Fil for the clouded sky effect! Complete with lightning effects and floating candles controlled by a wand!
Supplies
What you'll need...
- Stapler
- Tape measurer
- Scissors
- Ladder
- Poster board
- Eyelets
- Floating candles
- LED light strips
- Poly-fil
- Spray adhesive
- Disposable gloves
Step 1: Replace Any Lights (if Needed)
If you want a new light fixture, do it now. This may not be needed, but we had a ceiling fan from the 80's, and I wanted an old-looking chandelier that could look like something out of Hogwarts castle. See the full video on how I painted this up to look like aged brass.
Don't use bulbs that get hot! If you have canned lights that use bulbs that get hot, I would not do this. I have done no testing on the poly-fil to know how well it tolerates heat. But I tested the LED's I used and know they can be on pretty much all day and produce zero heat. Dimmable LED's for the chandelier are expensive, but you don’t want this Poly-Fil to have the glue fail and fall on something hot.
Step 2: Attach Posterboard
I used a stapler that I got from Ace Hardware and 3/8" staples. The posterboard is thin stuff I got from Hobby Lobby for $0.29 per sheet. I used 44 sheets, and my room is approximately 13' x 13' (although, there is a slope on one end of the ceiling due to the slop of our roof, so my square footage would have been slightly larger. I bought 44 sheets and used nearly every inch of it. You'll have to do your own math to figure out the amount of paper needed.
Plan on being no a ladder a lot. So wear comfortable shoes, and brace yourself for sore shoulders the next morning. And have good music and podcasts ready!
Step 3: Put Up the Lights
I got an LED set off Amazon for around $20, but prices on these things change frequently. The strip I got came with one control box that attaches to two separate strips that are 30' each. It came with a remote that has many settings for color changing, dimming, and other features. It also has an app that works with the lights to allow for other action scenes, as well as a noise sensor so the lights can interact with audio (like thunder!).
The lights are peel and stick, so you just peel off the backer and apply them to the ceiling in whatever pattern you like. I wanted a lightning type of look, so I just did two zig zag patterns across the room in two different directions.
Step 4: Screw in Eyelets
The floating candle set that I bought off Amazon came with 12 candles, as well as a roll of fishing line to hang them. Simply cut to your desired length and tie knots through the eyelets and around the candles.
The floating candle set comes with a magic wand, and it has a button to turn the lights on and off. The candles can also be turned off by twisting the bottom a half turn. Each candle takes 2 AA batteries, and they're not included, so prepare to budget for a lot of batteries!
Step 5: Put Up the Poly-fil
We bought a huge 20 lb. box of Poly-Fil from Amazon. I thought this was overkill, but for our size room we used approximately 3/4 of the box.
I used 3M spray adhesive to stick up the poly-fil. I started by just going over the light strips, mainly because I wanted to see what this was going to look like, but you don’t have to do it this way. Just spray about a 2' x 2' section and give the glue a minute to get tacky before you start putting up the Poly-Fil. Then repeat that over and over and over and over…
Step 6: Enjoy What You Made!
You're finally done! This looks great in the daytime, but absolutely unreal at night!
I have heard several comments from folks that this is a fire hazard, but these lights do not get hot at all. I tested mine for over 8 hours before putting them up, and I would recommend you do the same. Also, I heard from one commentor that the little box the lights plug into can get warm. I also tested mine for over 8 hours and it did not get warm, but definitely check yours!
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30 Comments
3 months ago
I'm jealous but also grateful to you for sharing this brilliant idea with all of us. I have a reading corner in our library with a sorting hat and keys with wings and some wands we made but now I'm thinking this could be epic lol. Thanks again
4 months ago
Woah, so much effort and such wonderful results, totally loved it.
5 months ago
Coolest bedroom ceiling EVER! I will favorite this and surprise me daughter while she's away this summer.
5 months ago on Step 6
Beautiful!
I think the "fire hazard" that people are referring to is not the risk that the LEDs would start a fire but IF THERE SHOULD be a fire, all that plastic would be a hazard of flammability (dripping, flaming liquified plastic) and produce bad smoke.
Still love it though, hazard aside. Would make a great temp Halloween decoration.
Tip 5 months ago
You could add additional lighting to make lightning. Google "model train arc welding circuit." There are several kits out there, but most come with randomly flashing LEDs to simulate a welder's shop. I'm sure it could be scaled up for an all white or all blue LED string.
5 months ago
This is super neat!
Reply 5 months ago
Thank you! I appreciate it!
5 months ago on Step 6
You're a GREAT DAD!
Reply 5 months ago
Best compliment I can get! Thanks so much!
5 months ago on Introduction
Thank you for sharing this Instructable - you are the most awesome dad ever and your boys are incredibly lucky!
Reply 5 months ago
I don't know about the most awesome, but I dad my best! Thanks for the love!
5 months ago
Awesome AF. great job
Reply 5 months ago
Thanks so much!
5 months ago
Curious why the poster board was used. It looks great, but 3/8” staples by themselves are not really good for holding power. I’m sure hoping that I am completely wrong and that ceiling stays right there for as long as your son enjoys it!
Reply 5 months ago
Poster board was used just so I didn't have to clean up the spray adhesive when I eventually take this down (kids won't want it forever, I suppose). The weight really isn't much from the poly-fil, and it's all holding up well (so far).
5 months ago
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!!!
Reply 5 months ago
Thanks so much! Appreciate it!
5 months ago
That is so incredibly awesome! Tip for putting up the posterboard: an assistant with a push broom (or a pole with a 24" perpendicular crossbar at one end) that can hold the floppy end of the posterboard in place while you staple gun the edge closest to you. And drywaller’s stilts. Congratulations on such a stunning and inspired bedroom! Harry Potter would feel right at home.
Reply 5 months ago
Thanks so much! The look certainly exceeded my expectations!
5 months ago
Thanks! Yes, when I started without gloves it stuck to my hands so bad! Definite mess without the poster board.