Outdoor Movie Screen

I’ve enjoyed my 3M Roku Projector for a while now, but I’ve never had a chance to watch a movie on a proper screen outside. At least I didn’t until I made my new outdoor movie screen. PVC pipe and fittings, curtain rings with clips and a canvas drop cloth are all you need!You’ll need a total of 28 feet of PVC pipe. That means you’ll need five 6′ sections of pipe. You can cut PVC pipe with a hand saw, but I use a PVC Pipe Cutter. You can pick one up for around $13 and it makes it easy to do all sorts of PVC projects. In addition to the pipe you’ll need 2 elbows, 1 cross, 5 Ts and 5 caps. I used 1/2″ PVC pipe. You can use larger pipe for a sturdier frame. Whatever size you use, make sure when you purchase the joints you pick up the right size. Select slip joints, not threaded joints.

Cut your pipe so that you have seven 15″ sections, three 49″ sections, and four 31″ sections. PVC just slips into the joints. Putting the frame together is simple. You can do it by yourself, but it’s definitely helpful to have another set of hands. If you’d like to paint your frame, just pick up a can of spray paint that’s meant for plastic. One can should be enough to cover the entire frame. I recommend painting once the frame is fully assembled.

I used clip style curtain rings to hold the 4′ x 6′ canvas drop cloth in place. You’ll need a minimum of six clips to ensure the screen stays put. The frame can be stored easily outside. Without the screen it’s pretty wind resistant and doesn’t take up much space. Keep the screen inside when not in use.

If there’s any wind when you’re watching a movie, just secure the cross bars at the bottom with something that stakes in the ground. I used a shepherd’s crook I already had on hand.

Enjoy your new backyard movie theater!