Giant Waterproof Paper Chain Outdoor Christmas Decoration

Learn how to make this gorgeous oversized “paper” chain Christmas decoration that is waterproof and perfect for decorating the outside of your home for Christmas.

I’ve had another wild idea. I know, I know… you’re shocked. LOL.

Paper chains have been trending hard this year and I am here for the whimsy and homemade charm. But my brain likes to spin off and I thought it would be so cool to find a way to make waterproof paper chain so I could use it outside in our cold and snowy climate.

Friends, I found a way and this little idea came to life in a big way. I am over the moon with the results!

Let me show you how to make a waterproof giant chunky paper chain outdoor Christmas decoration.

Here’s what you need:

Materials Needed

12″ x 18″ 2mm Craft Foam Sheets (I chose medium pink, red, kelly green, white)
Stapler + Staples
Rotary Cutter + Quilting Mat + Ruler (optional, but super handy)
Twine

I purchased my craft foam sheets online from Michaels. I got 10 sheets of each color, so 40 total sheets. My finished chain ended up being about 40 feet long. With a coupon, the sheets ended up being $0.71 each, which was the best price I could find. Hobby Lobby also carries the larger size of craft foam and their price is $0.99 per sheet, so a good option if you want specific colors that Michael’s doesn’t carry. Since I already had the other supplies, the total price for the craft foam was just under $30.

Instructions

Step 1: Use the quilting mat, ruler and rotary cutter to cut the sheets into 4 inch strips. You’ll end up with three strips that measure 4 inches x 18 inches. If you don’t have a rotary cutter, you can definitely use scissors. Just mark the lines with a ruler and cut with scissors. It’ll just take longer, but that’s okay.

Step 2: Once all the strips are cut, take one strip, make it into a loop, then staple it on both sides. Slide the next strip through that loop and staple it into a loop. Repeat and repeat!

I was expecting this step to take forever, but because the loops are so big, it actually went pretty fast. I think it took around two hours for me to cut all the strips and staple them together. Not bad!

And look how cute it is:

Step 3: The last step is just to figure out how to hang your chain on whatever surface you choose. To attach my chain to the fence, I tied white twine through the chain and just looped it over my fence posts. Easy peasy!

diy outdoor paper chains christmas decoration

I love it! It’s so cheery and festive! Big visual impact for the amount of time and money I put into it. I think I need to make more. LOL.

waterproof paper chain outdoor christmas decoration

I wanted to add a dusty blue color to the chain too, but couldn’t find anywhere that sold it. Dang! So if I do find it somewhere, I am just crazy enough to take this thing apart to add it. We shall see.

And now that I have it made, I think it would be a fantastic party decoration, especially for a church Christmas dinner or something like that.