Video Chat/Conference Background

If you Zoom, Jitisi, Skype, MS Teams or some other kind of video chat, you may want to have a different background. Why a different background? You haven't: cleaned, tided up, or just want a different background. You can make a reversible background for minimal cost and a couple of hours of your time.

A large mural, poster or a map, piece of material for the backing, a wooden dowel or trim about 4 inches longer than the width of your background material, two eye screws, rope or cord, staple gun, two sided tape, scissors, large enough surface to work on, I used an ironing board.

I had a 50 year old map that I wanted to use,( it had been folded for 50 years). I needed to get the creases out.

A YouTube video showed me how. Moisten the creases/folds with a damp paper towel, place a piece of paper over the fold, with an clothes iron set on low, iron over the paper, repeat till the whole map or poster is done.

It turned out not too bad, but it was better then it was.

The backing material for you map/Poster should be the same width as the map/poster is and about 10 inches longer. Cut the two face tape you're going to use into 1 1/2 inch long pieces, how many you will need depends on the width of you material, I spaced them about every 10 inches. Apply the tape to the "reverse" side bottom of the backing material.

Line up the good side of the map/poster bottom with the backing material just above where the two face tape is. Remove the backing paper off of the two face tape. Carefully line up your map/poster and stick it down to the backing material. Press down on the pieces where the tape is, to help the bond.

Smooth out the two pieces so that they are flat together.

With the wood piece/ dowel that you chose, (I used some hardwood trim), wrap the excess piece of backing material around it and staple in place.

Apply more two face tape to the top of the "reverse" side of the map/poster and with the map/poster and the backing material lying flat remove backing material off of tape and press together.

Drill pilot holes into the dowel/trim and install the eye screws. Tie on the rope/cord to the eyes.

Hang it up where you need a different background,

The first two pictures are of either side, the third picture is what was covered up.

Note It's a good idea not to use green for the backing material, unless you want to end up as a "Meme".

When you're finished using it, just roll it up and store it, It doesn't take up much room.

The map is of Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta. I spent the summer of 1970 there.