Obtain a party balloon. Something inexpensive, colorful, and heavy is easiest, but oblong or theme-shaped balloons may also be a nice touch, depending on what you're blowing up the balloons for.
Big 36" Balloons
Big 36" balloons have a larger neck opening so can be a little more tricky to fill, you can get adapters to use with helium canisters but I find it works to simply hold the neck of the balloon tightly around the nozzle as you fill it, then tie as you would a standard balloon.
When 36" balloons are fully inflated with helium they can lift a weight of 340g. I find that fully inflated they have a serious amount of pull and can be quite difficult to control outside even in light winds. Children find them particularly difficult to handle and they need to be well tethered or could be lost very quickly. If you blow them up half with air then inflate until fully inflated using helium they have a far gentler pull but still float upright beautifully (the downside is that they will not stay afloat for as long perhaps just a few hours), the added advantage of filling them this way is that they cost half the amount to fill and they wont disappear into space if they become untethered!
|
Balloon |
Inflated Diameter |
Capacity (Cubic Ft) |
Float-Time |
|
9" Latex |
9" |
0.3 |
8-10 hrs |
|
11" Latex |
11" |
0.5 |
10-12 hrs |
|
18" Foil |
14" x 13" |
0.5 |
3-5 days |
|
20" Foil (Str) |
18" x 18" |
0.6 |
3-5 days |
|
Giant Letter & Number |
Various |
1.5 |
3-5 days |
|
Foil Supershapes |
Various |
1.5 - 2.5 |
3-5 days |
|
3ft Latex (346") |
36" |
if filling to 2.5ft 8 cubic ft if filling to 3ft 15 cubic ft |
3-5 days |
|
Foil Orb Balloon 16” |
15" – 16” |
1.05 |
3-5 days |
Clear Balloons and Confetti Balloons
If filling 11" or 16" clear balloons with air not helium please note that once fully inflated they may seem a little dull or misty, they will clear in around 10 minutes. Helium creates an immediately clear balloon however the float time for Confetti filled helium balloons is less than standard balloons simply because of the extra weight of the paper inside them (approx 4 - 6 hours).
16" Letter/Number Balloons
The 16" Letter and Number balloons are fantastic because there is no need for helium, simply inflate them with puff and they will stay inflated for months, what is more you can release the air from them and pack them away ready to re-use in the future.
Whilst the ‘small balloons won’t float’ rule also applies to foil balloons, other factors play a part. A standard foil balloon measures 18 inches in diameter (round, heart and square) or 20 inches (star) and will float with helium. Anything less than this is unlikely to float, especially if it is a shaped foil. This is because foil is heavier than latex so requires more helium (and the capacity to hold the helium) to lift it. To demonstrate, our 16 inch numbers & letters, animal foils are for air-filling only as the shape of them means a reduced capacity to hold enough helium to float even though they’re not much smaller in size than a standard foil balloon.
Foil balloons can also be air filled if you wish to attach to a wall or use as a prop on a table etc. To do this you will need to insert either a balloon pump with a long this end or you could insert a plastic/paper straw and blow through the straw to inflate your balloon. Foil Balloons can be reused if they have a valve that self seals. To empty your balloon of air you will need ideally a long straw. Insert your straw into the opening of the neck of the balloon (it may need to go in a long way inside the valve of the balloon as some valves are very long such as our letter balloons), you will be able to tell when you have inserted the straw far enough as the air will start to be released. Fold your balloon carefully once it is emptied of air and store in a dry place.
Foil balloons are fully inflated when most of the wrinkles are gone--they don't expand like latex balloons and will pop if overinflated; wrinkles therefore are to be expected. Similarly remember foil balloons are different to latex balloons in that once the basic shape is achieved you can’t make the balloon bigger by the addition of more air; it will burst if over inflated so beware.
40" Letter/Number Balloons
The balloons can be filled with helium to float and attached to weights to keep in place. These foil balloons will float with helium for several days but thanks to the built-in self-sealing valve, they can be ‘topped up’ if necessary. If you need a long-lasting display, simply fill the balloons with air and suspend them
WARNING: Balloons are not toys. Children can choke or suffocate on non-inflated or broken balloons. Adult supervision is required. Keep non-inflated balloons away from children, and discard broken balloons immediately.
PLEASE NOTE: Balloons are Balloons therefore in nature they are fragile. We use the highest quality latex balloon available, however please use great care when inflating. If you are concerned please order extra balloons for your event if you are concerned about popping. We do not offer refunds on balloons.