How to set up a pop-up exhibition stand

A pop-up exhibition stand is built to be put up by the people who use it. You don't need tools, ladders or a contractor: one or two people can have most of our pop-up walls standing in less than ten minutes. The catch is that a rushed set-up is where frames get bent and graphics get creased.

This guide is for the field or trade marketing rep who arrives at a venue with a case and a stand number. It covers what to check before you leave, how to put the stand up, the mistakes that cause damage, and how to pack it down so it's ready for the next show. The steps follow our Executive pop-up exhibition stand, with a short section at the end for the SuperWall.

Always keep the instructions that came with your stand in the case. Where they give an exact method, follow them.

Before you leave for the venue

#1 - Check the kit

Open the case before it goes in the car, not at the venue. The Executive comes with:

• the pop-up frame with its magnetic support bars
• the roll-up graphic panels
• two spotlights
• the hard-shell wheeled case, plus the graphic wrap if you ordered one

If anything is missing or damaged, you want to know while there's still time to fix it.

#2 - Check the stand space

Get the stand size from the organiser or the exhibitor manual and compare it with your stand's footprint, including how far it comes forward from the back wall:

• Curved frame: 1.85 m wide sits 460 mm deep, 2.5 m wide sits 600 mm deep and 3.2 m wide sits 760 mm deep.
• Straight frame: 2 m, 2.7 m, 3.4 m or 4.2 m wide, and 340 mm deep.

Straight walls are sized to suit a shell scheme back wall, but check the exact width against your stand before show day.

#3 - Plan the lift and the power

The Executive weighs about 28 to 38 kg in its case, depending on the size. The case has wheels, so roll it rather than carry it, and get a second person to help lift it in and out of a vehicle. If you need something lighter, the SuperWall range packs into a carry bag.

Check how your spotlights are powered. If they need a power point and your stand package doesn't include one, book it through the organiser before the show.

How to set up a pop-up exhibition stand

#1 - Clear the floor

Stand the case where the wall will go and clear a working area in front of it. Check the floor is flat: a frame on an uneven floor won't sit square, and the graphics won't line up.

#2 - Lay out the parts

Take everything out and lay it on a clean surface. The panels make up one picture, so work out their order from the artwork before you start hanging them. Keep the panels rolled until you need them.

#3 - Expand the frame and fit the support bars

Expand the frame to its full size; no tools are needed. Then fit the magnetic support bars exactly as the instructions that came with your stand show. If you're not sure how a part fits, check the instructions again rather than forcing it.

#4 - Hang the graphic panels

Unroll each panel and attach it to the frame, where it is held by magnets. Hang the panels in order and line up each edge with its neighbour, so the picture reads as one continuous wall. Stand back after every couple of panels and check the joins.

#5 - Fit the lights

Fit the two spotlights as shown in the instructions and angle them onto the graphic. Keep any cable out of the walkway and away from where visitors stand.

#6 - Turn the case into a counter

If you have the graphic wrap or stretch cover, fit it over the wheeled case and stand the case in front of the wall as a counter. The empty case is no longer something to hide, and you have a branded surface to work from.

#7 - Check it from the aisle

Walk out into the aisle and look back. Check the panel joins, the lights and the cables, and make sure nothing sits outside your stand line. For a fuller run-through before doors open, see what to check before an event opens.

Common mistakes that damage frames and graphics

• Forcing the frame. If it won't open or close easily, stop and check for a caught part rather than pushing harder.
• Hanging panels before the frame is fully expanded. The panels won't line up.
• Folding or crushing panels. They are made to roll. A fold or a heavy box on top leaves a mark that shows under the lights.
• Dragging parts. Lift the frame and panels rather than sliding them across the floor.

Our Executive stand carries a 1 year warranty on its non-graphic parts for the original owner, but the warranty doesn't cover mistreatment or normal wear and tear. A careful set-up is what keeps the stand working show after show.

Packing down

Packing up is even quicker than setting up. Work in reverse order, following the instructions that came with your stand: lights off, panels off and rolled, then the frame and its parts back into the case.

• Roll each panel neatly, so it doesn't crease.
• Count the parts back in, so nothing is left at the venue.
• Note any damage and tell whoever looks after the kit before the next show. If a panel is past saving, we can print a new or replacement set that fits straight onto your existing frame.

If you have a SuperWall instead

Our SuperWall works differently. Click the aluminium frame sections together, attach the feet if your wall has them, slide the one-piece fabric graphic over the frame like a pillowcase and close the zip. One person can put it together in less than 10 minutes. The whole kit weighs 7 to 14 kg in its carry bag, depending on the size, and the fabric can be machine washed cold.

Quick troubleshooting

• Gaps or steps between panels: check the frame is fully expanded and the support bars are fitted as the instructions show, then lift the panel off and hang it again in line with its neighbour.
• The wall leans or rocks: check the floor is level and the frame is fully open.
• The lights won't come on: check the power supply and every connection against the instructions.

Prefer not to build it yourself?

Our installation and pack-down service can handle the build instead: we deal with the organiser for you, have the stand ready when you arrive and come back to pack it down. We can also store your kit in our warehouses, check it for wear and clean it between shows, and send it to the right venue for each event. If you're using equipment we supplied, we can also help on show days, on site or after hours.

To see the full range, browse our pop-up exhibition stands, or call us on 1300 240 250 if you have a question about your stand.