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The border is the frame that makes a bulletin board look finished. Get it right and even a simple display looks polished from across the room. These 20 bulletin board border ideas go from quick store-bought tricks to borders your students make themselves, plus seasonal swaps you can change in minutes.
The short answer: The easiest way to make a bulletin board border stand out is to layer two borders in contrasting colors, a wide scalloped one behind a narrow straight one. For something free, use a paper chain, washi tape or student-made pieces such as handprints, name pennants or doodle strips. Staple at the corners first so the border sits straight.
Updated November 2026.
Four things worth having
These four supplies come up again and again in the ideas below, because they work for almost any board:
- Black scalloped border roll: goes with every background color, so one roll covers boards all year.
- Fadeless paper roll: holds its color in a sunny room much longer than regular craft paper, so your background still looks fresh in May.
- Fabric-style background roll: wipes clean and does not tear, so it can stay up all year while you only swap the border.
- Forward-action staple gun: pushes staples into hard corkboard and walls with one squeeze, and pulls out cleanly at the end of the year.
Easy bulletin board border ideas
1. Layer two scalloped borders
SaveStaple a wide scalloped border first, then a narrow straight border in a contrasting color on top. The double layer makes any board look custom for the price of two rolls.
2. Frame a bright board in black
SaveA black scalloped border on a bright background is the classic combo for a reason. Black makes every color inside it pop and hides staple marks.
3. Run a rainbow around the edge
SaveUse a different border color on each side, or switch colors every few feet. It looks cheerful, uses up half rolls and works for any theme.
4. Add a corrugated border for depth
SaveCorrugated borders have a ridged, 3D texture that stands out from flat paper. They bend around corners without creasing and last for years.
5. Pair a fabric background with a border
SaveCover the board once with a fabric-style background roll and only change the border with the seasons. It is the fastest board refresh there is.
DIY border ideas from simple supplies
6. Make a paper chain border
SaveStaple a long construction paper chain around the frame. Every student can add a link, and you can match the colors to any season.
7. Use ribbon or tulle
SaveWide satin ribbon gives a clean, finished line, and gathered tulle adds soft texture. Both come off easily and can be rolled up and reused.
8. Tape a washi tape frame
SaveRun two or three strips of patterned washi tape side by side around the board. It takes ten minutes, needs no staples and peels off clean.
9. Cut scallops from old book pages
SaveTrace a bowl onto old book pages or sheet music, cut out the scallops and overlap them around the edge. It looks lovely around a reading board.
10. Add a tissue paper pom pom border
SaveFluff small tissue paper pom poms or paper flowers and staple them close together along the top edge. It turns a plain board into a showpiece.
Seasonal bulletin board border ideas
11. Overlap fall leaves
SaveCut leaves from red, orange and yellow paper and overlap them all the way around the board. Students can trace and cut their own in a few minutes.
12. Frame a winter board with snowflakes
SavePaper snowflakes in white and pale blue make a border that lasts from December to February. Fold and cut them as a class on a cold afternoon.
13. Twist candy cane stripes
SaveTwist red and white paper strips together, or wrap red tape around a white border, for a candy cane frame that is perfect for December.
14. Line the edge with hearts
SaveCut paper hearts in pinks and reds for February, or write a kind word on each one so the border doubles as a kindness display.
15. Grow a spring flower border
SaveCupcake liner flowers, paper petals and green paper stems along the bottom edge make the board look like a garden bed for spring.
Student-made border ideas
16. Handprint or fingerprint border
SaveHave each child press a painted handprint or a row of fingerprints onto a paper strip. It is the border families always want to photograph.
17. Name pennant border
SaveGive each student a small paper pennant to decorate with their name and a doodle, then string them across the top of the board.
18. Kindness note strips
SaveCut sentence strips into short pieces and let students write a kind word or compliment on each one. Add new strips as kind acts happen.
19. Paper pencil border
SaveEach student decorates a big paper pencil shape, then you line them up tip to tail around the board. Great for a back to school or writing board.
20. Doodle strip border
SaveHand out long paper strips and let students fill them with patterns and color. Line them up around the frame for a border that is all theirs.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Start at a corner, staple the border so it slightly overlaps the edge of the background, and work along each side. Fold or cut the border at each corner so it meets neatly.
Paper chains, ribbon, washi tape, cut book pages, tissue paper pom poms and student-made strips all work. Most cost little or nothing and can be reused.
Choose fade-resistant or corrugated borders, staple them instead of taping, and store them flat or rolled in a labeled tube between uses.
Cut the border at a 45 degree angle at each corner so the scallops meet, or simply overlap the two ends so the bumps line up.
Keep reading
- 26 classroom wall decor ideas that go beyond borders and banners
- 21 November bulletin board ideas
- 27 December bulletin board ideas for every winter theme
- 40 classroom door ideas for every month of the school year
- 15 dollar store classroom decor ideas that look amazing
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