Consider what size you need to appropriately display the information you have. Trifold boards come in many sizes, but the standard size is 36 by 48 inches. This standard display size allows a 24-inch center section with two 12-inch side sections for display. If less space is needed, a 32-by-48-inch board is available that offers the same width but is slightly shorter than the average board. In some instances, the oversized board might be appropriate. These boards are typically 42 by 71 inches and allow a significantly larger surface area to display information. Some companies that sell trifold boards offer a header that attaches to the top so your title does not take room from the display area.
A good rule of thumb for displays is to keep to a few color options. That avoids overwhelming the viewer. Generally speaking, staying with two to three colors is enough to offer contrast without making your display appear overly bright and unappealing. One option is to order a color board as opposed to the traditional white, but generally the white boards are cheaper and they can easily be painted with spray paint. After deciding the coloring for your background, choose a color that contrasts with that background to use as a mounting for any pictures or paper items that will be attached. Consider looking at colors that oppose each other on a color wheel.
Objects attached to a display board should be first attached to a background or mounting instead of being adhered directly to the board. One way to do this is to choose one color of construction paper or card stock and mount the object centered over the color paper so there is an equal amount of space on all sides of the object. A second method is to choose two colors as the background to a mounting. For this method, layer the two colors atop each other, each showing the equal amount around all sides. A third idea is to off-center the object so the background mounting shows on two sides but not on the bottom.
To be eye-catching, your title should be the largest displayed text on your board. Consider choosing die-cut letters approximately 3 inches in size. Again, mounting titles are often displayed more effectively if two colors are layered atop each other. Beyond the main project title, headings should be displayed in a fairly large font of approximately 1 inch so they can be seen from a distance. Other text such as typed information can remain in the standard size of 12 to 16 points (one-sixth to about one-fifth of an inch). Once the title and topic headings have drawn the reader in, he can look more closely at the detailed information.
Determining the layout of a trifold board depends on the information you wish to display. As a rule, consider organizing your information the way a newspaper does with the most important information centered toward the top of the board and additional information to the sides. This means putting the main idea or most important topic in the center section of the board, then placing less important information along the bottom or on the side wings of the trifold board.
Using shapes or unusual designs is one way to make your board stand out. Consider cutting your information in shapes such as circles instead of the traditional square or rectangle shape. You could also use corner pieces on the corners of each attached item, such as stars on all four corners of an object. Another appealing display is to put all photographs along the bottom of the board in a row to look like a filmstrip. Attaching three-dimensional objects also brings an interesting appearance to the board; an example could be to cut out a section of the trifold board, trim 1/4 inch off all sides of the cut-out piece, stick a small dowel rod through the cut-out section and attach it to the board so the cut-out section spins, allowing interaction with your audience. Cutting out a section of the board and mounting a digital photo frame that presents a slideshow of images could also be done, but this would require an electrical outlet near the display area.
The most appropriate adhesive to use for mounting information on a display board is a glue stick. Glue sticks are generally less messy than glue bottles and offer a more crisp look to your board. Another advantage to glue sticks is they dry clear, so mistakes are often unnoticeable. Avoid using white glue, which often leaves bumps on the back of your paper that can be seen by your audience. Double-sided tape could be used, but is more expensive. It is also more difficult to use, because it sticks to everything as you are attempting to attach things to it.