Cody Pierce from First Baptist Church in Umatilla, FL brings us these Coroplast crosses built off the light tower idea.
Cody made two 11′ tall, 7′ wide, 1′ thick crosses made of Coroplast. He designed this to where all of the points met in the very center, which allowed an artistic look as well as a nice place he could make the connection fit with the style. They were held together with some very good black duct tape and 30lb fishing line to give the outer arms some structural support to the top center arm. Each cross used two and a half pieces of 4’x8′ 10mm Coroplast.
He started by scoring one side of the Coroplast so that when he made the cross arms they still had the support of being attached, rather than having four individual pieces without the structural support of them being attached. Then after scoring, he measured two of the beams and made a point at the halfway point and 6″ down the sides. The two sides that that were not at a point, he simply cut 6″ off of them. That way when the cross fit together everything would line up snugly.
He did this for all four beams. The base beam was 8′, and all of the others were 4′.
Once all were cut, he squared the pieces up and ran a 2″ piece of duct tape down the crease, for more structural support. Then he attached all of the pieces together. He taped the inside very well along each crease, then the outside very well along each crease. He put a 1’x1′ cap on the end of all but the bottom (which is where he put an LED light).
How to Adapt This Hollow Cross Design
The most useful part of this build is the way a flat sheet becomes a dimensional shape. Scoring one face of the Coroplast lets the material fold while the uncut face remains connected. Before cutting full-size panels, make a small sample from a scrap piece and test which side should face the audience. A shallow score should guide a clean fold without slicing through the opposite skin. Label each beam and dry-fit the pointed ends at the center so the arms meet evenly before applying tape.
Plan the footprint as carefully as the silhouette. These crosses were 11 feet tall, 7 feet wide, and 1 foot deep, so check ceiling height, sightlines, stage entrances, and storage space before committing to those dimensions. If your stage is smaller, keep the proportions but scale every part down together. A cardboard or tape outline on the floor can help volunteers judge how much room the finished pieces will occupy. Keep the original 4-by-8-foot sheet layout in mind when estimating material waste and transportation needs.
The light source at the open bottom turns the hollow body into a glowing scenic element. Test your LED fixture inside a sample beam before final assembly: its beam angle, distance from the Coroplast, and color will change how evenly the surface glows. If bright spots appear, move the light farther from the panel or add an appropriate diffuser that does not contact a hot fixture. Keep power connections accessible, secure cables away from foot traffic, and follow the fixture manufacturer’s clearance and electrical guidance.
For a repeatable installation, document which pieces join at the center and where the support lines attach. Inspect the tape seams and fishing line before each use, especially after the crosses have been moved or stored. Lightweight scenic materials still need a stable base and approved anchoring; have a qualified person review any rigging or overhead placement. This gives the team the visual impact of a large cross without treating the Coroplast shell itself as a load-bearing structure.
Pro Tips for Illuminated Coroplast Crosses
Score a test strip first: Practice the fold on scrap material so the face stays intact and each arm holds its intended shape.
Control light spill: Position LEDs so the cross glows evenly without shining directly into the congregation or cameras.
Reinforce the center: Dry-fit the four beams, then inspect the taped joint and support line before lifting the piece into place.
Design for storage: Measure doorways and storage space early; modular sections are easier to move than one permanently assembled scenic piece.
Related Designs
- Sullivan Stage – See another scored Coroplast approach that creates dimensional stage texture.
- Light Squares – Explore LED-lit geometric frames and practical mounting ideas.
- LED Wave Pattern – Compare a larger translucent Coroplast design lit with LED tape.
- Sheer Backing – Consider another lightweight backdrop that responds to colored light.
- What are Stage Flats? – Learn how reusable flats can support dimensional scenic builds.
Related: Compare these internally lit shapes with Triangle Wall, a Coroplast-edged geometric backdrop that combines backlighting and front projection.
This looks incredible! do you have the tutorial on how you made the wood boards behind it?
For the wood boards we went to the lumber mull and purchased a bunch, and I do mean a bunch, of 6″x20′ pieces of rough cut pine. We had the mill cut the pieces at various lengths, as well as had them cut the pieces in half and at 4″ (which gave us a 2″ piece and 4″piece). I purchased 7 types of stain from a local store. Various colors, the more you use the more depth it has. Make sure to get a variety of colors, we had some natural looking, some dark walnut which is very close to black, and even down to some that looked white washed. We stained the boards with rags by hand, and it will take a lot of stain because the rough cut lumber soaks up everything.
We then built three walls. In our building the two outer walls are 10’x10′ with the middle being 18’x10′. We used a 12′ stud frame covered in plywood, literally like you are building an exterior wall for a house. Then it took about 8 men to lift the middle wall into place, which we mounted using brackets all around the top and sides (they are painted wall color to keep from being seen). The side walls are braced with two 2″x4″pieces that are about 4′ long, attached to studs on both ends. Make sure these walls are braced. These walls are very heavy. If they fall they will hurt someone very badly, so please make sure they are secured before adding the boards. Then we painted the plywood black, which allowed us to leave the occasional space in the boards to give it the appearance of our normal walls behind it.
Then we attached the stained pieces of lumber cut in various lengths using a nail gun and finishing nails. (the nails will go through the wall, so be sure to cut them on the other side to keep people from being stabbed) We never let two colors be side by side, and we never let the ends meet up in the same spot, which gives it the broken look.
At Christmas I took white rope and made contemporary Christmas trees on the walls and hung black wired Christmas lights from the ceiling to the top of the walls (attached to a fader) which made the lights look like stars above the trees. It was pretty neat as well. The wood walls allow for a great base canvas to work with.
Is this coroplast white, natural, or clear?
Thank You
Hey Chad. It is white 10mm Coroplast. The white lets it diffuse the light very well as well as hide the lights in the bottom of the crosses.