Most latex balloons sold in Australia fall into four working sizes: 30cm (the classic 12-inch party balloon), 40cm, 60cm and 90cm. The right one depends on what the balloon has to do. A 30cm balloon fills a bouquet or garland, a 60cm balloon carries a logo you can read across a room, and a 90cm balloon is the centrepiece nobody walks past. We print 30cm, 60cm and 90cm custom balloons, so this guide is built around choosing among them.
- Balloon sizes are quoted as the approximate diameter when the balloon is nearly fully inflated, in inches or centimetres. 12 inches is 30cm, 24 inches is 60cm and 36 inches is 90cm.
- 30cm is the everyday size for bouquets, garlands and giveaways. 60cm and 90cm are statement sizes for entrances, stages and photo backdrops.
- Bigger balloons give a bigger print area, which matters when a logo, a message or a theme has to be read from a distance.
- Listed sizes are nominal, so inflate one test balloon before you inflate a hundred.
- We offer custom printed balloons in 30cm, 60cm and 90cm, plus unprinted latex in several sizes and shapes.
How latex balloon sizes are measured
A latex balloon size is the approximate diameter of the balloon when it is almost fully inflated. It is not the size of the flat, uninflated balloon, and it is not a guaranteed measurement.
Two systems sit side by side. Overseas catalogues and many balloon artists use inches. Australian party suppliers and printers usually list centimetres, because that is how you measure a table, an arch or a doorway. The conversion is simple: one inch is 2.54cm, so a 12-inch balloon is about 30cm.
The numbers are labels rather than measurements taken from a ruler. A manufacturer’s specification chart lists 5-inch as 12cm, 9-inch as 23cm, 12-inch as 30cm, 24-inch as 60cm and 36-inch as 90cm, and notes that real dimensions can shift with environmental conditions. In practice, warm rooms, how hard you blow, and the colour and finish of the latex all move the result by a little.
Latex balloon size chart: inches to centimetres
Here is the range you will meet when you shop, with what each size is typically used for.
| Size in inches | Size in cm | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 12 | Mini balloons, tight garland fillers, table details |
| 9 | 23 | Small bouquets, kids’ party bags, detail work |
| 12 | 30 | The standard party balloon: bouquets, garlands, giveaways, helium floaters |
| 14 | 35 | A slightly fuller balloon for bouquets and arches |
| 24 | 60 | Large feature balloons, entrances, printed logo balloons |
| 36 | 90 | Jumbo centrepieces, photo backdrops, stage and shopfront displays |
You may see 11-inch and 12-inch balloons described as the same thing. They are close neighbours, because different makers label the most common round balloon slightly differently. The spec chart above puts 11-inch at 28cm and 12-inch at 30cm, which is why most Australian sellers simply say 30cm and move on.
The sizes we stock
Our range is set up around centimetres:
- Unprinted latex: 30cm, 40cm, 60cm and 90cm.
- Heart-shaped latex: 25cm and 30cm.
- Custom printed latex: 30cm, 60cm and 90cm.
- Number shapes: we only stock 86cm number shape balloons, the full-height foil numbers used for birthdays and anniversaries.
Colours come in standard, metallic and crystal finishes, and our colour chart shows the current palette.
Choosing a size by job
The most common mistake is choosing a size by price per balloon rather than by what it needs to do in the room. Start with the job.
Bouquets, garlands and table décor: 30cm
The 30cm balloon is the workhorse. It is small enough to cluster in dozens, light enough to float on helium, and affordable enough to order in bulk. For a birthday garland or a bunch tied to a letterbox, this is the default. Mixing a few 40cm balloons into a 30cm cluster adds depth without changing the look of the arrangement.
Entrances, stages and shopfronts: 60cm
A 60cm balloon has real presence. Two or three at a doorway read as a feature rather than a few balloons. It is also the first size where a printed logo or short message is comfortably legible from across a room, which is why it suits trade stands, grand openings and corporate functions.
Photo backdrops and centrepieces: 90cm
A 90cm balloon is about a metre across, so one or two make a display. They work in a corner of a venue, beside a stage, or tied above a cake table. If you want a balloon that appears in photos and is remembered, this is the one.
Hearts and numbers
Heart-shaped latex in 25cm and 30cm suits weddings, engagements and Valentine’s displays. For milestone birthdays, our 86cm number shapes are tall enough to stand as a single feature, and they are an easy partner for a cluster of latex in a matching colour.
Why size matters most for custom printed balloons
When a balloon carries your branding, size decides how much you can say. A small balloon has a small surface. A bigger balloon gives you a bigger print area, and a bigger print area means a bigger logo, a readable tagline or a full theme.
A few practical points:
- Logos with fine detail need space. A simple mark with two colours works on a 30cm balloon. Detailed artwork, small type or a website address is better on 60cm or 90cm.
- Balloons grow when inflated. Our 30cm balloons increase in size by 30% on inflation, so a design that looks tight on the flat balloon spreads out as it fills. Leave a margin around your artwork rather than pushing it to the edge.
- Read distance matters. The further back your audience stands, the larger the balloon and the bolder the artwork should be.
- Colour contrast beats complexity. A strong balloon colour behind a bold logo reads better than a pale colour with a thin design. Our guide on choosing balloon colours for your brand or event goes through the choices.
What custom printed balloons cost
Our published prices are one-off, per balloon. 60cm custom printed balloons range from $13.20 to $31.35 each. 90cm custom printed balloons start from $17.60 each. The range on the 60cm balloon reflects the options on the product page. 30cm custom printed balloons have their own page with the options available.
For a worked example, a business planning an opening with two 60cm entrance balloons on each side of a door and a bag of 30cm giveaways for visitors has two sizes with two jobs: the large balloons say who you are from the street, the small ones carry your name home.
Assorted sizes: how to mix them well
Mixing sizes is how professional-looking decorations are made, and it is easier than it seems.
- Pick one hero size. Decide the main size first, usually 30cm for a garland or 60cm for a feature.
- Add one smaller and one larger size at most. Two or three sizes look intentional. Five look cluttered.
- Keep colours tight. A narrow palette in varied sizes looks richer than many colours in one size.
- Use the largest balloon as the anchor. Place a 90cm or 60cm balloon first, then build around it.
- Print only where it is seen. Put the custom balloons at eye level and near entry points, and use unprinted latex as the filler around them.
This mix of printed and unprinted is common for events and promotions, and it keeps the budget sensible while the branding stays visible. You can order both from our unprinted balloons range and the custom printed range in the same order.
Inflating balloons to a consistent size
Two balloons of the same listed size can look different side by side if they are not filled to the same point. Consistent sizing is what separates a tidy arch from a lumpy one.
- Fill to a reference. Use a fixed gap or a bucket of the target diameter, and fill each balloon until it just touches. Anything of a known width works.
- Do a test balloon first. Inflate one at the size you want, check it against the space, and then match the rest to it.
- Account for the material. Colour and finish change how the latex stretches, so a metallic balloon may fill slightly differently to a standard one in the same size.
- Allow for helium. Helium balloons inflated to the same size float for different times depending on size and whether they are treated. A 30cm balloon holds far less gas than a 90cm one, so plan your cylinder accordingly.
Our balloon and party accessories include helium and inflators, and ribbons and clips to finish bouquets, so you can order the supplies with the balloons.
Perspective: why we start with size
When a customer rings us about balloons, the first question we ask is where the balloon will be seen from. It sounds simple, but it settles almost everything.
After nearly 30 years of printing balloons, our view is that size should be chosen before colour, finish or design. A balloon that is too small for its job wastes the logo. A balloon that is the right size makes even a simple one-colour print look deliberate.
Our 30cm, 60cm and 90cm custom printed balloons cover the full range of events, from a child’s party to a brand launch, and our customers include event planners, small businesses and major brands .
Our advice: pick the size for the distance, then pick the design for the size.
Ready to order?
If you know what the balloon needs to do, the next step is quick. We print logos, messages and themes on 30cm, 60cm and 90cm latex balloons, and we stock unprinted latex, foil balloons, number shapes and the accessories to finish the display, with fast turnaround on custom orders. Start from the custom printed balloons page, choose your size and colours, and place your order online.
If you are planning a larger event or a branded campaign, you can also reach us on 1300 720 230.
FAQ
What is a standard-sized latex balloon?
The standard party balloon is 12 inches, or 30cm. Some catalogues label it 11 inches because makers use slightly different nominal sizes, but they are effectively the same balloon. It is the most common size for bouquets, garlands and giveaways.
What is the difference between a 30cm and a 60cm balloon?
A 60cm balloon is twice the diameter of a 30cm balloon, so it has far more surface area for printing and far more visual impact. Use 30cm in groups, and 60cm for features and entrances where one or two balloons need to stand out.
How big is a 90cm balloon?
A 90cm balloon is 36 inches, close to a metre across when inflated. It is the largest standard latex size and works as a single centrepiece, photo backdrop element or shopfront feature.
Do latex balloons come in the same size every time?
Listed sizes are approximate. Room temperature, latex colour and how you inflate all change the final diameter by a little. For matching sizes across a whole display, inflate one test balloon, then match the others to it with a fixed gap or bucket.
Which size is best for a printed logo?
For a simple logo, 30cm is enough. For a logo with detail, a tagline or a web address, choose 60cm or 90cm. The larger the balloon, the larger the print area and the further away it can be read.
