Tag Archives: props

DIY Halloween: Materials You Need

It’s August, and since Halloween is less than 100 days away, it’s time to start your projects.  You might think, “It’s only August.  I have PLENTY of time.”

You’re wrong.

Just check out this picture I took today:

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Yep.  That’s the beginnings of a Halloween store. Halloween Express to be exact.  They’re getting ready for the holiday, and so should you.

If you’re new to the DIY Halloween thang, you might be wondering where to start.  Well, look no further for I have been sent here to enlighten your minds!  Or at least I’m prepared to help get you started.  First things first, we’re talking materials.

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PVC Pipe

I wrote a whole post about this stuff, so you should check it out here.  From monsters to cages to mausoleums, this stuff can be the base for anything.  Adult tinker toys, ladies and gentlemen.  That’s what they are.  Buy some pipe and fittings today at Lowe’s or Home Depot.  And don’t forget your pipe cutter!

Papier Mache

Newspaper and the glue mixture of your choice is all you need to make a crazy awesome prop.  I used some to make a cool scarecrow head one year (read here), and I also made a witch head for a prop last year, which I’ve yet to discuss on the blog.  That’ll come later.

Monster Mud

This stuff is like heavy duty Papier mache used for bigger projects.  To make this stuff, all you need are drywall joint compound (found at any hardware store) and any latex paint you have lying around.  Color doesn’t matter because this stuff is fully paintable after it dries.  Mix it with a drill and paint-stirrer attachment in a large bucket.  After that you can dip fabric in the stuff to cover your props or just paint on the mud itself to create an outer shell.  There are a ton of tutorials online.  Just check out Google or Pinterest for some ideas.

Wire

You can use different gauges of wire to do different things.  I like to use a lighter gauge wire to hang props and heavier gauges to make moldable fingers, spiders, etc…

Foam Heads

These can be found at most craft stores, and they can be used for – well – prop heads.  I made a severed head out of one, which you can read about here.  They can also be used to finish off a full-size prop or even hung with cheesecloth to make a ghost.  Oh, that reminds me…

Cheesecloth

Cheesecloth is pretty versatile.  You can use it to make ghosts and shrouds, you can drape it over mantels or tables for a creepy effect, or you can pair it with monster mud to create detail or make clothing for your props.

Old Clothes

What?  You want your props to be naked?  Well, that’s your decision to make, but for those of us who want props suitable for the eyes of tiny trick-or-treaters, clothing is kinda essential.  Go to garage sales or just raid your closet for old items you don’t want anymore.  The fun part is aging them.  Bury your prop clothes, rip them, paint them, run them over with your car – anything to make them look nice and old.

Paint

This one is a no-brainer.  You want to make some props, you gotta paint them or it’s just going to look unfinished.  I use spray paint for larger projects and latex/craft paint for smaller crafts and detail work.

Scrap Wood

I think everyone who has a house probably has a few pieces lying around.  I haven’t really used wood to create a large prop, but I’ve nailed pieces together to make a sturdier base for some.

Foam

I don’t have much experience using foam in my crafts, but I’m going to remedy that this year.  You can buy large sheets of foam at home improvement stores, and I’ll be buying some soon to create a life-size coffin.  Foam can also be used to make tombstones.  I’ve got a foam cooler that I plan on fashioning into one in a few weeks.  It’ll be my first foam-based project, so I hope it turns out okay.

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Well, that list should give you a good start to your DIY Halloween projects.  So gather your materials, folks, and get to crafting.  You don’t have much time.

How to Create Awesome Halloween Props with PVC Pipe

PVC pipe.  If you haven’t played around with this stuff, you’re missing out on some fun.  It is so versatile.  Just type PVC Pipe in Pinterest and feast your eyes on all the cool things you can do. You can find everything from garden watering systems to a homemade ball pit for kids to organizational projects for the home. And of course, you can use them for Halloween props!

I never knew how much I loved PVC pipe projects until I saw a picture of a zombie prop frame and decided to try my hand at it.  I got my project list, headed to Lowe’s, and ended up with this just a little while later:

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You’ll have to forgive the low-light pic, but just look at this cool thing.  It was my first prop project, but it definitely wasn’t the last.  Check out these fun monsters I also made with a PVC pipe base, some masks, clothes, and foam heads:

If you want to try some projects out for yourself (and I know you do), just go to your local Lowe’s or Home Depot and check out their selection.  The pipe itself comes in multiple sizes, and there are fittings of different angles to make your wildest dreams come true!

Okay. Maybe not your wildest dreams, but you’ll be able to do some pretty cool stuff with it.  They’re like adult tinker toys.  Seriously.  It’s so fun.

Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started:

Draw it out.

The only art skill you need for this is basic stick-figure drawing.  Drawing your prop first and counting the angles and connection points helps greatly with knowing how many fittings of each type you need.

For example, this is my sketch for the large standing prop:

An artist I am not. But you really don’t have to be. Draw the basic shape of your prop. For this one, I just wanted him to be standing straight with a slight bend to his arms, so it was very simple. For props that need strange angles, just draw them to the best of your ability. These are the guides I used for my monster props in the pics above.

See? More complicated but not impossible.

Use yourself as a guide to determine how long you need each section to be and write that down. Add all lengths together, and that will tell you how much PVC pipe to purchase.

To easily determine the type and number of fittings you need, use a different color pen and circle where pieces of pipe connect. The basic types of fittings available are 90-degree elbow, 45-degree elbow, 3-way elbow, tee, and cross. There are other types in stores, but these are the basic ones you will most likely use. After you’re finished, count all the circles for each connection. Now, you know how many of each type of fitting to buy.

BUY A PVC PIPE CUTTER.

There’s a reason this one is in all caps. A PVC pipe cutter makes these projects go so much more smoothly and cleanly than using anything else. I tried using a hacksaw the first time followed by an extra small rotary saw blade.  It sucked.  PVC dust went everywhere, and that’s just not healthy. You can buy one of these cutters at Lowe’s or Home Depot for cheap, and it makes all the difference. Other tutorials recommend the hacksaw, but I’m super partial to the pipe cutter method.

Make it sturdy.

PVC pipe fits pretty snuggly by itself in the fittings, but over time, the pipe can loosen, which can cause your prop to fall or possibly break apart. If you want to make your props permanent, use PVC glue found at any hardware store.  Or you can use them on select fittings to keep your props a little more stable but still able to be deconstructed easily.  

I don’t use the glue much because I like to be able to take my props apart completely.  When you have as much Halloween stuff as I do, space is a big deal. So I use screws. Small wood screws inserted into joints can make all the difference, but you’ll still be able to break down your prop for storage.

Be creative with other materials.

Use your imagination to make your props bigger and better by combining these projects with other prop-making materials.  

  • Create a full base for a large-scale prop by wrapping chicken wire around a PVC pipe base and adding papier mache.
  • Add thickness and depth to your props by using chicken wire or cardboard under clothes/costumes.
  • Foam pool noodles can be used to flesh out arms and legs.
  • Use spray paint directly on the pipe to make cages or “steel” pipes in your Halloween display.  There are just so many options.  
  • Combine different sizes of PVC pipe with wire and cardboard to make other body parts. For instance, with some thick-gauged wire, cardboard cut in the shape of my palm, and masking tape, I made these creepy, skeletal hands and arms.

So get out there and try some fun projects of your own.  There’s no wrong way to do it.  Unless you don’t use a PVC pipe cutter.  That’s just dumb.

Let me know your successes with PVC pipe in the comments! And be sure to check out my other DIY tutorials, including:

How to Corpse a Skeleton

How to Make a Flying Reaper

How to Create a DIY Giant Spiderweb

5 Ways to Use a Dollar Tree Skull