How to make a spooky Halloween tombstone

MitchellMc

Difficulty: Beginner

This quick and easy Halloween tombstone made with foam board would be a fun addition to a spooky outdoor display.

Let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to assist.

Steps

Step 1

Design your tombstone and cut your cardboard into shape.

Determine the shape and size of your tombstone. You can either follow a template or create your own design using plates and a bendable straight edge for curves.

Mark out one half of your designed tombstone on your cardboard. Use your utility knife to cut along this outline.

1.1 Marking out template.png 1.2 Cutting out template.png

Step 2

Cut your foam board to create the top half of your tombstone.

Place the cut cardboard from Step 1 on your foam and outline the edges. Then flip the cardboard over and outline the other side of your tombstone. You should have a perfectly symmetrical outline.

Cut your foam along your marked outline. Trim the edges to ensure they are square.

2.1 Position template on foam.png 2.2 Transferring template onto foam.png 2.3 Flipped template.png 2.4 Cutting out foam.png 2.5 Trimming edges of foam.png

Step 3

Carve the lettering.

Decide what you want to write on your tombstone. While choosing your preferred font and size, ensure there is enough spacing on your tombstone to fit all letters evenly on each line.

Mark guidelines on your foam to ensure your lettering is level. Use lettering stencils to transfer the lettering onto your foam. Finally, set the depth gauge on your rotary tool to 10mm and carefully carve out each letter.

3.1 Lettering templates.png 3.2 Marking lettering guildlines.png 3.3 Transferring lettering.png 3.4 Carving out lettering.png

Step 4

Distress your tombstone to create cracks, chips and weathered areas. This makes it look more aged and spooky.

Use a timber file or utility knife to distress the foam's edges. Ensure crack lines start wide at the edges.

4.1 Distressing foam.png 4.2 Adding chips to edges.png 4.3 Cutting crack lines.png

Step 5

Create and attach your tombstone's base.

Use the remaining foam board to cut two pieces 150mm wide. Glue these two sections together using construction adhesive and create a base.

Now insert chopsticks or skewers into the bottom of your stencilled foam from Step 4. Apply construction adhesive along the bottom. Push the skewers into your base section to glue the two parts of your tombstone together. Allow your glue to dry fully.

5.1 Cutting base sections.png 5.2 Glueing base to tombstone.png 5.3 Tomstone glued to base.png

Step 6

Create a weathered surface on your tombstone.

Mix an equal amount of paint and Plaster of Paris. Don't worry about any lumps in the mixture as they will add to the weathered effect.

Paint this mixture over your tombstone. Be careful when painting over your lettering.

6.1 Mixing paint with plaster of Paris.png 6.2 Paint and plaster mix applied to tombstone.png 6.3 Textured effect applied.png 6.4 Lettering and texture effect.png

Step 7

Use paint to decorate your tombstone.

Once your Plaster of Paris and paint mix has dried thoroughly, you can decorate your tombstone to make it look spookier.

Mix a small amount of black and brown craft paint with water. Hold your paintbrush at the top of your tombstone and allow it the paint to run down the surface. Dab any excess paint with a paper towel. Leave streak marks for added effect.

Next, paint the inside of the letters with a darker colour to help them stand out. You can also paint over any cracks on your tombstone with a darker colour.

Finally, seal your tombstone with clear matt spray sealer. This will make it waterproof.

7.1 Applying weathering effect.png 7.2 Weathering effect applied.png

Materials

1200 x 600 x 50mm XPS insulation foam board
Craft paint
Clear matt spray sealer
Three chopsticks or skewers
Construction adhesive
Plaster of Paris
Cardboard.

Tools

Utility knife with snap-off blade
Rotary tool (for example, Dremel 3000 - 1/26 Corded Rotary Tool Kit)
Timber file (optional)
Paintbrush and tray
Pencil
Straight edge
Lettering stencils
Water sprayer.

Images

1.1 Marking out template.png 1.2 Cutting out template.png 2.1 Position template on foam.png 2.2 Transferring template onto foam.png 2.3 Flipped template.png 2.4 Cutting out foam.png 2.5 Trimming edges of foam.png 3.1 Lettering templates.png 3.2 Marking lettering guildlines.png 3.3 Transferring lettering.png 3.4 Carving out lettering.png 4.1 Distressing foam.png 4.2 Adding chips to edges.png 4.3 Cutting crack lines.png 5.1 Cutting base sections.png 5.2 Glueing base to tombstone.png 5.3 Tomstone glued to base.png 6.1 Mixing paint with plaster of Paris.png 6.2 Paint and plaster mix applied to tombstone.png 6.3 Textured effect applied.png 6.4 Lettering and texture effect.png 7.1 Applying weathering effect.png 7.2 Weathering effect applied.png