How to Make Styrofoam Gravestones

A grave yard decor for Halloween never goes out of style. It's classic, eerie, it lets our imaginations run wild and it can be surprisingly inexpensive and easy to create. With some Styrofoam, paint and a few household items you can make some great looking gravestones on the cheap. These Styrofoam gravestones will get you started in making the graveyard of your nightmares.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Styrofoam
• Serrated knife
• Paper
• Pencil
• Marker
• Ruler
• Plate
• Sand paper
• Paint
• Paint brushes
• Craft knife
• Wood chisel
• Thin wooden dowels or stakes

1. Collect some sheets of Styrofoam. You can save pieces throughout the year, but if you don't have any in the house you can purchase rectangular and square sheets at craft stores and packing stores. Purchase thick sheets, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches at least, for sturdiness. How big a sheet you need will depend on the size of the gravestones you want to make, but a good size to start with is approximately 18 inches wide by 24 inches high.

2. Get a large sheet of scrap paper and use a ruler to trace the shape of the gravestone you want. A simple stone can be rectangular, or you can round the top edges. Trace a rectangle on your paper and use a plate to round the sides. If you want to get fancy, you can make it in the shape of a cross, or a make a partially broken gravestone.

3. Cut out your paper template when you are satisfied with the shape and lay it on your Styrofoam. Trace the shape onto the Styrofoam with a marker. Cut the Styrofoam to shape with a sharp serrated edge knife.

4. Sand the edges with a piece of medium grain sand paper until they are smooth if your Styrofoam is crumbly and the edges are rough.

5. Write letters or messages on your gravestones with a magic marker. Use a ruler to ensure they are straight. Don't worry about drawing guide lines; they will be covered up by the paint. If you want to make your letters perfect, you can use a letter template. You can also make images if you like, but keep them large and not too detailed or they may be hard to recognize on the finished product.

6. Carve or press your letters into the Styrofoam. If the Styrofoam was very crumbly when you cut it and small round bits and chunks fell out, you are better off just pressing the letters into the foam with a wood chisel. Just push them in 1/4 inch or so to make an impression. If your Styrofoam cuts smoothly, you can carve the letters out with craft knife. Lay the craft knife on a 45 degree angle and push it in about 1/8 of an inch and run it down along the guideline. Angle the blade again in the opposite direction and trace along the line again. A little wedge will pop out, leaving the letter impression.

7. Paint the gravestone with a gray latex paint. Do not use spray paint or oil paint, as the Styrofoam won't take it well. Paint several coats. Allow them to dry.

8. Mix some remaining gray paint with a little bit of black craft paint. Use a small craft brush to paint the darker color inside the letters, and make any shadowing around the edges or cracks you might wish to make. Don't overdo the shadowing-- a little goes a long way. If you're not happy with the way it is coming out, you can just repaint it the original gray color and start again. If you really want to make it look spectacular, get a granite or marble paint treatment from a craft or home improvement store. These are a little more expensive but give a very realistic stone look.

9. Carefully push one or two thin wooden dowels or plant stakes into the bottom of the Styrofoam. Leave them sticking out a good 6 to 9 inches. These will enable you to push them into the ground.