# Foam door????????



## SoCal Scare (Aug 3, 2007)

Alright as I was sitting here thinking about this years haunt season and watching some low budget horror flick I thought about my front door. Sound weird, well I guess it could be but realy what I am thinking about doing is making a false door out of foam (if i can find some in So. Cal) The door would appear to have been smashed through by some not so nice monster who didn't want to use the door knob. I would then set a whole seen just inside the house to make it apear that said monster went on a rampage and tore the place up including the unsuspecting victim who lived there. Doing this would allow me to watch the kids coming up the drive and to control any manualy controled props from inside. What do you guys think? It would allow me to expand my haunt to inside the house without actually having to let anybody inside. Now if I can just find some decent foam sheets Ill be set .


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Considering the cost of foam boarding, you may want to check out the cost of a used door at a salvage yard. Over all the idea sounds good.


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## SoCal Scare (Aug 3, 2007)

Point taken Bone Dancer I will definately have to look around for possibly cheaper methods.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

I like the idea as well.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

(Sickie jumps on board the band wagon) Me too!


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## dacostasr (Oct 22, 2006)

Wished you lived in New York...I've got three OLD OLD doors I'm taking to the dump soon 

I like your idea though.

Later
Dennis


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## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

If you were to bulid a frame from 2x4's,then cover it with cardboard or foamcore, 2 to 3 layers for depth and detail,paint hinges,a old door knob, in the dark I believe it would pass as a door.If you did want the "busted " look,A few old boards scattered around would help foster the illusion.I did something like this for a store window display years ago,showing Halloween costumes.


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## Beepem (Jul 17, 2006)

I agree with everyone. a rectangular frame covered with strips of foam meant to look like old wooden boards would look really cool....kinda like the boarded up window thing except they would all be vertical.

I dont really know how to say what I mean, I hope you understood what I said


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## SoCal Scare (Aug 3, 2007)

The thing that would make it very easy for me to build this prop is the way my front door is set on the house and the frame. I think I may be able to do it using strips of foam or like material or possibly even just plywood as the door w/ some 1x1 lumber to give it thickness I could then just use old pallet boards or something similar for the broken board effect. I will be going to lowes soon so ill have to definately price out materials. thanks to all who have posted and look forward to anymore input or ideas anyone can give.


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## Beepem (Jul 17, 2006)

Oh something to consider I think should be how thick the foam you use is. I think the 1/2" would work if you make a wooden frame strong enough. It would be really really cheap that way too. That might be too hard to work with though, 3/4" may be better. Good Luck!


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## jodi (May 31, 2007)

sounds like a GREAT idea! foam board is expensive, but I bet it's still cheaper than a real door.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Hollow core doors cost roughly $20.


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## Beepem (Jul 17, 2006)

Sickie Ickie said:


> Hollow core doors cost roughly $20.


would that be realistic for cutting out a shape in? I don't really know anything about them besides they're hollow


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## NecroBones (Feb 10, 2006)

This is a really great idea.

A hollow-core door might be cheap, but how easy will it be to get the effect you want? 

Some things to keep in mind, aside from cost, is how durable and re-usable you want it to be, whether you want a splintered-wood look for it, how safe it will be (any sharp edges?), how it's going to be mounted/hung, etc.

I like foamboard from the standpoint of how easy it is to shape it, and it's safe.. no points that are sharp enough and strong enough for kids to impale themselves.


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## Beepem (Jul 17, 2006)

necrobones puts up a good point with nothing having sharp edges, I think foam is the better choice


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Have you thought about going the other way with upholstry foam?


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## Beepem (Jul 17, 2006)

thats an intersting point, I've never used it sickie but could you give it a faux wood finish?


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## 1031fan (Feb 6, 2007)

are you going for a realistic door like you would have on your house? or more of a haunted house type door - if your going for a door that it looks like it would belong on your house you should just model it after your existing door - also that would work well cause then the people that know ur house and have seen it before would be like holy ****!!! this guys door just got jacked up for real!! 

real doors - well at least the cheaply made ones - are basically 2 sheets of luan over a 2x3 or 2x4 turned on its flat side - so overall is about 1 3/4 inches in thickness - and are hollow inside where the braces arent - so if a monster thearetically smashed through this door it would be a wreck - busted wood everywhere in shards - not the typical clapboard shack look of busted wood that you can get with the foam - and you would see that its hollow not solid that youd get with the foam

i guess what im saying is if this was my project id make a door like i described - the 2 sheets of luan - detail it however your rel door would look - get some plexi to put where the window would be - quarter round molding or whatever - make it look alll pretty and nice just like a real door then take a sledge hammer to it - not only will you feel like the most badass person for a whole 5 minutes, but youll have a realistic busted in door - take a sander and get rid of any of the really sharp splintery material so no tot get hurt - - - 

for the effect - you could even have torn pieces of clothing stuck on the hole - bits of blood - skin - even get an old carpet and put it on your door step and make it look like the monster drug out a victim - but be careful - dont just splatter the blood - use it effectively - actually take and objuect or even ur hand and drap it across so you get smears - lots of time people just splatter blood without thinking how it got there or by what means - thats the difference in good gore thats realistic - and the kind of gore that just makes people think that blood isn't necesarry - small amounts of blood appplied correctly are much more effective than a gallon just splattered hap hazzardly

well anyway - thats just my o.o2 - if you want a really realistic door that looks like ur house got broken into then id use real materials - its prolly cheaper that way anyway - riley


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## SoCal Scare (Aug 3, 2007)

I have definitely gotten alot a great ideas for this little project. I really like 1031 fans idea of actually making the door out of Luann and wood but my biggest problem is that my neighborhood is like 90% kids under 10 so I really need to take the littlest tots into mind. I think foam will be the best medium for this year and if it all goes well I will have to progress the intensity with the ages of the kids. Sickie Ickie you said possibly try upholstery foam have you ever made any props out of it before. I know it is very soft and has an open foam design so painting it seems like it may be a difficult task????? I could definitely make a frame and support out of 1x2s and cut it up real good for the break. I could use regular foam board and go about it the same way as 1031 said and detail it & paint it just like the real door with no problem, then just cut alot of jagged edges and breaks into it w/ a soldering iron. With some dark flickering lighting I think it could be relatively convincing.


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## Wildomar (Aug 30, 2006)

SoCal Scare,

As my name illustrates, we are neigbors so I can speak with some degree of accuracy. You can go to our local HD or Lowes and buy the white foam board. This is the EPS foam board and is very easy to work with. In fact, given the relative low-cost of the white stuff, it is in my opinion the best way to go for ease and cost. I have been using the stuff for virtually everything these days and I seem to get lots of accolades for my effort. If you still have more questions on using the white stuff, you can stop by my house and see what I have done to date with it. Good Luck.


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## SoCal Scare (Aug 3, 2007)

Wildomar, would love to come by and see what you have done with the white foam board. I lived in Wildomar for 4 years prior to moving to Murrieta in april of last year. Our house backed up to the field that is off Baxter Rd & Central Ave. Thanks for the invite I will definately take you up on it (the sooner the better). The cost of the White board is definately a plus for many projects.


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## Wildomar (Aug 30, 2006)

SoCal Scare said:


> Wildomar, would love to come by and see what you have done with the white foam board. I lived in Wildomar for 4 years prior to moving to Murrieta in april of last year. Our house backed up to the field that is off Baxter Rd & Central Ave. Thanks for the invite I will definately take you up on it (the sooner the better). The cost of the White board is definately a plus for many projects.


We really were neighbors! Check your email.:jol:


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