# foam tombstones and monuments



## Sblanck (Sep 13, 2007)

Been looking around at some haunts and their awesome foam tombstones and monuments. One thing I have to know is how do you protect the foam from nucks, cuts scrapes and so forth? Here in the warm Texas climate I think 3/4" and 1" is the thickest available without special order. I would love to do more with foam but need to know who to make them stay nice looking in between seasons.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

Well, if you have 1 inch foam, glue it together to make 2 inch. That will help with the stability off the start. Some use gripper paint, some use foam adhesive in a caulk tube, shoot even spray foam in between and press them together. A 2 inch stone will make life much easier. 

For protecting them, I don't know that you really can. They do make expensive paints to coat things in. You could also use monster mud if you wanted. I just paint them the way I like it, and treat them nicely. With rebar stakes holding them inside of pvc sleeves, they stay put pretty well and hold up fine. 

I am sure there are other options out there someone will have.


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## Radford (Aug 7, 2012)

I have had several made out of polystyrene for over 7 years in the heat of central Florida. A few knicks , scratches or cracks just adds some character. If you insist you can always touch up the paint every couple years. Mine are stored in an outside shed (no climate control) and seem to do just fine. I made my first ones using 1/2 Dow board this year , will see how they hold up againts my others. All of them are displayed from the end of September til the first of November. Foam is pretty durable.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

You'll have to seal them if you use drywall mud. Polyurethane can be used a sealer. 
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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

As far as treating the foam, I've tried all kinds of things with no real success. The one thing I have done is give the foam several coats of paint in layers, and this usually protects somewhat from major nicks and gouges, but for the most part, if they get banged on or abused regularly, they're going to get damaged. Most of my tombstones and statuary, are nicked up pretty good, but as was stated earlier, this just gives them much more character. I have somewhere in the vicinity of 120 stones, and I still own my very first stone made about 12 years ago, so they are pretty durable. That's good to know FE, I'll have to try sealing some with polyurethane.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

I am afraid that nicks and such are part of the game and the best you can do, short of putting up a storage building, is to make the best of it and call it "aging " or "texturing". I am sure we all do some touch up painting to the stones we make or repair broken ones. Radford is right, foam is pretty durable stuff short of physical violence. I live in Michigan an have left mine out in the yard all winter long ( they looked so peaceful out there in the snow ). Half buried in snow and standing up to the wind and ice. 
And your right, the farther north you go the thicker the foam you can get. And I would think that making thicker material by layering it would make for very strong foam board, kinda like making foam plywood. The are any number of way to glue them together too. Liquid nail (the kind for foam board), gorilla glue, gripper paint, and I use Great Stuff foam insulation spray. 
For the GS, just a small amount works well. A "S" shape, or dots. The GS expands so you need to pin it together. I use bamboo squres (sp) that I got at the dollar store in packs of 50 and and "toe nail" them in. You can pull them back out or leave them in after if cures.
But if you really cared you would put up a metal, climate controled, storage building sparing no expense.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

The only real way to save them from nicks, bumps, and scratches is to treat them with kid gloves, and keep them out of reach of guests, though you will still end up with some idiots who want to throw stuff at props, and shy of sitting out there with your twelve gauge, there isn't much you can do about those people.
Just because others make their "stones" from foam doesn't mean you have to. If plywood would work better for you, then use it. It can be painted up to look like stone just like the foam versions. You may find that a hybrid of plywood and foam does best for you. A plywood face or backing with the other side done in foam, all filled in and sealed up, it will look like any other stone, but with the added strenght of the plywood.


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

I find my tombstones hold up pretty well. I use the blue or pink foam boards which is stronger than the white bead board material and they will also have about 3 coats of paint by the time I'm done which further protects them. If I do get any dents, nicks or gouges or even pieces broken off I just dab on some grey paint to touch it up and don't worry about it. I like my tombstones to look old and weathered and don't mind too much if they get some minor damage.


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## sakko303 (Sep 6, 2012)

The completely unrealistic side of me once thought (while I was thinking of starting on my own stone creations) why don't I just use concrete? haha... can you imagine? I'd need a bobcat to move them.


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## Sblanck (Sep 13, 2007)

I was looking at Davis Graveyards stuff and its amazing!! 
As for concrete, yes I have done concrete head stones. They were about 2 inches thick with welded wire mesh for reinforcement, had two 18 inch rebar stick out of the bottom to hold them up. Weighed around 50lbs each. They were 2 foot tall by 1 foot wide. No name markers on them. Just plain concrete. I guess if they got a light misting of green moss they would look good. I think a bag of mix would make 2 or 3 stones. Oh and no one stole them. Try running with 50lbs under your arms.


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Here is a thought, never tested it so Its only speculation...

Not long ago I build some wooden displays for my wife's jewelry business. 1/4" ply board, and textured up with spray on ceiling texture. They looked good, except that it took nothing for the texture to scratch off. So, I coated them with a layer of Smooth-on 300 resin. Now I can vigorously claw it with my fingernails, and I can't scratch the paint off! lol 

As I said I haven't tried it yet, but I image that this could be done to foam gravestones, and basically 'plastic-ise" the outside of it.


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## debbietrs (Oct 9, 2012)

I think you live near Fort Worth Texas and there is a company who will cut 4x8 sheets of Styrofoam what ever thickness you like with no min sheets. I use the 4 inch thick and it is real reasonably priced. I also use the polyurethane on some of my stones last year and they held up much better than the ones that were not painted with polyurethane. This year all of them received a coat of the polyurethane. The company is http://starrfoam.com/


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

My stones get knicked up a bit each year just moving them around and taking them in and out of storage. It's an occupational hazard. I agree with those who said a few knicks add a bit of character and can be easily touched up. I figure that when I make them I take saws, sand paper, files, and razors to them. A couple of accidental dings won't even be noticed.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

What is Smooth-on 300 resin usually used for?? A masonry sealer or somthing??


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

debbie5 said:


> What is Smooth-on 300 resin usually used for?? A masonry sealer or somthing??


It is a two part liquid plastic. It is normally used for casting, but I'm finding new uses for it all the time. It can be colored before casting, and it can be painted, sanded, and machined after it cures.

http://www.smooth-on.com/Urethane-Plastic-a/c5_1120_1209/index.html


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