# Starched Cheesecloth Ghost - new member



## GhostBuilderMo (Sep 14, 2016)

I'm a new to this forum and prop building. I am in the process of finishing a chicken wire ghost covered with cheesecloth soaked in liquid starch. My question is will this hold up in wet weather or am I going to need to apply some kind of weatherproofing?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

You will probably want to weather-proof it. Natural starch (corn or wheat) can be removed by washing, so it will likely not hold up well to weather. Synthetic starch is more resistant.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

I think there is a product called "stiffy" that may work for you. A fabric store would carry it.

I have also heard of using a dilute solution of Elmers glue to stiffen fabric. One part glue to four or five parts water, and just spray it on the fabric.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

I use Stiffy and other fabric stiffeners for ghosts, it holds up okay to Florida humidity but I don't think it would survive rain, since it is water based. You might try thinning some polyeurathane with laquer thinner, and treating the cheese cloth with that. I know there is a product that makes cloth super hard and water resistent but it was expensive, and I can't remember the name. If you search for posts by me or krough that also have fabric you might be able to find the old posts with the name.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Another thing I know is if you want a good glow in UV light, soak in RIT or whitening detergent. Stiffy will not diminish the glow, but watered down glue will. I don't know how polyeurathane will affect the glow.


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## djgra79 (Oct 11, 2015)

Noob question: why starch? Isn't it better if the fabric isn't stiff and catches the breeze?


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Depends on what your doing. Sometimes you want nice flowing cloth, for example an FCG. Other times I like to have the cheese cloth stuck to a form, or held in certain positions, such as shown in http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=23749. Lots of other examples in my blog.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:I agree with heresjohnny, RIT is necessary to get your cheesecloth to glow and I use the Stiffy too. Just on the part that you want to hold form to.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Since we're starting to diverge from the original question, are there any other opinions as to whether GhostBuilder will need to weatherproof the prop?

Stolloween (master of papier mache) uses liquid starch in his mache recipe, and recommends using a sealant to protect the finished product. From his web site:

_SEALANTS. Finished and painted papier mache sculptures need to be sealed with some form of commercial product. Sealing your prop protects the paint job as well as the papier mache from moisture. Products made to protect wood such as urethanes, varnish and shellac work well to seal papier mache. Always read the manufactures directions and use caution when working sealants especially with regard to fumes or vapors._

http://www.stolloween.com/?page_id=209


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Found it, its called paverpol. Never used it, but people who have says it is waterproof.

http://www.paverpolusa.com/


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## spinwitch (Jun 14, 2009)

I think paverpol is usually used on smaller items--mainly because it's pretty expensive ($38/liter)

Starch may be preferable to flour paste for the stiffening--rats/mice/cockroaches love flour (yeeech). But they'll chew starch, too.


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