# Need help/advice building freestanding wall panels.



## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

Some of my haunt is going to be in my backyard. I was thinking of building a zig zag maze sturdy enough so people cant knock down. Obviously it will be out in my open backyard so i have no walls to attach them to like you would say in a garage or something.. How can i achieve this and make the walls sturdy and not staking it in my yard making a millions holes in my backyard? Any advice and what would be the cheapest route. (I don't wanna do black plastic hallways i want something sturdy in case someone freaks out)


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## SuperCreep31 (Nov 22, 2009)

The only thing I can think of is stakes... You might be able to use rebar stakes.. that would leave very small, unnoticeable holes after Halloween. Good luck!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I recommend reading this thread on making walls for a walkthru - lots of good advice:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=29609


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Using beams above the reach of your guests to fasten the walls to each other can give you the rigidity and strength your walls need without having to worry so much about stakes and such to "keep it together", I'd still put some stakes in at key points if you are in a windy area. In combination with the stakes the beams or rafters can give you a solid setup that can still be disassembled. I'd use bolts rather than nails to fasten the walls to the rafters or beams. It gives you a way to disassemble your setup and saves you the wasted hardware and the wear and tear on both you and your walls.


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

Absolutely use stakes to anchor it to the ground. If you have cement or turf tarps, that will be a problem. But if it's dirt or grass, extra holes actually help with irrigation, and it will ensure the bottoms of the panels don't slide out and tot's getting hurt.

You can also put 45 degree braces on the outside (the part tot's won't see) to help prop up the wall and provide stability.

Walls should support a 200 pound man jumping into it. Do this. Actually jump into your wall to ensure it will remain standing. If it breaks, flexes, or collapses, add more support. Best to test it now before a guest gets scared, leaps, and gets hurt in a pile of wall.

My haunt this year was on my front yard, which was all cement. The laboratory wall ran about 16 feet. I could not anchor it to the ground so I had to run overhead braces attached to the house, then 45 degree braces on the outside. It wasn't pretty, but we tested it by jumping against it - it held.


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

You got any pics of your walls?


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## Scarypumpkinpie (Feb 1, 2012)

When I need to design wall space for displays for my business, I use old doors. I can find them for free around here where people are remodeling, it depends on the availability of materials in your area. I can hinge them together so that they can be bent at angles while still being sturdy. You are doomed as far as using no stakes goes. You will have to have some sort of stakes to support your walls. Anything else will cause your walls to topple if pushed on. I would use Fontgeeks suggestion of beams across the top, and stakes at certain points to strengthen them. You can also use your beams running side to side across the top to hang some props from. Just measure your width you want for your walls to be apart and notch your beams out to fit snug over your walls. I should do a video on that LOL...


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

Ya i can build but im like a 5 year old pics or video would be better. I think im gonna do 2x2s and spray painted cardboard n 2x4s. Not sure ill prolly end up doing what u guys said


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

If stakes r needed il do it. Safety first


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

You can see my haunt walls 



. They are black on the outside, and white/green on the inside. I used 4'x8' plywood, reinforced the edges with 1x1's, then used steel hinges (2 per seam) to connect them.

There are also other videos of the inside of the laboratory which will show more detail of the walls. Feel free to browse through those too.

Another wall solution is *pallets*. I used about 200 in my backyard to make mazes, corridors, and tunnels. Putting 2 pallets together in a "T" shape is amazingly sturdy and heavy. For every 2 pallets of wall, I had 1 pallet on the outside for support. Just be careful stacking them 2-high - you'll need to slide vertical 2x4's inside for stability. I didn't stack them. The bottom was pallet, the top was raised 2x4's with black plastic, canopies, or tarps. I was so paranoid about someone getting snagged on splinters, I covered the entire lower section of pallet-wall with cardboard.


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

When we say stakes, we most likely mean *rebar*. It is longer and more durable than little plastic tent spikes. Hammer the rebar into the ground, then attach it to the wall with some metal brackets. I use a roll of metal plumbers tape, the metal strip that has a hole every 1/2 inch. Cut a few inchs off with scissors, bend it like a bracket, then use screws to secure the rebar to your wall. Be careful not to use long screws that will poke through the other side and create a hazard.


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## ladysherry (Jan 25, 2012)

I use pallets and black plastic for my backyard haunt. Pallets are free and I reuse the black plastic every year


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## stagehand1975 (Feb 22, 2010)

As mentioned above. You can make a 45 degree brace and attach it to the back of the wall. This is what is on a stage to hold up a set. As well as sand bags placed on the brace to help keep it from moving. With the back brace and overhead ties to other wall panels. Also USE SCREWS. Provided the heads dont get burried and stripped, it makes it easier to take apart for reuse. And I also recomend bolting walls side by side when needed


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## Scarypumpkinpie (Feb 1, 2012)

Why are you in my laboratory? ...There are zombies everywhere! LOL, love it!


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