Introduction: Haunted House Display 2020
I love creating a new lego haunted house every Halloween. The fun part of this project is that you don’t need specific parts. As long as you have bricks, plates, and slopes, you can create your own haunted house. Any additional parts may be used for decorations along with a cemetery and landscape. Lego power functions add movement to your creation and lights may provide an eerie feel to your creation. Finally, the use of an Arduino can provide random movement and lights to make your creation even scarier. I hope that my house inspires you to create your own.
Supplies
Arduino Parts
330 ohm Resistor
9-volt Battery
Arduino Nano
Breadboard
Infrared Transmitter
House Parts
Bricks
Bricks, Modified 1x2 log
Bricks, Modified with Stud on One Front Side
Bricks, Round 1x1
Doors
Fences
Plates
Plates, Modified 1x1 with Clip Light - Thick Ring
Plates, Modified 1x2 with 1 Stud (Jumpers)
Plates, Modified with Rails (for roof)
Slopes for Roof
Technic Bricks or Bricks (battery compartment)
Tiles
Windows
Lego Power Functions
Batteries (2)
Light Sets (4)
Motors, Medium (3)
Receivers, Infrared (2)
Landscape/Cemetery
Appendage Bladed with Pin (Plant Limb)
Arches
Bars
Bricks
Bricks, Modified with Stud on One Front Side
Bricks, Round
Bushes
Container, Coffin Base
Fences
Flowers
Leaves
Plates
Plates, Round
Plates, Round (Opening)
Slopes
Slopes, Curved
Tiles
Vines
Decorative Elements
Animals - bats, cats, rats, spiders, spider web
Bars 1L with Clip Mechanical Claw
Bars 1L with 1x1 Round Plate with Hollow Stud
Bionicles
Bones, Long
Bones, Short
Bricks
Bricks, Modified 1x2 Groove
Bricks, Modified with Stud on One Front Side
Bricks, Round
Bricks, Technic
Chains
Chairs
Cones
Container, Barrel Half Large with Axle
Dragon Wings
Ice Cream Cones
Ice Cream Scoops
Ladder
Levers, Small Base
Minifigures
Removable Heads and Arms
Arm Mechanical Exo-Force
Arm Mechanics. Straight with Clips
Head (Clear with Hollow Stud)
Utensil Telescope
Weapon Lightsaber Hilt Straight
Plates
Plates, Round
Poles
Slopes
Tiles
Tiles, Round 1x1 with Bar and Pin Holder
Wedge, Plate
Wings 1x4 with Pin Hole
Step 1: Haunted House Basement
This year my house has a basement, first floor, second floor, and attic. An elevator connects each floor and, for those interested in adding lights and movement, the elevator shaft is used to hide the wires and motors. In Step 1 we examine the basement, Step 2 the first floor, Step 3 the second floor, and Step 4 the attic.
The basement has three rooms (see Photo 1):
A laboratory with an exposed floor for waste (see Photo 1 - left side).
A work room (see Photo 1 - left side of elevator).
A guillotine room (see Photo 1 - right side of elevator).
The laboratory (see Photo 2) contains an examination table with a chain attached and a supply table with materials for examination.
The work room (see Photos 3 and 4) contains a cooking station for removing flesh from bones.
The guillotine room (see Photos 5 and 6) contains z guillotine and a bucket for collecting the head.
The trans-red round plates represent blood and the silver wings are weapons for use as needed.
If you plan to use a motor, position it in elevator (see Photo 7) and connect it to a technic brick for stability. Depending on how you use the motor (see Step 6 for my usage), you may need additional gears. I simply connected a bar to the motor and a simple stirring mechanism (see Photo 3).
If you plan. to use lights (I used one set for each floor), this is a good time to position their placement (see photo 8).
Step 2: Haunted House First Floor
The first floor of the haunted house is built on the basement's ceiling (over the work room and guillotine room). A first floor side balcony is built over the basement lab and a front balcony is established (see Photo 1).
The rest of the basement roof/first level floor are built using plates (see Photo 2). Be sure to leave an opening in the elevator shaft for the motor and light wires.
Use bricks, windows, and doors to build up the walls of the first floor (see Photo 3). Modified bricks (with one front stud) may be used so that tiles (window shutters) may be attached (see Photo 4). Add the first floor ceiling (see Photo 5) which also serves as the floor for the second level.
The front balcony (see Photo 6) is built on bricks with a plate as the floor. Supports are added for the roof and stairs at added for access to the first floor (see Photo 7). Jumper plates (see Photo 7) may be added in order to center the gold posts (see Photo 8). Be sure to close in the sides of the balcony (see Photo 9).
The side balcony (see Photo 10) is enclosed using windows.
On the other side of the house a large containment structure is built to house two lego batteries (see Photos 11 and 12).
If you are planning movement and lights on this floor you should add them now. A fun motor activity for the first floor is having the front door open and close on its own (see Step 6). For now you should add the motor and attachments (see Photos 13, 14, 15, 16).
The lights (see Photos 17, 18, 19, and 20) are positioned similar to the basement (one for each room). The room on the left side of the house is a living room with an organ and chair (see Photos 17 and 18). The room on the right side of the house is the dining room with a dining room table and serving table).
Step 3: Haunted House Second Floor
The second floor of the haunted house is built on the first level's ceiling (see Photo 1). Build up the walls using bricks and windows along with modified bricks with one front stud and tiles (as shutters). The second floor also has a balcony enclosed by fencing (see Photo 2). Some of the walls contain masonry bricks to give the impression of peeling paint (see Photo 3).
The elevator (see Photo 2) is built in the middle of the floor (as an extension of the shaft from the basement and first floor). The Lego Infrared Receivers (for motion and lights) are built into one side of the elevator shaft on the second level (see Photo 4). The motor (for motion) for the second floor contains connections for motion in each room (see Photos 5 and 6). The lights are position similar to the basement and first floor with one light in each room.
The wires from the basement, first floor, and second floor are pulled (see Photos 7 and 8) and connected to the infrared receivers. The infrared receivers are connected to the batteries (see Photo 9 for threading wires through the elevator shaft wall).
The room on the left side of the house on the second floor is a sitting room with a fireplace and chair. The size of the fireplace and position of the chair hide the wires traveling from the Infrared Receivers to the Batteries (see Photo 10). The room on the right side of the house on the second floor is the bedroom (see Photos 11 and 12). The bed has a pin/axle connector (see Photos 13 and 14) for connection to the motor which shakes the bed.
Step 4: Haunted House Attic
The attic of the haunted house is an extension of the elevator shaft (see Photo 1). Build up the walls using bricks and windows (see Photo 2) along with modified masonry bricks (for aged look). Add a window (or ghost) to the front (see Photo 3) of the attic.
Position lights (one in the front and one near the back) for the attic. Run the wires down (see Photo 4) through the elevator shaft to the second floor for connection to the Lego Infrared Receiver.
Use slopes to complete the roof for the attic.
Step 5: Landscape, Cemetery, and Other Outdoor Features
Now, the real fun begins. Add your own creative ideas to create a landscape, cemetery and other outdoor features. Here are some ideas from my haunted house.
I set the haunted house back on the baseplate to allow for maximum space in the front (see Photo 1). On the left side is the landscape and on the right side is the cemetery (see Photo 2). The landscape (see Photo 3) includes trees, fallen trees, trees with "eyes", bushes. tall grass, and vines. The cemetery (see Photo 4) includes graves, an escaping body from one grave, a casket with body parts, and a giant spider with a spider.
This is also the time to put the final touches on the house. In the front I have added rats, cats, bats, and spiders. Around the back (see Photo 5) I have added rats. cats, bats, spiders, escape ladder, and giant bat people.
Step 6: Action and Lighting
In previous steps we have positioned lights and motors with attachments for movement. We connected each motor (and light on the same floor) to the infrared receivers:
Basement: Channel 2 Blue
First Floor: Channel 2 Red
Second Floor: Channel 1 Blue
Attic Lights: Channel 1 Red
*You can connect all lights to Channel 1 Red then one switch turns on all the lights (see Photo 1). I preferred to attach each light with the area that was moving.
The infrared receivers were each connected to a battery (see Photo 2).
The motion in the basement is a stirring of the pot to remove flesh from the bones (see Video 1).
The motion on the first floor is the opening/closing of the front door (see Photo 3 and Video 2).
The motion on the second floor is the shaking of the bed (see Video 3).
You can by-pass the infrared receivers and connect the lights and motor directly to the batteries and simply turn the batteries on.
Using the infrared receivers, you need to control the turning on/off using a Lego Infrared Controller. Or, better yet, use an Arduino to randomly control the lights and movement (see Step 7).
Step 7: Arduino Control
Set up your Arduino by connecting it to the breadboard (see Photo 1). Then, insert a 330 ohm resistor connecting an open row to row D12. Finally, connect the infrared transmitter between the ground and the open row (see Photo 1). Connect the 9 volt battery to the ground and VIN rows.
** For a detailed explanation of using Arduino with Lego Power Functions, check out my How to Move Lego Motors Autonomously Using Arduino.
Here is some code to try with your haunted house (of course this will need to be altered depending upon your use of motors and lights):
//Start
#include<legopowerfunctions.h>
LEGOPowerFunctions lego(12); //transmitter connection
void setup() {
}
void loop() {
delay(1000);
//Basement
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD1, BLUE, CH2); //basement lights on, motor clockwise
delay(125);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV1, BLUE, CH2); //basement lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(125);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD1, BLUE, CH2); //basement lights on, motor clockwise
delay(125);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV1, BLUE, CH2); //basement lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(125);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD1, BLUE, CH2); //basement lights on, motor clockwise
delay(125);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV1, BLUE, CH2); //basement lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(125);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_BRK, BLUE, CH2);
delay(1000);
//First Floor
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD1, RED, CH2); //first floor lights on, motor clockwise
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV1, RED, CH2); //first floor lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD1, RED, CH2); //first floor lights on, motor clockwise
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV1, RED, CH2); //first floor lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD1, RED, CH2); //first floor lights on, motor clockwise
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV1, RED, CH2); //first floor lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD1, RED, CH2); //first floor lights on, motor clockwise
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV1, RED, CH2); //first floor lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_BRK, RED, CH2);
delay(1000);
//Attic
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD3, RED, CH1); //attic lights on
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0,PWM_REV3, RED, CH1); //attic lights off
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD3, RED, CH1); //attic lights on
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0,PWM_REV3, RED, CH1); //attic lights off
delay(500);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_BRK, RED, CH1);
delay(1000);
//Third Floor
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD3, BLUE, CH1); //3rd floor lights on, motor clockwise
delay(250);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV3, BLUE, CH1); //3rd floor lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(250);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD3, BLUE, CH1); //3rd floor lights on, motor clockwise
delay(250);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV3, BLUE, CH1); //3rd floor lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(250);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_FWD3, BLUE, CH1); //3rd floor lights on, motor clockwise
delay(250);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_REV3, BLUE, CH1); //3rd floor lights off, motor counter-clockwise
delay(250);
lego.SingleOutput(0, PWM_BRK, BLUE, CH1);
delay(250);
}
//stop
Finally, lets take a look at some final photos of my 2020 Haunted House (see Photo 2, 3, and 4).