I decided to make my house a monster house for Halloween. I made these decorations so they can hold up the test of time and be used year after year. You can do this cheaper, but I doubt they will hold up a year or 2.

Supplies

Foam insulation board

Box cutter

1x2" wood

Foam adhesive

Gorilla adhesive

Foam Coat

Paint

Mastic, like you hang bathroom tile with

Sponge

Cup hooks

Pipe insulation

Step 1:

First cut your shapes with the box cutter in the foam. You can add a 3d effect by layering sheets for things like eye lids and gums. I used a foam adhesive to perm bond the layers of foam

Step 2: Sculpting Details

So I tried many things to sculpt out detail in the eyes and teeth to get dimension . I tried drywall mud, but it wont hold to weather.I also tried foam coat from the hot wire factory. It was ok but its pricey. It felt just like mastic used to hang tile. So I bought it in a 50 lb bag.Mixed it to thick frosting texture. You want to gob it on to start, then long as your hands are WET it wont stick to you and you can shape it. I found its easiest with a soaked sponge. One you get the basic shape, you cant wet sculpting tools for details. REMEMBER mastic is basically like concrete, thinner it is lighter itll be to hang, BUT thinner also means it can crack. If you thin it alot youll have to add a strength coat, see next step.

Step 3: Adding Support

I used strips of thin 1x2 lumber to add strength to the back of the foam. This also give you something to hang it by later. I attached it with gorrilla adhesive.I used styroplast to coat everything before painting. This can be a bit pricey but dries like a plastic coat to seal all parts together and keeps the foam from breaking over time. This is a 2 part mix, you must apply ASAP. I found it easiest to pour some on, and brush it to even it out. It took 4 quarts to do my 20ft of teeth and the eye. Optional, I have read you can apply 2 or 3 coats of outdoor clear glues an itll do as good for a cheaper price. I have not tired this.

Step 4: Painting Time

I used spray paints to get the base coats and colors. Do not spray paint bare foam it will melt. I then used brushed and acrylics for detail paints. The eye just paint stripes like a wagon wheel of 3 or 4 shades of a color, then do lines of darker shade. After adding the pupil draw a light color like firework/flower design around the eye. Add a couple of white highlights and bam it looks legit. Paint pens can help on this and are good to draw he viens. When dry coat it all in outdoor modgepodge to protect the paint

Step 5: Hanging It

I drilled cup hook in the support wood behind the sculptures. I put cup hooks on the walls to hang it by. This lets the teeth swat a bit it it comes a storm. Added pipe foam to protect the paint on the house. Then ran rope behind it all to not let the teeth swing too far back.

Step 6: Finish

There you have it a house ready to eat kids for Halloween. Decoration to last many years that can easily be put up and taken down without harming the house. Have a happy Halloween!