Halloween Universe
DIY PropsIntermediate

DIY Broken Tombstone Prop for #halloween

by VanOaksProps

Embedded from YouTube. This video belongs to its creator; Halloween Universe indexes it as a discovery resource.View original ↗

Difficulty
Intermediate
Est. cost
$10–$30
Length
10:14
Views
20,336
Published
Oct 2023

What this video covers

VanOaks Props walks through building a realistic broken tombstone prop inspired by a real-life stabilized cracked gravestone. The design features simulated metal repair bands and tabs that give the piece a uniquely aged and structurally distressed look — a standout detail for any cemetery display. XPS foam is carved, textured, coated in mortar mix, and painted to achieve a convincing weathered stone finish.

Key takeaways

  • Inspired by a real broken tombstone reinforced with metal bands, giving the prop an authentic, story-driven look
  • XPS foam is the core material, shaped with a rotary tool and custom carving attachment
  • Mortar mix coating adds realistic stone texture and durability
  • Multi-layer painting with grey, brown, and black achieves a weathered, aged effect
  • Bamboo skewers and Gorilla Glue provide internal structure and bonding strength

Who this is for

Halloween decorators and prop builders who want to add a distinctive, character-rich tombstone to their yard or home cemetery display.

Tools mentioned

  • rotary tool
  • rasp
  • VanOaks Props tombstone carving attachment

Materials mentioned

  • 2" XPS insulation foam
  • Flexbond mortar mix
  • White Gorilla Glue
  • bamboo skewers
  • grey exterior latex paint
  • dark brown craft paint
  • black craft paint

⚠ Safety notes

Use appropriate respiratory protection when carving XPS foam to avoid inhaling fine particles. Work in a well-ventilated area.

Explore related

More like this

REAL CatNap Animatronic! #catnap #poppyplaytime #shorts
1:00
DIY Animatronics

REAL CatNap Animatronic! #catnap #poppyplaytime #shorts

Wicked Makers' Jaimie and Jay build a fully functioning CatNap animatronic from scratch, bringing the popular Poppy Playtime horror-game character to life. The short-form video showcases the impressive finished result of their fabrication work. It's a quick but striking look at what dedicated prop builders can achieve with recognizable pop-culture source material.

Wicked Makers· 27,120,823 views
Real YARNABY Animatronic! 🧶😱 #poppyplaytime
1:02
DIY AnimatronicsAdvanced

Real YARNABY Animatronic! 🧶😱 #poppyplaytime

Wicked Makers' Jay and Jaimie construct a full animatronic version of Yarnaby from the horror game Poppy Playtime, built from steel and driven by pneumatics. The build goes beyond aesthetics — the team stress-tests the animatronic's jaw mechanism using a ballistic gel arm to see whether it could realistically bite through a limb. The video blends behind-the-scenes fabrication footage with chaotic prop-testing in classic Wicked Makers style. It sits alongside their broader catalog of mascot-horror animatronics inspired by FNAF, Poppy Playtime, and similar franchises.

Wicked Makers· 15,878,248 views
Make Halloween Store Skeletons Way Better! 💀 #shorts
0:53
DIY PropsBeginner

Make Halloween Store Skeletons Way Better! 💀 #shorts

Wicked Makers' Jay and Jaimie demonstrate how to transform a basic store-bought Halloween skeleton into a far more impressive and creepy display piece. The short teases a full-length tutorial focused on giving the skeleton a pirate or drunken drinking character. The upgrade elevates a generic prop into a themed centerpiece without starting from scratch.

Wicked Makers· 14,756,391 views

Ratings & reviews

No ratings yet — be the first to say whether this one delivered.

Sign in to rate this video and tell others if it helped.