How To Build Your Own Halloween Graveyard

Ranked #121 in Holidays & Celebrations, #2,713 overall

DIY Halloween Tombstones

Here you'll learn how to build your own tombstones to transform your yard into a spooky Halloween graveyard.

Sure, you can go to Target, Wal-Mart or some other store and buy tombstones, but then your graveyard will look like everyone else's in the neighborhood.

The store bought gravestones usually have just a basic "R.I.P." or "Happy Halloween" on them.  I like more realistic tombstones with funny or scary epitaphs and also enjoy decorating the house for Halloween, so a few years ago I decided to build my own graveyard.

Countdown to Halloween

Halloween: October 31, 2012

Choose A Material

I built my tombstones using two materials: plywood and styrofoam.

Styrofoam is good because you can buy it in larger thicknesses (2" or more) at your local crafts store and it's already textured so it looks more like a grave stone from the start. Sheets of styrofoam insulation from a building supply store can also be used. Styrofoam can be tricky to do the lettering on, is more fragile and thicker pieces get expensive.

Plywood is easy to work with, durable and you may already have scrap pieces buried in your garage. A standard 4'x8' sheet will be enough for about 6-10 tombstones depending on their size and shape.

There are other materials you can use (stone, resins, etc) but I don't have any experience using those so I'll focus on plywood and styrofoam.

Choose A Design & Epitaph

Tombstones come in many shapes and sizes. You can look at the sample pics below to get some ideas. Start with a basic and simple design such as the one pictured here. It's simply a rectangle with the top corners rounded off.

Next, select the epitaph or saying you want on the stone. You can get ideas for this from websites, sayings you've seen elsewhere, Disney World or your own morbid creativity.

Where To Find Epitaphs

There are many sites on the web with listings of epitaphs. Most of them are redundant. These two will give you a pretty complete listing of what's out there.
Funny Stones To Tickle Your Funny Bones
A good long list of epitaphs, many that I haven't seen on other sites before.
Eerie Epitaphs
A good collection of different epitaphs and funny tombstone names.

Build The Tombstone

1. Determine the size of your tombstone. 18"w x 24-30"h is a good size for a basic stone. Make sure there is enough room to write the epitaph.

2. Trace out the design of the tombstone on your plywood or styrofoam. A French curve or cans of various sizes are good tools to help with drawing curves.

3. Cut out the stone. A jig saw works well for plywood. You can use a keyhole (drywall) saw or large utility knife for styrofoam.

4. Paint the stone. For plywood, start with a base coat of grey or off-white. Next, apply a coat of stone texture spray paint to give it a weathered appearance. For styrofoam, you can just use the stone texture paint.

5. After the paint has dried, paint the epitaph and any other design elements (skull, scrollwork, etc) on to the stone with a small brush and black paint. For styrofoam stones, it helps to press the letters into the foam first before painting them.

6. The last step is to attach mounting stakes to the back and place the stone in your yard. Use whatever you have available to keep your tombstones in place. For styrofoam stones, plant stakes pushed into the bottom work well. For plywood stones, you can screw shelf brackets into the back then use tent stakes to secure them into the ground.

Handy Tools For The Project

These tools will help you make your own gravestones.
Loading

Graveyard Accents

Tips to add a creepy atmosphere to your graveyard...

  • Don't mow the grass for a couple weeks to give it a neglected look.
  • Spread fallen leaves around.
  • Leave dead flowers on some of the graves.
  • Place fake bones, hands and skulls around the graveyard.
  • Dress the family up in ghoulish graveyard costumes to scare and entertain visitors.
  • Position lanterns or electric candles in front of graves.
  • Make a "Danger" or "keep out" sign from a scrap piece of wood. Use a jig saw to cut jagged edges on the ends for a broken look.
  • Use a fog machine or dry ice to cloak your graveyard in a blanket of fog.
  • Hang moss on your grave stones and other props.

Skulls For Your Graveyard

Discovering a skull near one of your graves will give someone a treat.
Loading

Halloween Graveyard Tips and Ideas

Graveyard Ghoul Costumes
A selection of quality graveyard themed costumes to help ensure that anyone visiting your Halloween graveyard is thoroughly scared.
Halloween Graveyard Props
Other props and decorations to create your own haunted Halloween cemetery.

Other Props For Your Graveyard

To give it a spooky, haunted feel

Loading

Tombstones From Disney's Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion at Disney World has always been one of my favorite attractions there. Its graveyard with the funny tombstones was the inspiration for making my own.

Guardian of the Grave

Animated Graveyard Prop

Guardian of the GraveThis tombstone comes with an eerie ghoul with glowing red eyes that rises up to scare all who pass. The ghoul is activated by a timer or loud sounds. Battery powered.

Store Bought Gravestones

In case you don't have time to build your own tombstones, here are some other options.
Loading

After Halloween Sales

Prepare for next year by hitting the stores right after Halloween. Most retailers discount their Halloween merchandise by 30-75%.


Halloween Decor & Props

Watch How A Tombstone Is Made

A good video showing how to make gravestones from styrofoam insulation.
How-To make Tombstones for Halloween
by bigscreamtv | video info

1,132 ratings | 746,205 views
curated content from YouTube

Real Tombstones & Graveyards

Inspiration for your own tombstones

Find ideas for your own tombstone designs from these pictures of real graveyards.

Want to learn more about Graveyards?

Cemeteries everywhere are rich in history, art and interesting stories. Take some time to explore and appreciate them. Here are a few books to get you started...you might find inspiration for your own homemade graveyard.
Loading

Some Homemade Halloween Graveyards

Photo# 706 - Halloween 2006 by Tammra McCauley
Haunted House by mikemariano
HALLOWEEN YARD by kazandrew
P1010022.jpg by Ack Ook
Halloween Graveyard by wht_wolf9653
curated content from Flickr

More Props For Your Cemetery

Eerie Acres Cemetery Lawn SignA sign welcoming your victims...er, guests, to your Halloween graveyard adds a nice touch. Purchase a pre-made sign or use it for ideas to make your own.




17 Gruesome Ground BreakerA pair of gruesome hands crawling out of the ground or from underneath a coffin will give anyone a fright.




Welcome But Beware Fence Post (2 count)Add these "Welcome" and "Beware" fence posts along your graveyard path.

Scary Graveyard Tales...

Was this lens helpful to you? How did your Halloween graveyard turn out?

  • lyndamakaracreations Apr 15, 2012 @ 4:33 am | delete
    Love it, especially the tombstones pictures at Disneyland and the links to epitaphs. Good job!
  • Smkcda Apr 14, 2012 @ 3:54 am | delete
    Great lens! Not bad for a Friday the 13th visit.....
  • LaraineRose Apr 14, 2012 @ 2:00 am | delete
    This is pretty spooky! Picked this lens for a Squid-quest. Blessings.
  • Mac33 Apr 14, 2012 @ 10:24 pm | delete
    Thanks!
  • MindPowerProofs Apr 11, 2012 @ 6:16 am | delete
    Great ideas. Thanks for sharing
  • JaguarJulie Mar 20, 2012 @ 6:48 pm | delete
    Gosh, I truly love touring graveyards! So, count me in.
  • Tolovaj Mar 8, 2012 @ 3:22 pm | delete
    Great, now I have everything I need. When I finish, I'll send you invitation:)
  • Ladyeaglefeather Mar 2, 2012 @ 7:36 am | delete
    this is very cool, thanks.
  • TagGrafx Oct 28, 2011 @ 12:32 pm | delete
    Never made a graveyard, but now I'm confident I can. I have the space for it and maybe it will encourage more kids to come trick or treat this year.
  • COUNTRYLUTHIER Oct 27, 2011 @ 8:07 pm | delete
    Nicely done. Hope you win a prize for most authentic graveyard.
  • halloweenprops Oct 25, 2011 @ 7:55 pm | delete
    Might put into practice a few of these ideas. Could use a few more garden props.
  • Pnorway Oct 25, 2011 @ 2:48 am | delete
    Awesome lens. 5 days left. lol
  • Bellani Oct 24, 2011 @ 2:49 pm | delete
    Love it. Want to try it now. Thank yu
  • Wayne Oct 19, 2011 @ 7:28 am | delete
    Fun ideas! My wife and I are making some tombstones. I have extra 1/2" cement board that I am using. Nice thing is that it's water resistant (much more so than plywood) it's gray in color and durable.
  • blsriramsmkting Oct 17, 2011 @ 11:18 am | delete
    Nice job sharing the tips ... Have a great halloween
  • Load More

Graveyard Photo Credits

Photos in the Choose A Material, Choose A Design and Epitaph and Build the Tombstone sections are copyright and used by permission of Mac33.

Disney's Haunted Graveyard Tombstones:
Brother Claude and Here Lyeth His Loving Wives used by permission of Miss Shari.
Good Old Fred used by permission of BoredTrini.
Sweet Leota used by permission of canno1979.
Master Gracey used under Creative Commons from devilelephant.
Brother Dave used under Creative Commons from The Consortium.

Real Tombstones & Graveyards:
Tombstone in Satnitz used by permission of iproduit.
Gravestones used by permission of Ben Adlin.
Tombstone used under Creative Commons from A.M. Kuchling.
Irish Castle Graveyard used under Creative Commons from Qole Pejorian.
Boot hill used under Creative Commons from danesparza.
Skull w/wings used under Creative Commons from mchphotography8.

Some Homemade Halloween Graveyards:
Used under Creative Commons from their respective owners.

The Grave of Captain Jack Sparrow

Be the first graveyard in town to have the authentic grave of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Pirates Of The Caribbean Tombstone

Have A Happy Halloween!

by

Mac33

I enjoy decorating for Halloween and started building my own Halloween graveyard a few years ago. more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Inspire Your Halloween Graveyard 

Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography

Amazon Price: $15.00 (as of 06/01/2012)Buy Now

Find ideas for adding realistic graveyard symbolism to your tombstones with this book.

Halloween Costume Ideas 

Loading