Learn how to make authentic looking tombstones. They are easy to make and will up the creep factor to any Halloween graveyard.

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Easy to Make Tombstones

These tombstones were so easy to make, were inexpensive, a lot of fun, and look far better and more authentic than store-bought stones! I had some scrap foam left from making my cemetery columns so decided to make some tombstones. To learn how to make cemetery columns you can visit my blog at DIY Cemetery Columns.

Foam Work

The first step in making my tombstones was to cut the foam into a stone shape using a utility knife. The knife didn’t go all the way through, but it scored it enough I could break off the unwanted pieces. Above all imperfection is key to Halloween props looking authentic. That’s what I love about making them! 

Next, I used the utility knife and a Dremel to carve out cracks in the “stone” and create imperfections. As a result, you give the tombstones more of an appearance of aging. 

Lettering

I used 2″ foam alphabet stickers I ordered on Amazon and placed them on the tombstones.

Foamies Alphabet Sticker, 2-Inch, Assorted Color

If the letters or numbers were over cracks in the tombstones, I used a utility knife to cut the same cracks in the lettering. 

The tombstone names I used are characters from the fictional story behind my haunt, Cottonwood Corner Terror House. Alternatively, you can add funny names or epitaphs to your tombstones like Ted N. Buried or Barry M. Deep. Just Google funny Halloween tombstones and there are a lot of ideas out there.

In order to harden the foam, change the texture, and expand the cracks I used a heat gun all over the foam. This would be more fun in the winter but since I start working on props in the heat of summer, I have to say it got a little warm. Regardless, the heat gun is still a lot of fun and really give your tombstones the aged effect you want.

Painting

After getting good and sweaty from the heat gun I painted the foam a very dark grey.  Black would work too. A key point to remember is to always start with dark colors and lighten up with each layer of paint. All the paint I used for this project was left over paint from my cemetery columns that I picked up at Walmart. It was the cheapest exterior latex paint I could find. In fact, these were gallons of paint someone didn’t want and had returned to the store.  

Once the grey paint dried, I used a sea sponge to dab dark brown over the grey. 

To really emphasize the cracks and letters I then used a light grey and sea sponged over the brown. Put very little on your sponge because a little will go a long way in this endeavor.  Make sure to really get it over the elevated areas. 

I also mixed some brown with a little water to make it runny, dipped the sponge in, then squeezed some out over the top of the stone to give it a weathered, dirty look.

Lastly, I used the sponge again to add a little green, very lightly in a few areas.  The gave the stones a mossy appearance.  You can also glue on some dried moss in areas for some added aging & creepy effect. I dipped moss in glue then just smeared it into crevices or made it patchy in some areas.

Displaying

The very last step in this project is to display the tombstones. I used a hot glue gun to glue PVC pipe vertically to the back of the stones. My Dad, who’s not a jack of all trades but indeed the master of them, graciously cut rebar down to 12″ pieces. I pounded these into the ground of my cemetery so I could just slide the tombstones over the rebar.

Some of the tombstones below were old store-bought stones but I glued PVC to those as well and slid them over rebar.

Watch for more cemetery DIY’s and be sure to leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!