If you’re looking to build a full size zombie that you can leave outside you’re going to need something that is a little more solid, and once again, Dr. Kreepy has just the tutorial you’re looking for. The lower body is framed using 2 x 4’s for legs attached to a 1 x 6 waist while the spine, shoulders, and arms are crafted out of PVC.  After the frame is in place you’ll need to bulk out the torso and the legs.  You can certainly wrap the legs and body with foam and duct tape it tight, or you can use the Dr. Kreepy method and use balled up newspaper or plastic. When mounting it you can use a plywood base and screw the legs to it, otherwise you can grab a pair of old boots and throw in some quick drying cement.  You’ll need to add your favorite mask and a pair of prop hands if they’ll be visible.     Items needed to complete this include: 2 – 2×4 approximately 35″ 1 – 1 x 6 appoximately 17″ 1 – 20″ 2 x 4 6 pieces 3/4 PVC 4 – 3/4″90 degree PVC 3/8″ or thicker 2′ x 2′ plywood Old clothes Skull or mask Duct Tape Newspaper or foam Screws  ...

I’ve wanted to build every prop I’ve come across lately, but none as much as I want to build this one.  The Gravedigger that Mizerella at 102 Wicked Things To Do created for her cemetery is amazing looking and doesn’t seem that difficult to pull off (said the guy that’s never created an entire person out of paper mache). The head of this fellow will take the most care and attention to detail when creating.  It’s made using a foam skull that’s a blend of paper mache, mache pulp, and Creative paper clay.  The features of his face including the nose, ears, tongue, teeth and eye brows will need to be built up with the Creative paper clay which is where some basic sculpting abilities will come in handy.     Once you’ve got the head done you’re almost done.  The rest of the prop is a pvc frame that’s been heated and bent to give him a warped stance.  The pvc frame is then covered in chicken wire and paper mached numerous times.  The arms and legs incorporated pool noodles to build them up before coating them in paper mache.  The final piece of the puzzle when creating this fellow were the hands, which were a mixture of wire, cut straws and many layers of paper mache and mache pulp.   Once all of the pieces of the puzzle are complete it’s just a matter of dressing this guy up in your favorite old clothes and finding a final resting spot for him.  Mizerella’s gravedigger looks incredible and I’m a little skeptical on whether I can make one that looks as nice, but I will definitely be giving this guy a...

The Crawlspace Haunter has created one of the coolest and creepiest looking props that I’ve laid my eyes on.  It’s based on a creature from the film The Unborn.  It turned out great and its the kind of prop that is guaranteed to give people nightmares.  Its made with a pvc frame that’s laid out as if you were building an animals skeleton.   The pvc that makes up the backbone was heated up to give it a bit of a curve.  The rest is a mixture of cardboard, tissue, and paper mache to give it some body.   Items needed to complete this include: 1/2″ or 3/4″ PVC (amount to be determined by your build size) 4 – 90 degree pvc 4 – 45 degree pvc 1 – cross connector pvc fitting 1 – pvc T fitting Skull Cardboard Tissue Paper mache Foam pipe insulation Wire I’m honestly not sure which photo creeps me out more, the night shot, or the daytime...

If you’re a fan of Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, and quite frankly, who isn’t, then you’re going to love the tutorial that KAM3152 penned for her blog DIY Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween Props.  The prop seems pretty simple to build, although I’m not sure I could successfully clothe a full size Jack Skellington quite as well as KAM3152 did.     Jack’s body is built using 1/2″ PVC frame while his head is crafted out of a foam floral ball.  The arms are a pair of prop skeleton arms from a party supply store, but if you don’t feel like purchasing hands for this build you can create your own Clay Skeletal Hands.  This prop ultimately comes down to the clothing, and if you can give Jack a proper looking suit, you’re going to have a great looking prop on your hands.   Items needed to complete this include but are not limited to: 18′ – 1/2″ PVC (approximately) 1 PVC T joint 1 PVC Cross Joint 2 – 45 degree or 90 degree PVC joints for shoulders/elbows Skeletal Hands Round floral ball Material for...

Since many of the prop builds featured on HauntersList involve PVC frames it’s probably not a bad idea to post another tutorial on how to create hands for those frames.  LastHouse from HalloweenForum has a tutorial on how to make some gruesome looking skeletal hands that won’t take you too long and the cost is next to nothing. They’re made of styrofoam and wood dowels coated with a little hot glue and then painted.  The hardest part about this tutorial is melting the styrofoam to give them a more natural boney look.  Make sure to do this step in a well ventilated area as burning styrofoam can be highly toxic (it’s a good idea to wear a respirator).   Items needed to complete this include: Styrofoam Hot Glue Wooden dowels Drylock Paint...

Clockwerk from HalloweenForum has built a really eerie, almost cartoonish looking Ghost Girl and has posted some great pictures and a brief tutorial on how it was constructed.  This creepy little girl sits atop her tombstone with an ominous glow beckoning passers by to enter her cemetery.  There’s nothing I don’t like about this prop.  Heck, I think the tombstone alone looks great, but Clockwerk has really shown some artistic skill with this girl.  It seems like a pretty easy prop to build, but the arms, legs, and head may take some skill to craft (ok, so maybe it’s not that easy).     You’ll need to create and mount a PVC frame to the tombstone.  The head is constructed out of a styrofoam craft ball with ping pong balls (with LED’s implanted) for eyeballs, while the legs and arms are created using a combination of paper mache and Crayola model magic.     Items needed to complete this include: Tombstone Styrofoam craft ball Ping Pong balls LED lights Paper Mache Crayola Model Magic (4) – 90 degree 3/4″ pvc (2 or 3) – 3/4″ pvc T joints 4  feet – 3/4″...

If you’re building any type of body form PVC is ultimately going to be the best framing option.  Wood is good, but PVC is worry free (I want credit for that phrase if it catches on).  Anyway, if you like the Movable PVC Joints tutorial then you’re really going to like this one.       The Bride of Articulation tutorial that Beelce over at HauntForum has provided us is an incredible example of how to create the skeleton for any form you’re creating.  You can literally create any pose that you want, and then cover it in any fashion you see fit.  This is not a difficult tutorial, and allows for incredibly detailed forms.       Items needed to complete this include (but will need to be calculated per joint): 1″ PVC (for the bones) 1″ PVC coupling Post caps for each joint Flat washers Lock washers Bolts Lock nuts Drywall / Deck screws    ...

The old abandoned Haunter’s Hangout has a nice tutorial on how to make a great looking Monster Mud Reaper holding a faux flame light. I’ve seen a lot of tutorials on making similar props, but this one looks especially nice, and the tutorial is pretty straight forward (albeit a bit lacking in some of the details).     You’ll need to create a base for the Reaper to stand on, but it’s pretty much a PVC Frame with skull and hands, chicken wire, and  burlap covered in Monster Mud.  Of course the faux flame light adds a bit of a wrinkle that really isn’t covered much by the tutorial, but by the looks of it, it’s well worth the extra planning.     Items needed to create this include (but are not limited to): 12′ – 2 x 2″ Wood 6′ – 2 X 3″ Wood 1 – 2 x 4′ sheet 1/4″ plywood 1 – 2 x 4′ sheet 1/2″ foam board 1-1/4 by 4″ piece of pipe 1″ PVC 4 way joint 4 – 90 degree joints 3 – 45 degree joints Skull Skeletal hands Chicken wire Burlap 1/4″ bolts Aluminum stock Flame box...

Dano’s Spider House has what is probably the easiest set of plans I’ve ever seen to make an 8′ Frankenstein prop.  The design doesn’t account for much flexibility after you create it because the PVC frame is not jointed,  but if you need a prop that doesn’t require any movement, you’re all set.  And if you’ve got the chops to deviate from these plans, you can add whatever flexibility you may need to your design.       You’ll need to create a PVC frame, have plenty of bubble wrap, a set of hands, and a mask, but that’s pretty much it.  This thing is easy to build and offers a life sized prop at barely any cost!    ...

There’s a great tutorial on how to make a Cloaked Ghost over at Grim Hollow that is well worth your time to check out.  This eerie prop was inspired by Pumpkinrot’s Cloaked Ghost and is pretty easy to build for something so awesome looking.  It looks great both day and night and is sure to be an attention grabber at your haunt.   Items needed to create this include: 5′ – 1-1/2″ pvc pipe 10′ – 1 x 2 wood Chicken Wire Burlap Monster Mud Glue Sticks Cheesecloth Lantern Plywood (for base)...

Grimvisions has an interesting take on how to create a cocooned spider victim.  While most tutorials would have you wrap a plastic skeleton or torso, Grimvisions utilizes a pvc frame with newspaper and plastic bags to fill the body.     While it may take a little more effort to create your own torso (and let’s be honest, it won’t take that much effort), you’ll feel better knowing that you haven’t wasted a perfectly good skeleton for a prop that would render most of it barely visible anyway.     Items needed to complete this include: PVC Duct Tape Spray Adhesive Spider Webbing Saran Wrap Fake Eyeballs Wire A skull either plastic or foam Pipe insulation Newspaper Plastic Bags Spray Paint Liquid...

Ulcerative has posted a great video of  the perfect frame for a hangman prop.  When the attached wiper motor is turned on the flailing effect is supreme, and even though it’s just a PVC frame in the tutorial, you can more than visualize the awesome effect you’ll get when you clothe the frame and light it for effect.  If you don’t want to get into pneumatics, but still want a great visual, this is definitely one you’re going to want to try....