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DIY Cemetery Archway with Foam Blocks

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Create a spooky graveyard cemetery archway using foam blocks and spray paint. Learn how to make this easy outdoor Halloween decoration now.

As a last minute addition to our 2023 Halloween Trail, I decided to make this quick and easy cemetery arch for the graveyard entrance. These use free foam blocks from our local feed store. I LOVE how they came out!

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Please read the whole post so you don’t miss any important information!

I was THE happiest DIY’er when I discovered that my local feed store had a TON of these foam blocks that would otherwise get thrown into the dumpster. These are great for making a lot of DIY projects.

White woman with pink and brown hair and sunglasses seat belted in her car with white foam blocks in the back.
White foam blocks filling the back of a minivan.

DIY Graveyard Entrance with Foam Blocks

Supplies

  • Foam blocks from TSC: These are used to pack trailers when they ship. They’re often tossed in the dumpster so just ask if they have any that they don’t want! But you really need to get lucky and hit them on a delivery day.
  • Rustoleum 2x spray paint in some version of gray: https://homedepot.sjv.io/Ean04Q … I liked charcoal gray satin for the edges/crevices and then using granite satin for the rest.
  • Spray Foam Sealant https://homedepot.sjv.io/q4LVPY
  • Ryobi 7 1/4″ Circular Saw https://homedepot.sjv.io/21L247
  • Black Sharpie and Scrap piece of wood
  • Optional: Skulls and dowels
  • ShopVac for cleanup: Mine isn’t still listed, but I like this one for a replacement… Ryobi 40V 10 Gal. Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum (Battery Operated): https://homedepot.sjv.io/0ZM2e3

Tutorial

Step 1: Use spray foam to attach your foam blocks into three columns. Keeping the columns separate initially until you’ve cut the gaps would be easiest. Let dry. You want to weigh these down if you use spray foam for the adhesive because it tends to expand.

Four foam blocks per column and three columns, side by side and weighted down while the spray foam adhesive dries in a barn aisle.

As an alternative, you might be able to put a dowel or a tall t post through these to hold them together.

Step 2: Use a piece of scrap wood and a black sharpie to draw your lines for the ‘bricks’ on your ‘granite column’… this gives you guide lines to use when you cut. Don’t forget to get each side!

I used a black Sharpie to draw the lines on for the faux bricks on these columns.

Step 3: Use a circular saw, hot knife, or some type of tool to cut a 1/2″ deep or thereabouts gap along those lines. In the photo below you can see what they look like after they are cut.

The black lines were cut with a circular saw set to a shallow depth to create the appearance of 'bricks' on the columns.

Step 4: Connect the three columns into the arch shape using the spray foam. I recommend attaching the bottoms to something solid to weigh the entrance down, but I skipped this step. My plan is to fix it for next year. I think two cheap pavers might work if you glue the bottom of each side to one. That said- you’ll need to be careful moving those around.

Step 5: Use charcoal gray satin spray paint for the edges/crevices of the columns, then use granite satin spray paint to fill in the rest. Let dry.

Painting the columns a granite gray on my lawn.

Step 6: If desired, drill a hole in the column and in the back of a faux skull and use a short dowel piece to attach the skull to the column front. This was pretty easy, but I would have added glue if I’d wanted to make it permanent.

This is a close up photo of the back of the plastic skull and the short piece of dowel. This was the quickest way I could attach it easily to the graveyard columns- I just drilled a hole in the column and in the back of the skull and used the dowel to connect them.

Here is the final picture of the cemetery entrance made of foam blocks and plastic skulls. Because I didn’t have them mounted to the ground well (yet), I used caution tape and also fishing line to hold them in place next to the no dig dog fence that I’m reusing.

Here is the final picture of the cemetery entrance made of foam blocks and plastic skulls. Because I didn't have them mounted to the ground well (yet), I used caution tape and also fishing line to hold them in place next to the no dig dog fence that I'm reusing.

Please share and pin this post! If you make this project, share it in our Stuff Mama Makes Facebook Group. We have regular giveaways for gift cards to craft stores. You can also tag me on Instagram @doityourselfdanielle; I love seeing everything you make!

DIY Graveyard Columns for under $50. Here is the final picture of the cemetery entrance made of foam blocks and plastic skulls. Because I didn't have them mounted to the ground well (yet), I used caution tape and also fishing line to hold them in place next to the no dig dog fence that I'm reusing.

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