I work for a local haunted attraction making props, sets and costumes. I love your videos because they give me the specific “how to’s” for so many of the projects I do. Please keep the videos coming!
I also work for an organization that organizes Halloween events, including a horror maze in a large cornfield with various haunted houses. To be honest, I often use your tutorials (including this one) as a guide because they are clearly, effectively, and transparently explained. It's also great that you share the mistakes with us, as these are the exact points everyone encounters during the making process but are rarely mentioned in UA-cam tutorials. Thank you very much for the inspiration and detailed explanations!
I worked in Hollywood back in the 1980’s for a few years as a scenic artist. One of my projects was a commercial with the Smothers Brothers for Magnavox. I had to creat three walls that looked like flagstone. Used this exact same technique. When I saw the commercial on tv, I was completely blown away by the realism. These techniques are pure gold.
Thats pretty cool but a pro tip . When you lay stone, vertical joints should never line up as it creates a weak point in a stone wall. I know it foam, but still for a bit more realism. Never stack vertical joints.
I think this would look really cool as the accent wall behind a bar in a basement or something. It will have the look of stone without negating any insulation factors and will also act as a sound dampener.
@hindugoat2302 That's funny because I see Blue Board used on houses every day. And he used a torch in the video to add texture... 2x4's are flammable too. So is wallpaper, glue,wooden wainscoting, couches, chairs, books, photographs, etc. I'd put this in my cave and never think twice about doing it. But to each their own. 🤷♀️
I worked at Walt Disney World and got to see their scenic guys add character paint to a crypt at the exit of the Haunted Mansion in 2007. They mixed drylok with green paint to added it in little piles to create mossy details, which I thought was brilliant.
I’ve noticed that washes are a big thing. I use them and love them. My favourite technique is the wash and wipe! More paint, less water in your wash. Paint over everything then wipe away to top/raised surfaces. Looks great too.
You could use a water seal, like Thompson's. I can't say how long it would protect it for since the foam is likely to expand/contract with the weather. So even if sealed it may crack or loosen with the seasons.
It's not really designed for long term outdoor use, but you could coat it with water sealer and that should help to extend the life of it. But again, it's more for temporary or interior use.
Wish I knew this technique when I had to do faux stone for the Atlanta Passion Play. Great job. Would love to do something like this for out doors. Thanks for posting.
Love your technique...so realistic. You do a fantastic job with your videos. I am always amazed! I stopped buying props years ago as you just can’t get a quality look. It’s much more fun to create my own creations, and they look so much better thanks to you and others who post “how to” videos like this. Your work is greatly appreciated!!!
I ended up doing something like this for my haunt this year but on a larger scale. My facade was a cavern-like temple entrance and I used many of the same methods here when it came to carving my stones, again on a larger scale to look like they're larger rocks. Only differences were I used a router bit to carve my grout lines so they look like stacked rocks and used a heat gun instead of a torch for the weathering. I also Gorilla glued and screwed some leftover 2x4 scraps from when I rebuilt part of my deck in the bottom for security. Overall it worked out great and I got tons of compliments and the almighty feel test
I used a metal brush wheel that was a bit beat up with a hand held electric drill to carve the grout lines. It makes a more irregular, realistic line. Scary Larry
"... compliments and the almighty feel test." Isn't it amazing how awesome it feels when you see someone "cop a feel" to see if it's really what it looks like or not? Best Compliment Ever 🤗
That looks ausome .,almost like the real thing .I didn't catch what material you used to carve with ,was it a kind of foam. . I would love to do a whole wall Thanks Dale
Absolutely. I think for most Halloween settings subtle/natural isn’t quite dramatic enough, hence the black wash. But if it were in a natural light or brighter setting I would definitely go for a mix of color instead of just black.
Oh, wow! That looks amazing! I found your video when looking up how to paint faux stone over blocks, but I can think of lots of things I might use your technique for, such as props for VBS or at project at the elementary school where I work.
I buy an actual course of flat stone to use as a stencil. I also do 4x8 sheets at a time, and covered the side of my house. Everything else I copy from you with the paint-especially the white paint on the surface! I then plant a climbing vine to obscure the faux wall to add more realism
@@VanOaksProps thanks! I started with 3/4” styrofoam “courses” titebonded onto plywood, then draped with landscape fabric then more titebond. As long as you put something “real” (plants, real rocks 😂) the uncanny valley in all humans won’t fixate and then ruminate if it’s real! I buy a box of Airstone now to get stencils and use a Dre Mel straight into the foam. I’m building turrets to bookend my iron gate at my driveway now! Hahaha
Can I use this technique to create outdoor flagstones? Im a renter so I cant use real flagstone. Is there anything Id need to seal it with to survive the weather?
Fantastic! I want to use this technique to fleah out the facade of a snow white cottage for my little one. Any tips for making this stuff weatherproof, or should i just go with fiberglass?
Fiberglass will definitely cover up any of the texture. So if you do decide to fiberglass, I'd make sure to cover the foam in foil to prevent it from melting when the fiberglass resin is applied, and then just go with a painted rock look rather than a textured rock look. @Hollywoodhaunter has a great vide on fiberglassing foam. Check out their Castle Greyskull build and you'll get some excellent advise on the subject.
You can use liquid nails or similar product. If I was doing a larger area I’d install the foam board first and then start the carving so that I could hide the seams in my rock patterns.
@@VanOaksProps I know right! If it would ever suit you, could you maybe do a video on how to make a 'fake' stone like inside a pyramid? And not out of foam, but from another material which I don't know the type of haha. Like, when you visit a themepark and tap on a wall of a themed ride you can hear its hollow
@@steven20919 That's most commonly done with foam that is then hard coated with fiberglass and then textured. Once the fiberglass sets up the foam backing is removed, which is why they sound hollow.
I could very easily see myself making some of this when I can't think of anything fun to build and eventually covering at least one whole wall of my shop. As you can guess, I get bored easily. Thanks for the inspiration!
I'm looking to imitate German stucko, I was thinking about using foam like what you used in the video. My question is,what would I apply to the foam to make white paint stick to it? 🤔 Also could a waterproof clear coat be added to it?
Lovely, building a Hagrid's shack to cover my well pump, was going to use stucco but I might use this method and also add some forced perspective to it.
I wouldve sprayed a water black mixture for step 2 to let it seep into the cracks and wipe it off the higher surfaces with a rag. You didnt put any sealer or hardcoat for afterwards if people will handle or touch it?
Ahh ok I understand this is for display and won't be touched. I put up alot of interactive spaces that people and kids touch so the foam gets torn up so I hardcoat them to prevent that
Would love to see how to do this if you have to match up panels together to cover a much larger surface, without having to work with the foam, already mounted in place.
That's amazing! , But my question is... how can I put it on the wall and making sure it will not fall down for years ? What kind of glue? Or mortar is better ? Hope u help and thank you.
hy , it works like charm! but without some reinforce fibers or mesh it actualy crack pretty fast. it is almost imposible to pick up segment without cement crack. i try fleksible tiles glue but samething happened. did you maybe solve that issue?
Hello. I see this video is from early 2021. And for some reason YT flushed it into my recommendation feed. Great, yet unexpected video. Never the less, a suggestion: wouldn't it be easier to create the lines and gabs with a loop-tool, which is commonly used for clay sculpting?
Great question. I’ve never tried sculpting tools on rigid foam, but my guess is that it may not be able to cut through the foam. But now I need to try it!
Addi g tile grout in the gaps works amazingly! That's the way us modelers do it for dioramas ove xps or poundshop dry wall filler that's actually the best
@@VanOaksProps Thanks so much for your reply could you explain please exactly what you mean by “hardcoated”… And what kind of products would do that? Thanks again in advance!
@@plant-a-holic hard coat is exactly what it sounds like it might be. It’s an exterior protective layer that is rigid. I’d recommend Flexbond tile mortar.
Would daubing or blotting the surface of the “stone” with a sponge give the stone texture? Have you tried that? Daub the sponge in your paint then blot the surface. Hope you understand what I’m asking. Cool video though.
A toothbrush wouldn't be rigid enough to remove the foam, but you could substitute the wire brush for any number of tools that would allow you to pick away at the foam. Sculpting tools, razor blades, tooth picks, etc.
@@VanOaksProps Say a wall in a family room in a home. I assume you would just cover the wall with rectangles of foam? Maybe attach them to the wall with those small velcro squares ?
I know this video is 2 years old but can anyone suggest on how to seal this up or what to use as a sealer for outdoor use? I want to make a wall like this in the seating area on my outdoor deck.
OMG..you certainly have more patience than I would in making this project. I have a 6' section that I want to do something like this in but will be looking at other ways.....hopefully. Thanx for your videos and tips and tricks
I was the manager for a 30 acre Halloween park for 19 years. The owners had me rebuild it new every year. My sets were massive enough to fully enclose our 65' long hayrides. While I had built some modular walls using foam for detailed relief, over time I found this unnecessary & too time consuming for very large projects. Also, once you're seeing it under the typical dim and/or colored lighting conditions, the detail is all lost. This is how I did it. On a sheet of whatever sheathing you're using, roll the wall with your base color. This can be a medium grey, brown, green, whatever. Then you paint in the grout lines with a fairly dark grey. Next, shade the blocks by painting a black line along the bottoms & 1 side of every block, always using the same side (left or right). Then do the same with white along the top & the remaining sides. Lastly, dry-brush stipple randomly across the whole wall with each color & you're done. It isn't museum quality but it gets the job done. Last comment, while creating 'drips' is all fine, this gets totaly lost for the most part unless you do the wash much, much darker. Extreme contrast not subtle realism is the key. - Scary Larry
Great suggestions. I think there's a lot of different ways to create similar effects and it varies based on time/money/manpower/how close people will get to it.
Fantastic! Great video, information, and thanks for showing the parts you were'nt thrilled about. Sometimes creators can forget that what not to do can be just important as what to do! 🙂
This may sound crazy, but I have a stone fireplace in my living room, and they stopped the stone about 18 inches from the ceiling, because a structural beam runs across it. I want to make a thin sheet of faux stone to match the existing stone. This looks like it might do the trick. I would just need to slice the foam so that it doesn’t protrude farther than the existing stone.
I think the effect from the larger brush would have been fine if you were looking for a sandstone appearance, instead of the grey/igneous stone appearance you were going for. Larger sandstone blocks would wear and dish out in the middle just like we see in the foam.
Another great choice of topic/technique on its own, and how useful this can be when making other (haunt) projects including tombstones, natural rock work and more. I enjoyed your particular color usage in your example, versus a typical monotone approach. Also helpful in your example is how scalable the technique can be. As you noted, the gaps between stones could have been narrower and deeper to create different shadow and texture effects, but can also be carved wider and/or shallower if one were carving large stone areas. All that can be achieved from a variety of tools as well, from wire brushes to fine Dremel tools. So many lessons and techniques to learn and apply to a variety of projects for makers. Keep up the great work!
Always love these videos. Any tips on sourcing XPS or EPS foam? My local hardware stores don't really stock it, and I didn't have any luck finding it online in decent amounts for decent prices.
EPS foam you can get at most hardware stores in the insulation department. XPS foam can sometimes be found in the same place if you live in a state that gets real winter weather. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, goto hauntersfoam.con
@@VanOaksProps Sadly not in the LA area, but I'll give my local hardware stores a shot - maybe I can have them special order it or something, or maybe I just had bad timing. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for another great vid! I had intended on creating several walls like this for my display this year but ran out of time (don't we all?). So what I did instead was buy a load of 3D textured stone effect wallpaper (I believe they call it blown vinyl??) and stuck it on my flats. It comes in white so just needed a wash down with some gunky black, blown, green paints. Whole wall was done in 2 hours and looked pretty good under haunt lighting :)
Depends on your expectations. Foam may not be the best material for carving to make a mold from. However, you could carve the foam and use it as a stamp and skip the silicone altogether. Also, I wouldn’t use silicone for stamp making, but that’s just my preference.
@@VanOaksProps sometimes I’m hesitant with using screws and or nails because they do create the imperfections on the facade of the project. But I guess that one can always use a filler putty or quick dry plaster to fill in the holes and retouch with paint. 🤔 Thanks again.
You’re work and tutorials are so awesome. I sure appreciate them. Oh, and I don’t know if anyone has told you but you sound a lot like Casey Kasem.(probably before your time..lol) You have an excellent speaking voice and great narration.
You could make a more realistic feeling wall by creating an inverted stamp mold and pushing it into a layer of synthetic stucco applied over a substrate like drywall. The styrofoam is great for a prop though
I work for a local haunted attraction making props, sets and costumes. I love your videos because they give me the specific “how to’s” for so many of the projects I do. Please keep the videos coming!
I agree. Huge help and time saver. I'd be lost without these videos. You do wonders for the community. Great appreciation man!
I also work for an organization that organizes Halloween events, including a horror maze in a large cornfield with various haunted houses. To be honest, I often use your tutorials (including this one) as a guide because they are clearly, effectively, and transparently explained. It's also great that you share the mistakes with us, as these are the exact points everyone encounters during the making process but are rarely mentioned in UA-cam tutorials. Thank you very much for the inspiration and detailed explanations!
I have respect when people add their mistakes in crafting. The best/most frustrating part of craft is learning from mistakes.
I totally agree 😁
I worked in Hollywood back in the 1980’s for a few years as a scenic artist. One of my projects was a commercial with the Smothers Brothers for Magnavox. I had to creat three walls that looked like flagstone. Used this exact same technique. When I saw the commercial on tv, I was completely blown away by the realism. These techniques are pure gold.
Forgive me, but I can not resist... You Rock!
Groan....🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂
Your work is above average,even up close it looks like true cement and bricks. Awesome it inspired me to try it out. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you very much!
Oooo that dry brushing of white 👍🏼! It just came alive in front of my eyes
Isn't that great?! It's always a surprise.
Nice presentation…the guy is fantastic in making these DIY videos
Glad you like them!
Found your video while looking for inspiration to make a tomb for our VBS at church. Thank you for posting! :)
Thats pretty cool but a pro tip . When you lay stone, vertical joints should never line up as it creates a weak point in a stone wall. I know it foam, but still for a bit more realism. Never stack vertical joints.
I've built two cemetery pillars and I plan on using this technique to paint both of them.
“That’s not how I do it.” Love it!
Looks like a great background for a small reptile enclosure!
I wish I found your videos sooner this year, I've got work to do for next year. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, you too!
That turned out great.
I think this would look really cool as the accent wall behind a bar in a basement or something. It will have the look of stone without negating any insulation factors and will also act as a sound dampener.
highly flammable and puts out toxic fumes when burning...
violates fire codes.
@hindugoat2302
That's funny because I see Blue Board used on houses every day.
And he used a torch in the video to add texture...
2x4's are flammable too. So is wallpaper, glue,wooden wainscoting, couches, chairs, books, photographs, etc.
I'd put this in my cave and never think twice about doing it.
But to each their own. 🤷♀️
I worked at Walt Disney World and got to see their scenic guys add character paint to a crypt at the exit of the Haunted Mansion in 2007. They mixed drylok with green paint to added it in little piles to create mossy details, which I thought was brilliant.
Good to know!
Looks awesome, man!
I’ve noticed that washes are a big thing. I use them and love them. My favourite technique is the wash and wipe! More paint, less water in your wash. Paint over everything then wipe away to top/raised surfaces. Looks great too.
What could you use to make this weather resistant? Or do you think it would hold up outside pretty well? Thanks for sharing your talent!!!!
You could use a water seal, like Thompson's. I can't say how long it would protect it for since the foam is likely to expand/contract with the weather. So even if sealed it may crack or loosen with the seasons.
This is amazing! How would one protect it if it’s for an outdoor application. Thank you so much!
It's not really designed for long term outdoor use, but you could coat it with water sealer and that should help to extend the life of it. But again, it's more for temporary or interior use.
Wish I knew this technique when I had to do faux stone for the Atlanta Passion Play. Great job. Would love to do something like this for out doors. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for watching!
Love your technique...so realistic. You do a fantastic job with your videos. I am always amazed! I stopped buying props years ago as you just can’t get a quality look. It’s much more fun to create my own creations, and they look so much better thanks to you and others who post “how to” videos like this. Your work is greatly appreciated!!!
I enjoy watching all of your videos, they make my day. I'm going to go build something...
Awe, thanks!
I ended up doing something like this for my haunt this year but on a larger scale. My facade was a cavern-like temple entrance and I used many of the same methods here when it came to carving my stones, again on a larger scale to look like they're larger rocks. Only differences were I used a router bit to carve my grout lines so they look like stacked rocks and used a heat gun instead of a torch for the weathering. I also Gorilla glued and screwed some leftover 2x4 scraps from when I rebuilt part of my deck in the bottom for security.
Overall it worked out great and I got tons of compliments and the almighty feel test
I used a metal brush wheel that was a bit beat up with a hand held electric drill to carve the grout lines. It makes a more irregular, realistic line. Scary Larry
"... compliments and the almighty feel test."
Isn't it amazing how awesome it feels when you see someone "cop a feel" to see if it's really what it looks like or not?
Best
Compliment
Ever
🤗
That looks ausome .,almost like the real thing .I didn't catch what material you used to carve with ,was it a kind of foam. . I would love to do a whole wall Thanks Dale
Thanks! It's XPS foam that you can often find in the insulation department at most larger hardware stores.
Rock on man! 🤘
I see what you did there. 😂
I want to do this in my basement, what would you use to attach the sections to the framing of the walls? Nail it down or use glue to hold it in place?
Construction adhesive if you want it to be permanent.
@@VanOaksProps thank you very much. The hallway in my basement is unfinished, I thought about doing a stone wall like this.
This is just what I needed! Thank you!!! Your channel rules!
Have you ever tried sepia for aging or as a wash colour? I find it softer and adds a more natural tone.
Absolutely. I think for most Halloween settings subtle/natural isn’t quite dramatic enough, hence the black wash. But if it were in a natural light or brighter setting I would definitely go for a mix of color instead of just black.
Oh, wow! That looks amazing! I found your video when looking up how to paint faux stone over blocks, but I can think of lots of things I might use your technique for, such as props for VBS or at project at the elementary school where I work.
Thanks for watching!
What sort of suggestion do you have for multiple 4'x8' panel - have you tried spraying?
You can definitely use thinset in a pneumatic hopper gun.
I'm doing Aladdin next year. Do you have any stucco painting tutorials?
Not currently, although if it's for theater/temporary you could use any of the acrylic painting techniques I've demonstrated.
I buy an actual course of flat stone to use as a stencil. I also do 4x8 sheets at a time, and covered the side of my house. Everything else I copy from you with the paint-especially the white paint on the surface!
I then plant a climbing vine to obscure the faux wall to add more realism
That sounds awesome!
@@VanOaksProps thanks! I started with 3/4” styrofoam “courses” titebonded onto plywood, then draped with landscape fabric then more titebond. As long as you put something “real” (plants, real rocks 😂) the uncanny valley in all humans won’t fixate and then ruminate if it’s real! I buy a box of Airstone now to get stencils and use a Dre Mel straight into the foam. I’m building turrets to bookend my iron gate at my driveway now! Hahaha
Amazing, you are a cleaver chap. I keep coming back 😃
I will be doing this on my living room wall…..your work is phenomenal and your handsome too😍😊Thank you
Can I use this technique to create outdoor flagstones? Im a renter so I cant use real flagstone. Is there anything Id need to seal it with to survive the weather?
It's not really designed for long term exposure to the elements.
Loved the demo. That's the this I was looking for. Thanks heaps. 😊
Fantastic! I want to use this technique to fleah out the facade of a snow white cottage for my little one. Any tips for making this stuff weatherproof, or should i just go with fiberglass?
Fiberglass will definitely cover up any of the texture. So if you do decide to fiberglass, I'd make sure to cover the foam in foil to prevent it from melting when the fiberglass resin is applied, and then just go with a painted rock look rather than a textured rock look. @Hollywoodhaunter has a great vide on fiberglassing foam. Check out their Castle Greyskull build and you'll get some excellent advise on the subject.
How would you attach that to a wall? And if doing a larger area now do you for the piecesd together?
You can use liquid nails or similar product. If I was doing a larger area I’d install the foam board first and then start the carving so that I could hide the seams in my rock patterns.
Imagine doing a entire wall with this method haha, BUT IT LOOKS SO GOOD!!
That would be cool!
@@VanOaksProps I know right! If it would ever suit you, could you maybe do a video on how to make a 'fake' stone like inside a pyramid? And not out of foam, but from another material which I don't know the type of haha. Like, when you visit a themepark and tap on a wall of a themed ride you can hear its hollow
@@steven20919 That's most commonly done with foam that is then hard coated with fiberglass and then textured. Once the fiberglass sets up the foam backing is removed, which is why they sound hollow.
@@VanOaksProps Ah like that!! And could they probably reuse the foam if needed? So it kinda acts like a mold?
I could very easily see myself making some of this when I can't think of anything fun to build and eventually covering at least one whole wall of my shop. As you can guess, I get bored easily. Thanks for the inspiration!
I want to hang out with you! 😅
I'm looking to imitate German stucko, I was thinking about using foam like what you used in the video. My question is,what would I apply to the foam to make white paint stick to it? 🤔 Also could a waterproof clear coat be added to it?
They sell Drylok in white and it’s designed for waterproofing masonry.
Lovely, building a Hagrid's shack to cover my well pump, was going to use stucco but I might use this method and also add some forced perspective to it.
Wow! Learned a lot and it looks stunning!
I'm so glad!
I wouldve sprayed a water black mixture for step 2 to let it seep into the cracks and wipe it off the higher surfaces with a rag. You didnt put any sealer or hardcoat for afterwards if people will handle or touch it?
Acrylic paints don’t typically need to be sealed since they’re weather resistant.
Ahh ok I understand this is for display and won't be touched. I put up alot of interactive spaces that people and kids touch so the foam gets torn up so I hardcoat them to prevent that
Would love to see how to do this if you have to match up panels together to cover a much larger surface, without having to work with the foam, already mounted in place.
That's amazing! , But my question is...
how can I put it on the wall and making sure it will not fall down for years ?
What kind of glue? Or mortar is better ?
Hope u help and thank you.
You can use construction adhesive and it should stick for a long time.
hy , it works like charm! but without some reinforce fibers or mesh it actualy crack pretty fast. it is almost imposible to pick up segment without cement crack. i try fleksible tiles glue but samething happened.
did you maybe solve that issue?
For long term use this method probably isn't ideal for most scenarios. But if it's something temporary it's not likely to be a problem.
Finally someone who thinks about these type of things besides me. Great video thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Awesome Sauce! ❤️
Thank you 😋
Hello. I see this video is from early 2021. And for some reason YT flushed it into my recommendation feed. Great, yet unexpected video.
Never the less, a suggestion: wouldn't it be easier to create the lines and gabs with a loop-tool, which is commonly used for clay sculpting?
Great question. I’ve never tried sculpting tools on rigid foam, but my guess is that it may not be able to cut through the foam. But now I need to try it!
Do you have a tehnique of making faux stone walls but with spray paint that a machine could do? Thank you!
I don't, unfortunately.
Did you frame it in some way? How?
I'm not sure I understand the question.
You could use it like a decorative element in a room. But the sides are not painted that would look odd. 🙂
Addi g tile grout in the gaps works amazingly! That's the way us modelers do it for dioramas ove xps or poundshop dry wall filler that's actually the best
Amazing! Great video!! How do you think it would hold up outside in Florida weather perhaps in the garden environment?
If hard coated it should withstand most weather conditions.
@@VanOaksProps Thanks so much for your reply could you explain please exactly what you mean by “hardcoated”… And what kind of products would do that? Thanks again in advance!
@@plant-a-holic hard coat is exactly what it sounds like it might be. It’s an exterior protective layer that is rigid. I’d recommend Flexbond tile mortar.
@@VanOaksProps Thanks for the info… I’m assuming that that would be put on prior to any of the coloring/painting?
@@plant-a-holic that’s correct.
Do you think this would work on a bedroom wall? Id be using lighter colors… but just curious if you thought it would hold up ok?
Yep!
Would daubing or blotting the surface of the “stone” with a sponge give the stone texture? Have you tried that? Daub the sponge in your paint then blot the surface. Hope you understand what I’m asking. Cool video though.
Possibly. Paint texture won't be as pronounced, but it will add a little something extra to it.
despite your comment about the big brush I think it turned out great!
hello sir, i have question, if i were to make a smaller stone wall, is it okay to use a toothbrush instead for the detailing part at 2.14?
A toothbrush wouldn't be rigid enough to remove the foam, but you could substitute the wire brush for any number of tools that would allow you to pick away at the foam. Sculpting tools, razor blades, tooth picks, etc.
I've seen you use acrylics and washes in several videos; how do they hold up in wet weather? Do you need to coat it with something?
Because acrylics are weather resistant, there's no real need to coat them in anything and they hold up extremely well.
Wow! Amazing man!
EXCELLENT Video...
Thank you for sharing this
My pleasure!
This was great as always!
The water and torch technique is not one I've seen before. Interesting.
It’s a favorite!
What if you needed t o do a 8 x 10 foot wall? How would you build first ?
Is it free standing or will it be attached to another structure?
@@VanOaksProps Say a wall in a family room in a home. I assume you would just cover the wall with rectangles of foam? Maybe attach them to the wall with those small velcro squares ?
@@fairamir1 If it's permanent, you could screw through the foam into the wall. If it's temporary, Velcro would be a great option.
@@VanOaksProps For permanent I would use the Velcro...holds tight for ages and easily removed.
I am so impressed!
I know this video is 2 years old but can anyone suggest on how to seal this up or what to use as a sealer for outdoor use? I want to make a wall like this in the seating area on my outdoor deck.
This wouldn't be ideal for long term outdoor use. This is designed as a prop build that would be used on a temporary basis.
@@VanOaksProps Ok, thank you for the video and taking the time to respond
What do you do if you want to do a much larger space?
Carve an entire sheet (or 10) of foam.
subbed. I haven't seen your content before. Not sure why. but the algorithm knows best.
OMG..you certainly have more patience than I would in making this project. I have a 6' section that I want to do something like this in but will be looking at other ways.....hopefully. Thanx for your videos and tips and tricks
Is there a way to make this usable on homes exterior?
Potentially if it was coated in something that could withstand the elements.
A little late to the party, but how much coverage can a gallon of Drylock have, at minimum? Thanks so much!
Quite a lot.
From doing dioramas and scale modeling wrinkled up tin foil ball for texture is the best way for random stone textures
Nice. So many ways to make these stone panels. I will be making some but using a grinding wheel for texture on the surface ... if all goes well.
You can use a hot knife on the end of a soldering iron to sculpt that foam quite literally like a hot knife threw butter
DEFINITELY helpful! Thank you!!!!!!!!!
Awesome work That texture just looks amazing !! . . . . Now I just need to invent a shrinking machine so I can use with miniatures . . . .lol
Add a little baking soda to your paints and that should give you some good texture for miniatures.
Super helpful. Great outcome. Thank you.
My pleasure. Thanks for watching
I was the manager for a 30 acre Halloween park for 19 years. The owners had me rebuild it new every year. My sets were massive enough to fully enclose our 65' long hayrides. While I had built some modular walls using foam for detailed relief, over time I found this unnecessary & too time consuming for very large projects. Also, once you're seeing it under the typical dim and/or colored lighting conditions, the detail is all lost. This is how I did it. On a sheet of whatever sheathing you're using, roll the wall with your base color. This can be a medium grey, brown, green, whatever. Then you paint in the grout lines with a fairly dark grey. Next, shade the blocks by painting a black line along the bottoms & 1 side of every block, always using the same side (left or right). Then do the same with white along the top & the remaining sides. Lastly, dry-brush stipple randomly across the whole wall with each color & you're done. It isn't museum quality but it gets the job done. Last comment, while creating 'drips' is all fine, this gets totaly lost for the most part unless you do the wash much, much darker. Extreme contrast not subtle realism is the key. - Scary Larry
Great suggestions. I think there's a lot of different ways to create similar effects and it varies based on time/money/manpower/how close people will get to it.
Good stuff. This technique could probably be applied to terrariums as well!
Fantastic! Great video, information, and thanks for showing the parts you were'nt thrilled about. Sometimes creators can forget that what not to do can be just important as what to do! 🙂
This may sound crazy, but I have a stone fireplace in my living room, and they stopped the stone about 18 inches from the ceiling, because a structural beam runs across it. I want to make a thin sheet of faux stone to match the existing stone. This looks like it might do the trick. I would just need to slice the foam so that it doesn’t protrude farther than the existing stone.
Where do you get your foam? Love the idea!!
Depending on where you live, Home Depot or Lowe’s may carry it in the insulation department
@@VanOaksProps thank you
I think the effect from the larger brush would have been fine if you were looking for a sandstone appearance, instead of the grey/igneous stone appearance you were going for. Larger sandstone blocks would wear and dish out in the middle just like we see in the foam.
Where do you buy the foam panels and are there any alternatives.
Most large hardware stores sell it in the insulation department. Any foam would work.
Another great choice of topic/technique on its own, and how useful this can be when making other (haunt) projects including tombstones, natural rock work and more. I enjoyed your particular color usage in your example, versus a typical monotone approach. Also helpful in your example is how scalable the technique can be. As you noted, the gaps between stones could have been narrower and deeper to create different shadow and texture effects, but can also be carved wider and/or shallower if one were carving large stone areas. All that can be achieved from a variety of tools as well, from wire brushes to fine Dremel tools. So many lessons and techniques to learn and apply to a variety of projects for makers. Keep up the great work!
Exactly!
Always love these videos. Any tips on sourcing XPS or EPS foam? My local hardware stores don't really stock it, and I didn't have any luck finding it online in decent amounts for decent prices.
EPS foam you can get at most hardware stores in the insulation department. XPS foam can sometimes be found in the same place if you live in a state that gets real winter weather.
If you’re in the Los Angeles area, goto hauntersfoam.con
@@VanOaksProps that website is not up anymore. I spent a few days trying to track down EPS is SoCal before Halloween - no luck anywhere
@@VanOaksProps Sadly not in the LA area, but I'll give my local hardware stores a shot - maybe I can have them special order it or something, or maybe I just had bad timing. Thanks for the tips!
I love Ur voice!!.. So soothing... U should Voice over for Disney!!... Perfect Storeyteller!!..
Thnx for Faux Stone Techniques too!!... Lol
✌️❤️😎👍
Excellent channel!
Thank you very much!
Thanks for another great vid! I had intended on creating several walls like this for my display this year but ran out of time (don't we all?). So what I did instead was buy a load of 3D textured stone effect wallpaper (I believe they call it blown vinyl??) and stuck it on my flats. It comes in white so just needed a wash down with some gunky black, blown, green paints. Whole wall was done in 2 hours and looked pretty good under haunt lighting :)
Great problem solving and solution!
Excellent result! I like.
Can i use foam to make silicone wall stamps?
Depends on your expectations. Foam may not be the best material for carving to make a mold from. However, you could carve the foam and use it as a stamp and skip the silicone altogether. Also, I wouldn’t use silicone for stamp making, but that’s just my preference.
@@VanOaksProps thank you
@@VanOaksProps one more question. Wouldn't the foam stick to the cement if i use it as a stamp?
@@Noulika I didn’t realize you were using cement for your wall.
How do you mount these foams?
In past I’ve used Liquid Nails and that does a good job. But I’m always interested in learning new things.
Thank you!
Construction adhesives, like liquid nails, plus screws usually do the job.
@@VanOaksProps sometimes I’m hesitant with using screws and or nails because they do create the imperfections on the facade of the project. But I guess that one can always use a filler putty or quick dry plaster to fill in the holes and retouch with paint. 🤔
Thanks again.
Can I use this for fish tank? Can it stay under water for a long time?
No. This wouldn't be fish safe.
You’re work and tutorials are so awesome. I sure appreciate them. Oh, and I don’t know if anyone has told you but you sound a lot like Casey Kasem.(probably before your time..lol) You have an excellent speaking voice and great narration.
Thank you! I’m older than I look, so I definitely know who Casey Kasem is. Lol
You could make a more realistic feeling wall by creating an inverted stamp mold and pushing it into a layer of synthetic stucco applied over a substrate like drywall. The styrofoam is great for a prop though
Absolutely.
Wow is awesome 🤩 what kind of foam is ? Where can I buy?
It’s EPS insulation foam and you can often find it at bigger hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Like the way you explain how to do.
Question for all of you. I’m looking to make 8ft or so castle walls. The only foam I can find has the aluminum cover. Would it work the same?
It’s a different type of foam and you’d need to peel off the covering, but it can be carved and painted the same way.
What do you use to tint your Drylok? Are you adding acrylic paint? Thanks!
That is correct. Acrylic paint.