Thread: Large facade- how to secure it?

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Dreams and plans for 2011 are already filling my brain. I want to build a facade next year- maybe a castle, a wall, or a haunted house- not sure yet. Maybe 10-12' high by maybe 20' long. How does one go about securing such a structure so it doesn't fall over? I was thinking the main frame might be pvc pipe. Not sure. But with winds and all, I want the thing to stay put. Any ideas with pics of your braces would be very helpful. Thank you!

Dan

Crazy as I may sound... carpet tubes and lumber wrap. I have done a castle (around 12 feet high and over 20 feet long) , pyramid and haunted house this way. It has withstood snow, wind and rain.
For the castle, half was over the front of the garage and the other half in between the garage and house. I made short 2x4 upright supports that screwed into 4x4's laid flat. The carpet tubes were slipped over the 2x4's and screwed to them. Cross pieces were also done with carpet tubes. Holes were drilled and the carpet tubes slipped into the uprights and glued and taped. We have a wood header on the garage above our garage door that the frame was strapped to on the one half. The other half I secured with rope and pegs in the ground. The lumber wrap was stapled on.
It really was very secure.
I have suggested the carpet tube, lumber wrap idea before but haven't got much response.. I think everyone thinks I am nuts or something.
Really, except for being crazy for halloween, I'm not that nuts. ha!

I guess it depends where it is set up. I have nothing the size of your plans, my facade is mainly to cover over parts of the house. so I fasten it to the house in a few key areas where i have put perment mounting holes/brackets. (heck iv been doing this for 13+ years so a hard mount point is acceptable). the photo below is the facade inside of the hole for my garage, which mounts to the garage door brackets.

Nothing to do with facades, but related to perment modificaitons to the house/yard, a summer project a few year back, I tunneld under sidewalks with 2 inch pipes to run air lines and electrical. the upcaps have flower pots on top or just an inch underground/grass. dig it up, pull off the cap, blast out all the stinky water, and push thru air and electrical lines. This year plan on making a perment air line connector on the outside wall of the garage so I dont need to run under door. (or if nothing else an use two GFI outdoor covers (one inside out out) to pull thru hoses/electrical/speakers wire as needed. kinda like a super mini doggy door.

Thanks for your thoughts. One side of my facade could be secured to the house possibly, if I can come up with a way to do that without creating problems with my siding. The other side will have no structure to attach to. I have to come up with a plan on how to make the structure quick and easy to erect, and yet sturdy. It may be that guy wires could come into play as well, so long as they aren't too noticeable. Still working through it. And I have tweaked the size to roughly the dimentions of a garage opening- something like 8x8. I'm starting to lean towards a jail cell scene as well.

Dan

The main problem you are going to face are October winds. Even a nice breeze against a structure that size will create a large force. If you could attach it to the house it might be a good idea. Just be careful!