Thread: Which foam for tombstones?

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I noticed a big difference in the type of 2" foam I'm finding. I noticed one of the big box stores carries a white foam that is foil faced. First, this is cheap regular styrofoam with the large internal bead pattern and second, you have to remove the facing.

The other type of foam is extruded polystyrene and pink with no facing. It seems much denser. I am assuming that the white stuff is useless, but correct me if I'm wrong. I intend to make everything out of the pink since I would think it is stronger, has a finer texture, etc.

I'll correct you .. you are wrong , the white stuff is not useless all my projects have been made with only white foam it is harder to deal with for fine details but if you take your time anything can be done with the white stuff, these are all white foamed tombstones

Most people use either blue or pink to do their tombstones, and each Styrofoam is used for a different purpose on mostly construction jobs. Though some may be better than others to use for tombstones, all of them, as ihauntu proved using white, can be used to create intricate tombstones for your graveyard scene.

Thanks. Does Ihauntu have any tutorials on their tombstones? I can get a lot out of pictures. I worried that the white was also too light, but looking at closeup pics I can see how someone did the detail work.

The white takes some getting used to but the results can work out nicely, at least in my opinion.
I made this (out of white foam) for my son and it turned out exactly how I wanted it.

Executioner costume for my 4yr old son

A very sharp straight edge knife and a shop-vac are necessities for this stuff, imo.

I made all my tombstones with this stuff too. I am going to try out the pink (or blue) stuff for once but I couldn't find any at the local Lowe's. I'll have to check HD.

I went to a Home Depot near my home in central NC. I have 5 or 6 within easy driving distance of work or home. One of them has 2" pink extruded polystrene, excellent! Funny how not all stores carry the same thing.

I know you can order it. I spent a lot of trying trying to get 1" polyisocyanurate (this is expanded not extruded) for my house and found it impossible to find in NC. This is the yellow stuff that is very much like the green foam used by florists. It has the highest R value of any foam board per inch and I need it for insulation. It has foil facing, so is also a radiant barrier. I finally asked someone in the contracter department to explain to me why since they sell it in NJ or wherever, they can't transfer it to my store? Finally, they saw it my way. So anything they carry in any store anywhere, or can order from another local building supply place, they can get for you. Just talk to the right person.

The 2" extruded boards (pink or blue) are expensive, I believe $25-$30 per 4'x8' board, but it seems worth it and you can get several tombstones per board without having to double up.

For our tombstones we get a piece of the white stuff that is 2" or 3" thick and then glue on a sheet of the pink or blue stuff (1" thick). We use gorilla glue. This process creates stones that are more realistic in thickness but still provides the easy-to-carve surface that the blue or pink stuff provides. If you cut out the overal shape of the stone after you have glued the pieces together then the seam is very hard to see, especially if you rough of the edges of the stone a little bit.

there are so many tutorials on tombstones i have never posted instructions as most of the techniques I use are similar to this one
www.hedstorm.net/HAUNT/instructions/tombstones/
I use many adornments to add to my tombstones , Christmas is actually the best time to shop for halloween tombstone materials , things like cheribs ,crosses and those kind of adornments are eaisier to find and put on your tombstones , going to garage sales and finding plastic carved ornate frames, mirrors or other decorative things can be put onto your stones use PL 300 to bond trhings to your stones found at any Hardware store. check my other styro projects for details on my profile pics.

Yes the Pink and Blue Styrofoam is a bit stronger but the white stryfoam still makes fine Halloween tombstones. The white is more reactive to the ecthing of spray paint and acetone than the Pink or blue whereas the denser styrofoam is somewhat better for carving with dremel tools.
But by all means you can make great Halloween tombstone props from both kinds these foams! We always pickup every stray piece we find in the ditches and turn them into some kind of headstone!

The white foam is usable, but you would want to also purchase (or make) a foam cutter. It will make cutting the foam so much easier.