Thread: Skeletal sonotube columns

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Wow this is awesome I can totally use this idea at my house thank you!!

Very nice. And I have wanted something for my entrance to my graveyard but haven't had time to buy all the wood and go that route. This idea is easy, quick and $$$ cheap, which fits my personality :>)

I am stealing this idea as well-what do they say-imitation is the highest form of flatery.

Wow! Thank you for this great idea! I built a cemetery arch this year but ran out of time for the columns. I'm going to use this tutorial to finish my cemetery gates for 2012! Thanks!

Thanks for the sonotube idea. I used it on my cemetery columns. I wanted to do the skeleton too, but ran out of time. I used the 12 inch tube for the entry columns and the smaller one (8 inch?) for the others. I made the column tops out of plywood and 2x4s. It just sits over the tube. The bottom is a bit more substantial with the tube going through one "layer" and the second "layer" holding a concrete paver for weight. I was then able to screw u-shaped brackets to the top and bottom 2x4s to clamp over the fence's end posts and archway poles to hold everything in place. The whole thing was very sturdy.







Overall, it cost way more than I was anticipating, though.
I bought:
5 8" Sonotubes at about $7 each
2 12" Sonotubes at about $10 each
7 2x4s at about $3 each
1 piece of scrap plywood at about $3
5 pieces of 2'x3' plywood-like boards (I don't have a truck, so I had to buy would I could fit.) at about $6 each
2 bags of u-shaped brackets (those things to hold conduit pipe) at about $2 each(?)
1 box of screws (plus many I already had) at about $9
1 can of primer which I already had
7 cans of stone texture spray paint (using Michael's 50% coupons) at about $6 each
1 create-your-own sign at about $5
Column Cost for 2 larger/5 smaller columns: $169.00

The pieces to create the pvc fence cost:
30(??) pieces of 10' 1/2 pvc at about $2 each
Lots of pipe connection pieces at about $35
10 pieces of 1x2 wood at about $1 each
1 can of black exterior paint at about $20
2 cans of black spray paint at about $1 each
125 (realized I only needed 85) finials with shipping at about $45
1 special set of hole boring bits which I won't count in the total but cost about $50
1 heat gun which I won't count in the total but cost about $15
Fence Cost for 5 8' sections: $172

Total Fence/Column cost: About $341.

That is one of the best sets that I have seen (and will copy....)!!!!