We use Tapcons. Pre-drill with a hammer drill, and masonry bit, and be sure to use washers on the Tapcons to make them easier to remove.
How do you secure walls to floor?
I would like to know how everyone secures their walls to the floor.
Last year I made a major portion of my haunt out of 3x8 sections of walls made from an "8" wood frame with heavy duty cardboard on each side, then covered them with contact paper/wallpaper and distressed them.
They looked awesome, but early in the evening, I had a couple of girls come through and got so scared that they backed up into a wall and moved it several inches backward. The actor on the other side of the wall had to stop the wall from encroaching in his area.
The walls were secured to each other on the side and across the top, but not on the bottom since it was a cement floor.
How do you secure the walls to a cement floor?
Last year I made a major portion of my haunt out of 3x8 sections of walls made from an "8" wood frame with heavy duty cardboard on each side, then covered them with contact paper/wallpaper and distressed them.
They looked awesome, but early in the evening, I had a couple of girls come through and got so scared that they backed up into a wall and moved it several inches backward. The actor on the other side of the wall had to stop the wall from encroaching in his area.
The walls were secured to each other on the side and across the top, but not on the bottom since it was a cement floor.
How do you secure the walls to a cement floor?
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Powder Actuated Tool. The ones that use the .22 cartridge. Load and hit with a hammer. No drilling required
You could build a few small ramps. Basically a 2X4 with plywood (laying on top running in both directions) to tie the walls together. Then run 2X2's or 2X3's across the top of the walls to stiffen things up. This is what we do
To maintain your wall itself from abuse (Like the kind you mentioned) there are a few places that will almost always receive the major impact when someone panics.
I always put some framing along the bottom where someone would hit it if they kicked the wall (intentionally) and also put backing at the" Swinging -a-Punch" level.
Even if you had custom made steel panels they too can get torn making a knife-like hazard for whoever happens to follow. (As explained to me by a guy who tried steel panel walls.
Steel backed up by at least 3/8 plywood on 2 by 4's all screwed together seems to last a long,long time in my 28 yrs.of being open every night of the year.
(Along with keeping the screaming,staggering drunks out) Nobody should need the $ that badly to put up with" them" and the problems they bring.
I always put some framing along the bottom where someone would hit it if they kicked the wall (intentionally) and also put backing at the" Swinging -a-Punch" level.
Even if you had custom made steel panels they too can get torn making a knife-like hazard for whoever happens to follow. (As explained to me by a guy who tried steel panel walls.
Steel backed up by at least 3/8 plywood on 2 by 4's all screwed together seems to last a long,long time in my 28 yrs.of being open every night of the year.
(Along with keeping the screaming,staggering drunks out) Nobody should need the $ that badly to put up with" them" and the problems they bring.
I can't drill into these floors, it is a county promoted event at their cabins in the park. I'm supposed to leave the cabins as we found them.
I did get one person who had told me that they used heavy duty velcro on the floor, so I might give that a try. That and securing the walls better to the foundation walls.
I did get one person who had told me that they used heavy duty velcro on the floor, so I might give that a try. That and securing the walls better to the foundation walls.
whats a tapconWe use Tapcons. Pre-drill with a hammer drill, and masonry bit, and be sure to use washers on the Tapcons to make them easier to remove.
tapcon is a masonry screw.
Have you tried double sided carpet tape? Very sticky. Might be a pain to remove. Silicone caulk would work too. You would just have to let it dry for a few days. It should peal/scrap up off concrete.
Have you tried double sided carpet tape? Very sticky. Might be a pain to remove. Silicone caulk would work too. You would just have to let it dry for a few days. It should peal/scrap up off concrete.
If you use Leonard Pickel's triangle design you should be fine. Every Horrorfind Con haunted house we did was made with his design theory and put up in a hotel meeting room. Meaning NO attachments to structure, period. The haunts were sound and maintained their placement even with multitudes of rowdy convention drunks.
When we built the Fearfest haunt Trevor used a squared design and had problems keeping walls on long hallways maintain stability.
I know your haunt is not as big as that one was, but having worked with both designs I'll swear by Leonard's. And the lack of 90 degree angles confuses patrons and makes scare zones easy to hide.
When we built the Fearfest haunt Trevor used a squared design and had problems keeping walls on long hallways maintain stability.
I know your haunt is not as big as that one was, but having worked with both designs I'll swear by Leonard's. And the lack of 90 degree angles confuses patrons and makes scare zones easy to hide.
Valerie,If you use Leonard Pickel's triangle design you should be fine. Every Horrorfind Con haunted house we did was made with his design theory and put up in a hotel meeting room. Meaning NO attachments to structure, period. The haunts were sound and maintained their placement even with multitudes of rowdy convention drunks.
When we built the Fearfest haunt Trevor used a squared design and had problems keeping walls on long hallways maintain stability.
I know your haunt is not as big as that one was, but having worked with both designs I'll swear by Leonard's. And the lack of 90 degree angles confuses patrons and makes scare zones easy to hide.
would you have a link to Leonard's triangle design? I've seen some online, but would like to take a look at his design.
thanks!!
I'll go check it or for you, ttys
I'm still looking for a layout of his that I saw. But for the most part, for HFW (Horrorfind Weekend) we had the dimensions of the room marked out on graffpaper, then, created the floor plan but at angles rather than squares. The walls were 4x8 plywood on 2x4s, just like Trevor made for Fearfest, with some being double sided, so make sure that the 4ish inches are considered when making corners and angles. So give yourself extra wiggle room We then took those metal strips (name escapes me, have holes in them for screws) that are bendable and used them as brackets/strapping to attach the tops and bottoms of the panels.
Have you watched his "The truth about owning your first haunted attraction" sideshow? I saw this in one of his panel discussions. There is also a good podcast on Scaryvisions' HaunTopic Radio at .com/leonard-pickel/ that is a good listen.
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