[wensteve]

I've got two of these Hockey net things (and I just gave it away that I'm a chick) that I would love to make into an archway like in the picture below. If I use spray foam, will the skulls stick or just fall out? I was thinking of using cardboard as the backing on the net and then using spray foam which I would later paint the greyish colour as seen in the picture. I'd stick the skulls in the foam just before it sets.

Instead of making one big archway I was just going to make two separate ones and put them on either side of my front entrance.

Do you think this will work or will the skulls just fall out once it drys? I could use spray adhesive on the skulls just before putting them in place I guess too...will this work or does anyone have a better idea? I just figured this would be the easiest method but I am open to suggestions.

Thanks!!

 

[Blarghity]

Forget the hockey net things.

Make a frame with 2x3 lumber for sturdiness and stability. Skin it with 1/4 inch hardboard, then build up the rocky surface texture with great stuff. I would add a screw with wide washer here and there before applying the great stuff. Leave the screw head and washer protruding to act as an anchor for the foam in case the hardboard surface has too much loose fiber strands to allow good surface adhesion. actually, with the screw anchors, you can work on it in small sections, allowing you to embed the skulls as the foam is expanding, giving you better adhesion for the skulls, too. Because of the anchor screws, you don't need to worry too much about whether the foam adheres to itself section to section, either. I would suggest using hollow/blowmold type skulls - it will reduce weight and you can drill holes in the back of them, allowing the foam to expand to some extent into the holes to act as an anchor.

 

[Hallomarine]

I agree with Blarghity - forget the the hockey net things

However, I would suggest using pegboard instead of the solid fiber board. This way you can use some sort of spike through the holes to hold on a styrofoam skull - spike it into position. Maybe a 16penny nail and a washer? Then you can great stuff around the skulls. Painting would be fairly easy as the entire wall can be painted, then the skulls could be dry-brushed for whatever colors you wish, detailed as much as you want. Good luck however you choose to do it. It sounds like a cool project.
HM

 

[Yorkshire Ghost]

it looks a bit narrow to walk through, so if that is the idea, please discount the rest of what i am going to say....

i think it would work with foam and the skulls. if you laid the net down on some cardboard (leaving plenty around as the foam does expand) and leave the net in place. if you then squirted the foam, then stuck the skulls in (i would suggest after a few minutes to let the foam expand a bit) then when dry you could cut the net bit out of the middle.

WARNING - if you have never used foam before, beware - wear gloves and old clothes - it gets everywhere and is hard to clean up. squirt it little by little as well. you need to read a few other threads on foam before starting as there are some (parden the pun) horror stories on here about when it goes wrong!!

 

[Kelly_A]

I think trying to press the skulls into the almost cured foam will just cause it collapse and make a mess. Remember the foam cures from the outside in so there'll be a hard "skin" first. I vote anchor the skulls somehow (maybe blocks of foam, cut foam coffee cups, etc. beneath to raise them off the backer board?) then foam around.

 

[Yorkshire Ghost]

kelly_a is right. i didn't mean leave it too long, just long enough for it to start rising, however stacking the skulls on blocks would be a better idea

 

[Sinister Sid]

If you really want to embed the skulls in the foam, I would put the hockey net flat on the ground on top of a drop cloth of some type. I would wrap the nets with chicken wire (the type that looks like a bunch of tiny squares) first. Then I would secure the skulls using wire or hot glue to the chicken wire. Then I would spray the expanding foam around all the skulls and let the expanding stuff work it's magic. If it expands too much in any area you could cut it down and/or sand it down to what you like. The expanding foam should grab the skulls and secure them in place. If you don't secure the skulls to the chicken wire before spraying the expanding foam they might not stay were you want them. As the foam expands it will push the skulls in all sorts of directions. If the foam does not grab the skulls, the skulls will at least create a perfect spot to glue them after the foam cures. I hope this make sense?