These durable faux stone columns work indoors or outdoors in your haunted house setup. They're ideal for showcasing pumpkins, Halloween decorations, or even potted plants for any occasion.
For the column top, use an old tortilla container and trim off the excess edges. The main body is a cardboard Sonotube, commonly used for concrete footings and available at home improvement stores.
Attach the trimmed tortilla container to the top of the Sonotube and secure it with Gorilla Glue.
Open one side of a pool noodle and slide it into the bottom of the Sonotube. Apply Gorilla Glue to ensure it adheres securely. Allow it to dry completely.
Place the Sonotube assembly with the pool noodle onto a square Styrofoam base. Center it and trace its outline with a permanent marker. Remove the tube.
Along the traced circle on the Styrofoam base, insert toothpicks about half an inch deep (as shown in the image).
Coat the toothpicks with Gorilla Glue and slide the pool noodles over them. This secure combination anchors everything firmly. Let it dry.
Coat the entire column with a 1/4-inch layer of smooth Monster Mud mixture. (The latex paint in Monster Mud makes it waterproof.) Add overlapping stripes for realistic texture on the sides, as shown. Cover the bottom sufficiently to conceal any printed designs. Let dry.
Get instructions to make Monster Mud.
If your column is white, apply a full gray base coat using a mix of black and white craft paint. For premixed Monster Mud, you may skip this. Add random shadows transitioning from dark to light for depth, mimicking multicolored marble.
Using a sponge or crumpled cheesecloth, lightly apply at least two colors to the surface, allowing base tones to peek through. White and brown create a pale marble look.
With a fine-tip brush (1/2-inch or smaller), drag white and brown in random diagonals from top to bottom for authentic veining. Let dry.
For added realism, apply diluted brown craft paint drops, letting them run into cracks and edges for weathered detail. Finish with faux moss if desired.
Get instructions on how to make faux moss from dryer lint.
