# Need help how to make tomstones stay up against strong winds.



## osenator (Nov 3, 2009)

I need help trying to figure out how make my tombstone secured from the wind for next year. I have now 19 tombstone, all different in sizes and one zombie sortatombstone. I notice some are made of various kind of styrofoam, all bought from vaious stores over the last 4 years. 

Dealing with the wind is the most headach for us (I rather deal with snow actually than wind). This halloween, more than 60% of my props were ripped apart due to extreme winds. 

I thought I was being smart this year by buying heavy duty velcro and gluing it to the wood poles and attach the tombstone to it (gluing one side to the tombstone, the other side to the wood pegs). 

Sadly, it only worked on half of the them. The glue of the velcro came undone when it rain more than two days in a row. 

Here what I tried and did not work well up to date.

Velcro, green tape, ducktape, clear tape, and white glue. 

I still didn't try my gluegun yet on the tombstone, because I think it would be hard to store my tombstone if the wood pegs would be permanate be stuck on them.

Do you any suggestions and wich techniques did you used to make your tomstones wind resistant? 

Thank you for any help you can offer.


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## Wolfbeard (Sep 22, 2008)

I have used sections of 1" pvc pipe attached to the back of the tombstones with Liquid Nails for Projects. This does not attack the foam. Then I drive a piece of re-bar into the ground and slip the pipe over the re-bar. It works like a charm.

Eric


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## Boo Baby (Oct 7, 2008)

There is a tutorial or thread in here somewhere with ideas of how to wind-proof your tombstones. We used the idea that I found on here which is similar to what Wolfbeard did.

What we ended up doing was gluing plywood to the back of the tombstones and then screwing in metal pipe fitters. We were going to use the PVC piping but we didn't do that step. We just screwed the fitters into the plywood in line and then staked the ground with the rebar and then fed the rebar through the pipe fittings. A coat of grey paint and voila, you could hardly see it and it worked great!! 

We only lost one in a huge windstorm we had and that was only due to the fact that the glue hadn't set completely...all we had left standing was the plywood and rebar...lol

I attached a pic because in case I'm not describing it very well...lol


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## HallowSusieBoo (Aug 11, 2009)

*Hallow and we too have battled Mother Nature's furious winds nearly every Halloween. Just when we think we have thought up a new way to hold 'em down - poof! Off they fly! We have tried invisable fishing line strung down over the top of the stones at all angles and staked into the ground, re-painting all the stones with Styro coat or DryLock to add weight, lashed them to poles, sticks, rebar, even put bricks on top! (unsightly and not reliable as even these topple off when the stones lift up and flop over...) WE have even given up on buying the store stones and totally make our own now, using the thickest foam panels we can get our hands on. . . Otherwise - we are always on the lookout for sales on garden angels, garden stone statuary - anything made of real or real-ish stone. Urgh!

I love Wolfbeard's rebar and PVC idea - and that sounds like the perfect solution - BUT - for some of the delicate stones - especially the thinner store bought ones - even the wind will rip the styro foam away from the plastic PVC in 30-35 mph gusts. We have used a few other techniques - but I feel the only way to go is to build up the back of the styrofoam with... you guessed it ... STONE! 

Next year - we are going to build our styrofoam stones around bricks, rocks, boulders or cement building blocks - anything rock solid and HEAVY. The rebar or thinner metal dowel/pipe will be inserted deep inside the foam and then pounded into the ground with metal stakes bracing each side at the base. . . 

After that - I give up. The only thing left to do short of raiding a nearby cemetery is to start ordering the real thing from your friendly nearby stone mason. After all the work that goes into securing a yard full of fake headstones - you will probably feel like being buried six feet under with your own authentic headstone! LOL!!

Good luck and let us all know how you make out! 

BOO! *


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## HallowSusieBoo (Aug 11, 2009)

*BOO BABY has the right idea! Great links and we have also tried the plywood method. Works great for most stones - but the wood can get a bit pricey. OF course - so does anything else we do. . . 
I have even tried duct tape and taping the entire stone or monolith to a pipe in the ground. Maybe I should note that we live within the geographical lines of what some Ohioans refer to as Tornado Alley!*


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## The Pod (May 19, 2008)

I cut plywood the shape of the tombstone and glue it to the back. Then I attach 2 pieces of 1/2" pvc spaced 10" apart to the plywood. I have a block of wood 8" high with 2 holes 10" apart (to match the spacing on the tombstones). I place the wood where I want to stand the tombstone, insert 2 16" sections of rebar and pound them flush with the top of the block. Pull off the block of wood, slide on the tombstone. Since they are all spaced the same I don't waste any time trying to line up the spacing of the rebar and I can swap stone around without having to repound in rebar. I have been doing this for the past 12 years and haven't lost anything even with 60-70 mph wind storms. The only damage I've gotten is from large tree limbs breaking from the wind and falling onto the props/tombstones.


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## HallowSusieBoo (Aug 11, 2009)

*Oh POD!!! ME Likey this idea! 
You may have saved us all! 
Take THAT Mother Nature!!*


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## osenator (Nov 3, 2009)

Thank you already for all the info, will try to put maybe wood and rebars. 
What kind of glue you guys used for the wood or anything to stay glued to the styrofoam? I tried various, and like I mention, after one or two days or rain, some of the tombstone obsorb the water so much, that the glue simply stop working on the them. Maybe I need to coat also the tomstones with something?


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## savagehaunter (Aug 22, 2009)

I use the PVC on the back and rebar pounded into the ground method.


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## operatingnurse (Aug 22, 2009)

I saw a method somewhere on the web where you put the rebar in the ground next to the tombstone on the sides and then run fishing line around all three pieces together. That way you get the stability but the rebar isn't attached to the tombstone.

I use Wolfbeard's method and it has been rock soild!


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## Tumblindice (Aug 19, 2008)

I found this method on here which is the hot glue the pvc to the stones and use rebar to anchor into the ground. Held up in 50+ mile an hour winds this year. The pics are not my stones but shows exactly what I do.
The only difference that I do is use the gray electrical conduit it is cheaper and there is no need to paint. I think 3/4 inch by 10ft runs $1.65.


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## Deadna (Oct 19, 2002)

I always drill out a hole INSIDE the stone with one of those spade/paddle bits that we use to drill the holes for our fencing and shove a piece of sharpened PVC into it. My homemade stones are 2" thick so there is no problem with getting a piece of PVC in there. The store bought ones are thinner so I just glue a piece of foam to the back to thicken it up,paint to match and then drill out a hole in the bottom...actually I drill 2 holes if the stone is a big one. Then I just slip the stone over rebar and have never had a problem.


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## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

I also do the PVC pipe in the center of the stone and then use rebar pounded into the ground. 


Here's a picture of how it looks before I cut off the PVC pipe excess. I cut channels out of both sides of the foam. Glue in a PVC pipe and then glue the two sides of the stone together.


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## MokkNoir (Oct 19, 2009)

*Wooden Stakes*

I've used plywood as my backing and cut a stake from wood scraps that I screwed to the back of the plywood. I just use my hammer to pound the stake into the ground. Job is done!


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## Guest (Dec 3, 2009)

I, also, glue PVC pipe inside channels of my stones. But instead of placing it over rebar, I use wooden dowels. works great for me.


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## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

Wolfbeard said:


> I have used sections of 1" pvc pipe attached to the back of the tombstones with Liquid Nails for Projects. This does not attack the foam. Then I drive a piece of re-bar into the ground and slip the pipe over the re-bar. It works like a charm.
> 
> Eric


That's exactly what we've done and it works great.


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## Bryan316 (Oct 18, 2009)

A few tricks we did.

We went to Harbor Freight and bought those 24" long drill bits, and drilled out the cord of our tombstones. Then we used those el-cheapo green bamboo garden stakes. They worked... for a while.

Now, I like the glued PVC backing. If ya blob up the top and bottom ends to the back of the tombstone, it'll hold like crazy. But if you guys plan to use rebar (which works wonderfully for our celtic cross and obelisk, by the way...) you should hammer one end of each rebar over to make an L shape, about 2 inches long. This gives you a good end to hammer down into the ground with a mallet, and also keeps the stone from sliding up off the rebar.

So buy gray electrical PVC 1/2" pipe, 6-foot rebars, and liquid nails projects. Chop the pipe into 12" sections, and the rebar into 24" sections. Plenty of length to hold in the soil and hold down the tombstones.


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

Hubby made me some stands so I put the tombstone down on them then stake them with tent stakes.This year I am converting my ts to 3 inch styrofoam and plan on using wooden dowels.I have also duct taped them to pvc that is pounded in the ground-belive me they don't budge I love duct tape.


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## TWISTER10 (Oct 15, 2020)

The Pod said:


> I cut plywood the shape of the tombstone and glue it to the back. Then I attach 2 pieces of 1/2" pvc spaced 10" apart to the plywood. I have a block of wood 8" high with 2 holes 10" apart (to match the spacing on the tombstones). I place the wood where I want to stand the tombstone, insert 2 16" sections of rebar and pound them flush with the top of the block. Pull off the block of wood, slide on the tombstone. Since they are all spaced the same I don't waste any time trying to line up the spacing of the rebar and I can swap stone around without having to repound in rebar. I have been doing this for the past 12 years and haven't lost anything even with 60-70 mph wind storms. The only damage I've gotten is from large tree limbs breaking from the wind and falling onto the props/tombstones.



What did you use to secure the plywood to the Styrofoam?


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## PatBo (Jul 19, 2020)

osenator said:


> I need help trying to figure out how make my tombstone secured from the wind for next year. I have now 19 tombstone, all different in sizes and one zombie sortatombstone. I notice some are made of various kind of styrofoam, all bought from vaious stores over the last 4 years.
> 
> Dealing with the wind is the most headach for us (I rather deal with snow actually than wind). This halloween, more than 60% of my props were ripped apart due to extreme winds.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you either need to repair or rebuild your tombstones, or start over.
I'm out in the country and winds are a real problem.
First off I don't leave my graveyard out for more than Halloween simply because the weather here can be part quite harsh & I've worked too hard to have weather destroy my work or leave them unattended and they disappear.
That being said, I build in PVC pipes, the taller the stone the longer the PVC pipe. I now make my tombstones at least three layers of foam deep.
I use loctite's pl premium to adhere the layers of foam because it's the only adhesive that's actually designed for foam to foam application.
Since I build my own stones I tend to build them closer to life size and always at least 3" thick, but I do enough the challenge of making larger stones.
I also like to work in the round ( my term for, I want them to look good from all sizes, not just the front & I paint so they like ok good during daylight also.).
I also build in a tiered base, it looks more architectural and ads to the width at the base and helps with stability. I also use spray foam to create rocks or dirt at the base and then hot glue moss on the bottom.
I've attached a few pics to help you understand what I'm trying to say.
If you look at the " vacancy" tombstone I actually built a PVC pipe into that, It's not directly up and down unfortunately so it's a little tricky to stake, But but as you can see, since it's sitting ony sidewalk, it can stand on its own without staking, which helps with storage because they don't bump each other but it also means it takes more space up to store. So you really need to take into account how you want to store your tombstones and that space before you work actually address your build. 
Some of my first tombstones don't have bases or PVC pipes inside, but are capable of standing independently but only in the house where there's no wind. I did go back and re work many so I can stake them into the ground.
I now go for full versatility so they all can stand independently in the house or be staked out in the yard & that took me years to learn.
My top three favorite YouTube videos & web sites for builds and inspiration are, scary lady videos, Davis graveyard, stiltzbeast studios & I believe it's Van oaks is quickly becoming my 4th favorite.


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## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

PatBo said:


> My top three favorite YouTube videos & web sites for builds and inspiration are, scary lady videos, Davis graveyard, stiltzbeast studios & I believe it's Van oaks is quickly becoming my 4th favorite.
> 
> 
> View attachment 745074


Thanks for the shout out and I wanted to let you know that I think your design of having the stones emerge from the ground like you have here is brilliant!


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## PatBo (Jul 19, 2020)

Terra said:


> Thanks for the shout out and I wanted to let you know that I think your design of having the stones emerge from the ground like you have here is brilliant!


Thank you, I appreciate all that you've done for the haunt community. You're truly an inspiration to us all


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## Meadow (Apr 14, 2019)

I usually have 15-20 mph winds every Halloween. I have bought Velcro which I gorilla glue to the tombstones and then take the other piece of Velcro and attach it to a wide tent stake. I usually pick them up after summer on clearance. I haven’t lost one yet. But, I also don’t have heavy tombstones. Good luck! Lots of great solutions!


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## Therewolf (Aug 31, 2015)

I live in NW Indiana, near lake Michigan, so winds are always an issue. My tombstones have evolved over the years. My current setup is a sheet of plywood with 1/2"-3/4" extruded foam on the front for carving and detail, then 2" expanded foam on the back for thickness. The key is I have 2 x 3/4" PVC tubes screwed to the plywood before the back foam goes on. All my tombstones have the exact same spacing on the tubes so they are interchangeable. I use the vinyl coated tomato stakes cut to length and hammered into the ground. I chose these because in really high winds the stakes will bend over, and not rip out of the tombstone. they are cheap to replace. They also do not rust as rebar will. I had to re-glue the foam on a few tombstones last year so you can see the internal construction. I now use spray foam as the adhesive between layers. The Liquid nails gave out after a few years soaking in the October rains.










They even survived a snow storm in 2019


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## The Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

Therewolf said:


> I live in NW Indiana, near lake Michigan, so winds are always an issue. My tombstones have evolved over the years. My current setup is a sheet of plywood with 1/2"-3/4" extruded foam on the front for carving and detail, then 2" expanded foam on the back for thickness. The key is I have 2 x 3/4" PVC tubes screwed to the plywood before the back foam goes on. All my tombstones have the exact same spacing on the tubes so they are interchangeable. I use the vinyl coated tomato stakes cut to length and hammered into the ground. I chose these because in really high winds the stakes will bend over, and not rip out of the tombstone. they are cheap to replace. They also do not rust as rebar will. I had to re-glue the foam on a few tombstones last year so you can see the internal construction. I now use spray foam as the adhesive between layers. The Liquid nails gave out after a few years soaking in the October rains.
> 
> View attachment 745485
> 
> ...


I came up with basically the same solution for my tombstones. I posted this thread over a year ago on how I did it... Windproof styrofoam tombstones

So weird that two different people on these boards would come up with the same solution. Btw, I used Great Stuff as an adhesive. I'm only two years in on some of these tombstones, but it's worked perfectly. Not sure about what will happen a few years down the road.


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## Therewolf (Aug 31, 2015)

The Joker said:


> I came up with basically the same solution for my tombstones. I posted this thread over a year ago on how I did it... Windproof styrofoam tombstones
> 
> So weird that two different people on these boards would come up with the same solution. Btw, I used Great Stuff as an adhesive. I'm only two years in on some of these tombstones, but it's worked perfectly. Not sure about what will happen a few years down the road.


@The Joker , I posted on your thread with my full build history last year. This subject tends to get recycled every year or so. "Great minds think alike"


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## IowaGuy (Jul 30, 2012)

I've been using left over mdf board lately and using new mounts (pictured). Those r also gorilla glued down. I was using the pvc and glue idea mentioned a million times in here but the glue kept breaking on windy days so I'll prolly be switching to mdf for a bit


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