# Obelisk for under $6



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I found some .25" foam boards covered in paper at the Dollar Tree, and picked up 4 of them. They were around 24 x 18 inches.

I had some scrap styrofoam from another project.

I sat down on Friday night and made this:










I have the first round of joint compound on it to smooth the edges, and it's getting a coating of my textured paint soon that should hide all of the other edges and make it look like stone. (I use a blend of latex paint and mortar mix - it's sort of a take-off on monster mud).

I didn't follow any plans, just winged it. It stands just under 4 feet tall, which should be perfect for my smaller sized graveyard. I made it all one piece, and will secure it with stakes into the ground (and possible coat hangers bent into a U shape and driven in as spikes).

I'll post an update once it's painted, but I thought this was pretty nifty since I made this for under $6 - 4 for the foamboard and $2 for the glue, compound, caulk and paint (prorated).


----------



## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

Wow! I wish I could put together something like that in one night.
The obelisk looks excellent!! Great job!!
I'd like to eventually make one someday.


----------



## Cassie7 (Sep 5, 2007)

It looks great! I really like your triangular molding piece around the base of the spire. I was going to put a small square one around mine but I think I may do what you did. It looks killer. Great job!


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

Cassie7 said:


> It looks great! I really like your triangular molding piece around the base of the spire. I was going to put a small square one around mine but I think I may do what you did. It looks killer. Great job!


That was a happy accident. I felt like the spire was too small meeting up with the lower base, and was originally going to just make a squared off one like all the other spires I've seen, but when I was trying to figure out how much larger to make the trim, I leaned one of th pieces against the spire itself... and it looked really good, so I just cut the pieces to make an angled molding. 

I got inspired to work on one of these because of your post about your obelisk, so thanks!


----------



## billman (May 1, 2006)

Wow....ummm....Wow!!! Excellent Job!!!


----------



## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Looks great! What an awesome $6 prop!


----------



## bethene (Feb 12, 2007)

what a great prop, Frankie, I have thought about making one of those but never got around to it, after looking at how great yours looks, I have another want to do thing to add to my list!


----------



## noahbody (Sep 20, 2003)

Very, very nice FG!


----------



## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

Excellent work, FG!!! And such a steal!!


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

*Update!*

Here it is almost finished. I have the base coat of paint, and some shading started.










I had to leave it alone and let it dry because I was going to start screwing up the paint surface.  It still needs basic shading at the bottom, and I'm thinking of adding some spanish moss around the base of the spire.


----------



## voodoo willy (Feb 1, 2008)

Looks great...Got to make me a couple of those.


----------



## cerinad (Jun 13, 2008)

That looks really good! I really need to make one of those for my grave yard... So much stuff to do ans so little time..Maybe I'll find the time. Anyways great job!!!


----------



## doutcha (Oct 19, 2007)

so clever very nice n looks so real the spanish moss will just complete it its great


----------



## Clad In Shadows (Mar 21, 2007)

that's one great looking obelisk . Sweet !
Very,VERY nice.


----------



## RookieSpooker (Aug 11, 2007)

*I'm REALLY gonna' have to start checking the Dollar Stores around here. That is a GREAT stone.*


----------



## ivanalotta (Aug 2, 2008)

wow! I'm in awe... and sooooo jealous. If I did one, it would look like a child painted it.


----------



## kevin242 (Aug 30, 2005)

its beautiful. I'm a little jealous... Three cheers for scrap styrofoam!


----------



## BallstonManor (Jul 31, 2008)

Yet another reason I'm glad I found this site so long ago! Awesome obe!


----------



## Wyatt Furr (Aug 27, 2005)

very nice
great prop for a little money
keep up the good work


----------



## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

Excellent work! Boy, the quality around here just gets better and better. You guys are totally putting the commercial market stuff to shame.


----------



## MorticiaAndGomez (May 7, 2007)

Winging it? WOW. If it's as easy as you make it look, I might get the nerve up to attempt one. Nice job!


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

*UPDATE - paint finished!*

Thanks so much for the compliments! I did just eyeball the other sites' plans and decided to wing it since they seemed so detailed (and I pretty much do the dumbed down versions). 

Here are the finished paint job pics:










And a close up detail of the paint/surface. I use mortar mix blended into the base coat of paint, and it does a fantastic job of making a stone effect along with hiding flaws in the surface.


----------



## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

That's fantastic FG! Think you could post us a little how-to in the tutorials section?


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I didn't really do any pics that would help with a tutorial, sorry! I just cut the forms out with a utility knife, used wood glue and pins to hold it together until it dried, then used joint compound and caulk to seal the joints and smooth the surfaces.

As far as the paint job:

Base coat of medium gray latex with the mortar mix mixed into it. I keep the blend to where it is still fluid but the mortar is thick enough to see while applying, and apply with a roller brush. You can use a brush, but do a crosshatching to make sure that the brush strokes don't show as much. 

Once the base has dried, use a smaller brush to drybrush dark gray/black into the areas that need to appear weathered. Crosshatching really brings the grain up. (criss-crossing with the dry brush)

Use a sponge (a regular old kitchen rectangle), dampened and dip in white paint, blot off the excess and then blot onto the highpoints. Go back over with a clean/rinsed damp sponge to knock down the edges and blend the white into the surface.


----------



## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Thanks! I'm assuming you peeled the paper off the foamcore before building?


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

Rikki said:


> Thanks! I'm assuming you peeled the paper off the foamcore before building?


Nope. It wasn't made to peel off; it's the foamboards you would get for a kid's class project. The paper actually helped keep the board stable, and the latex had no problems sticking to it.


----------



## rockplayson (Jun 7, 2008)

That's really nice. Great job. Will you be my new mommy (or daddy)?


----------



## Oldsguy350 (Jul 8, 2008)

very nice Frankie, I like the advice on the painting technique. One more trick of the trade to put into practice.


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

Detail photos of the underside so you can sort of see the construction:










The top of the square base is sealed off from the pointed top part - I built it in two pieces, but it's glued up to be solid. It is constructed from the quarter inch foam board, but the other foam you see is just scrap florist foam I had left over from another project and attached to make molding trim.



Close-up detail of the bottom edge.


----------



## Lurks in the shadows (Mar 12, 2005)

Wow! Those are nice! As good looking as the crazy expensive props, and far better looking than anything anywhere near what it cost you to make! 
Very professional props, and great use of materials!


----------



## Skulkin (Jul 27, 2005)

O.K., lay the guilt trip on me, I've had this wire frame from some garden thing that I have been going to put stryofoam on to make an obelisk forever. Seeing how nice yours turned out, FrankiesGirl, I'll have to get working on it. Thanks for the inspiration.


----------



## Curlgoddess (Sep 23, 2008)

FrankiesGirl, that looks awesome! Great work! 

I just used some of that paper cover foam, for the first time, for a project that I'm working on. I love it. Cheap and sturdy.

I'm wondering though, since it's covered in paper if props intended for outdoor use should be weather proofed?


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

Curlgoddess said:


> FrankiesGirl, that looks awesome! Great work!
> 
> I just used some of that paper cover foam, for the first time, for a project that I'm working on. I love it. Cheap and sturdy.
> 
> I'm wondering though, since it's covered in paper if props intended for outdoor use should be weather proofed?



As it's just a light covering of paper over foam - as long as you used waterproof glue and latex paint, it probably would be fine; it can withstand light weather conditions. But heavy rains or even snow, and you'd want to pull it up and stick it inside for the duration.


----------



## TK421 (Mar 27, 2009)

Well, I am starting my obelisk today. I'll take some pics and start a new thread when I have something to show!


----------



## JohnnyAppleseed (Sep 17, 2008)

FG, I'm a fan...thanls for making it look so easy for another "non-engineer type who wants a obelisk" haunter! Terrific job, and the morter/paint mixture is a great idea....love how it turned out!


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I remembered something else that might help if you attempt this using the foamboards:

When using your utility knife, angle the blade so the edges are sort of mitered. It helps when you match up the pieces to make the edges look less obvious. I held my knife at something like a 30-45 degree angle on all the cuts, and while the edges weren't PERFECT, they went together well enough and were covered easily with caulking/paint.

Caulk every join and edge and then use a damp rag or your finger to smooth the caulk.


----------



## LadyAlthea (Sep 11, 2008)

now thats a project i can handle! i love it! how much paint do you thin k it took? half gallon? 1/4 gallon? is that a pint? lol 

and how much of the other stuff? a cup? I really want to try this. i could make a fake bench i bet using this stuff. 

if you wanted to give it a weather coat, i wonder what would work best? they need to sell a clear, matte, plastic spray.


----------



## davy2 (Sep 10, 2008)

wow, FG, fantastic job!!!


----------



## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Just wondering on the weather-proofing subject...what if you used gray Drylok as your base coat? That would eliminate the need for the mortar and it would add some extra rigidity. Just a thought.


----------



## JustWhisper (Nov 16, 2008)

Thanks FG. I went and bought my foam board a few days ago at the dollar store. Now I just need to suddenly get brilliant.


----------



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I used a plastic butter container to mix the paint/mortar (so you can slap a lid on it if you want to take a break). I think at most it was a cup or two of paint, and then add in half a cup of the sand or mortar mix to the paint and stir it up really well. I don't remember it taking that much paint, and in fact had enough left over to do some cardboard fence columns.

As long as it's latex house paint, you really wouldn't need a sealant, but the drylok would be good if you live in a snowy/rainy area - much better than a few coats of the latex. (and the do sell a clear matte sealant, just can't remember the brand name)

The caulk I remember only took one standard tube like for the bathtub/tile size.





LadyAlthea said:


> now thats a project i can handle! i love it! how much paint do you thin k it took? half gallon? 1/4 gallon? is that a pint? lol
> 
> and how much of the other stuff? a cup? I really want to try this. i could make a fake bench i bet using this stuff.
> 
> if you wanted to give it a weather coat, i wonder what would work best? they need to sell a clear, matte, plastic spray.


----------

