# Any interest in a front yard corn maze tutorial?



## BarryJ (Oct 17, 2009)

Yes, please. This is something I've thought of doing for 4-5 years. I would love to see your ideas.


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## internet troll (Nov 7, 2014)

I would be interested.


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## Momof2! (Oct 29, 2015)

I would love to see a tutorial.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Ok. Will do.


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## VenomStorm (Aug 11, 2016)

Yes, I would love to see this done step by step.


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## Zombie4* (Aug 29, 2015)

Im also interested.


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## sister (Aug 12, 2014)

Oh yes please, very much!


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## Shadow Panther (Apr 4, 2013)

count me in!!!!


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## diajoh (Sep 25, 2010)

I'd be interested, too.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Ok, sorry for the late start on this but life has gotten in the way and I have lost a couple of weekends. I will post what I have so far, as well as the next steps in the process. Post any questions.

Step 1: Measure your area thoroughly so that you know how much you have to work with. I cannot reiterate how important this is in planning. 
Step 2: Transfer your measurements onto paper and make a template of your area.
















Step 3: I take what I have and lay out the proposed path onto my yard. This year it happened to be branches from a tree I had cut down but hey, they were accessible and easy to move around if once down I needed to adjust anything, which did happen.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Another pic of the layout with the sticks.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Step 4: Once I was happy with the layout it was time to begin installing the "T" posts. I install them at the entrances and at the ends of each corner and wall of corn were there is a "U" turn as these areas require more sturdy structure as they take more abuse and will be hit or brushed up by those moving thru the maze. In between the "T" posts is where I put the 2x2x4 posts roughly 5 feet apart for the intermediate support for the corn stalks on the longer runs. Anything longer than 5 feet makes the corn really floppy and not want to stay upright.

View attachment 358769


View attachment 358777


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

One more of the layout after the posts are up.

View attachment 358785


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

I guess I should post a materials list, huh? I have never done one of these so I apologize for the disorganization with this. 

1) 7 foot "T" posts (I purchased mine from Home Depot as the were the most reasonably priced) for the ends, sharp turns, and corners for main maze support. I chose 7 foot so that I would have a 6 foot high support after they were in the ground.
2) 2x2x4ft wood posts cut to a point at one end. I made mine by cutting 2x4x8 pieces of wood in half both ways to make 4-2x2x4 posts.
3) LOTS of heavy duty twine. I was lucky enough to get a supply from the farmer I got the corn from last year so I cannot advise as to where to get this from. 
4) Corn stalks. Most areas have farmers that grown corn for either consumption of the corn ears by humans or for deer corn for hunters. Depending on where you get from it may be free or may be a small charge. You could also ask around local haunts to see if they grown their fields full then cut it down or plant based on their layout for that year. If they cut down the stalks then they might offer to you for free. I pay a little bit for mine but the guy delivers on his trailer and lets me have it until I am done harvesting the ears off the stalks for his deer corn business. I have yet to come up with a formula for how much corn nets a certain amount of feet of wall. It really depends on the health of the stalks. You can never have too much though.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Once the wooden posts are up, take the string and tie it to an end post on a straight run and then as you go down loop it around each wooden post, then the other end "T" post, then come back around the opposite way, looping around the wooden posts along the way. Do one about 6 inches above the ground and then another higher up about at the top of the wooden posts. This will create a channel to put the stalks in.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

The trick when you are putting the stalks in is to twist the string to create pressure and pinch the stalk into place. Alternate twisting forward and backward. It will get really tight toward the end and that's fine. That is why you don't want to get the string too tight when first running it around the posts. It will tighten up on its own when you twist the string around the stalks. Here is the process I described and how it looks up close.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Mostly finished product. My dumb dumb self decided to add pallet walls with broken down pallets this year. What a PITA and wish someone would have smacked me when I told them my idea.


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## sister (Aug 12, 2014)

Thank you! I really like it


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Thank you. I am not as happy with this year's as I was last year's.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

One thing to note on the corn stalks is to get them from the farmers in early to mid September before they start really harvesting them. Then store them UPRIGHT bundled together. I stored some laying on the ground this year and they were moldy and wet when I went to put them up. They were okay but the ones I had bundled and stored upright were in much better shape and easier to work with.


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## acutermints (Aug 6, 2016)

was hoping it would be up by now


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

You and me both acutermints. Unfortunately things have delayed me this year. Most recently the pallet fiasco. It is now about 75% complete. I still have to do my pallet framing for the scrim for the AtmosFx Ghostly Apparitions setup that will be one wall of the maze (set up to look like house with the scrim as the window) and the non weather resistant props such as the pop up reaper and caged reaper and the edison lights. You will note that one of the photos is of a small fence. This is designed as a viewing area for the witch with cauldron in a cemetery that will have fog, strobes, thunder lights, and mister in the cauldron that will be set up inside the flower bed. There will also be audio at that part of the maze playing the Macbeth witches chant, which will tie the witch and thunder lights into the theming. All of these should be up by Saturday night and I will post a video of the walk thru.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)




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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Pics and video from last night coming.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Video with flash on so you can see certain things better.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Video with flash off so other effects are better seen.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

Special thanks to forum members ScaryPapa for the motion sensor conversion tutorial for my props and LAKE OF THE DEAD for the cheap rusty chains tutorial that are seen in the slaughterhouse portion of the maze. The motion sensors are on the Edison lights just as you walk in, the screeching reaper with glowing eyes, and the white ghost just after the slaughterhouse part.


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## jtrothrock (Aug 30, 2016)

For those wondering, the screen is the chiffon from Joanns in platinum and the video source is an led projector from Ezapor. It is rated at 1000 lumens on the website but we all know what that means...nothing. Just above the slaughterhouse is a street light so there was a lot of ambient light from that light shining onto the area where the projector was. I was quite happy with the results. The projector was about 10 feet back and the screen size was 48" wide by 60" tall.


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## Groosum (Nov 2, 2016)

Nice tutorial. Thanks. I hadn't thought of doing anything quite like this but after watching your video I have to say you pulled it off nicely. I may give this a shot next year.


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## Shadow Panther (Apr 4, 2013)

TYVM for this. I have been thinking about a corn them and this will be perfect


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