# Effective ground covering for an indoor graveyard?



## Thedarktomb (May 10, 2004)

I'm planning on having an indoor graveyard in my commercial haunt. I have some awesome cemetery fencing, tombstones, 2 obelisks, and columns from Wolfenhowie. I will also have two museoleums (sp). One will house the hellhound, and one will divide the graveyard in half so people will have to walk through it to get to the other side of the graveyard. I'm thinking about building a couple of thick trees and use camo netting as the branches. 

The one problem I have is the ground covering. I have a fogger for that room with a chiller to hide some of the ground. I was at two haunted houses last year that had indoor graveyards. One had carpeting as the flooring and the other had a bare concrete floor. With both graveyards, it was hard to imagine you were in a graveyard if you were walking on carpet or concrete. It made it pretty hard to have that eiry graveyard feel. Even the best tombstone in the world looks kind of blah sitting on a bare concrete floor. 

I will have a concrete floor to work with but I can't do anything to it that would be permanent (like paint the concrete). Also, I can't use any type of live material or flammables. One example cited by the fire marshal is that I cannot use dead leaves or real moss, and no straw hay. Unfortunately, having the graveyard outside for 2004 is not an option. 

Any ideas?


The Dark Tomb - Psychological Terror at it's best!


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## Jon (Feb 16, 2004)

What about sand or dirt?? I dont think that will pose as a problem. You dont have to put alot of it on the floor. IF that wont work then you can try that green grassy look a like stuff that home depot. That is if the area isnt too big. Im not sure of the price on that is though. Ill think of some more things later.


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## madmax (Dec 28, 2003)

You can put down some carpet padding and indoor/outdoor carpet (green color). The padding will give you the feel of the soft ground and if you check with a local carpet store or installor. I bet you can get, used, old padding, for free.

Or you could put the padding down and buy some sod, put it over the padding. The padding will keep the sod from slipping when it's walked on.











(edit) Check with the fire marshall and see if you can use dead leaves if they are sprayed with a fire resistance spray.


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## Atomic Mystery Monster (Jul 29, 2003)

Cover the floor with black plastic and dump dead leaves all over it.


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## frightmaster (Jun 8, 2004)

Just be careful with using sand or dirt as if a person gets scared and falls you will be sued. I was thinking something like a soft astroturf (sp) with a carpet padding under it.


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## Dear-In-Headlights (Mar 16, 2004)

You ever heard the expression "Dirt cheap"? Well that's because it is. Just take alot of soil/dirt and load up the room with it, to avoid accidents you can pack the dirt down where you know the customers will be walking.. before you open for the season and even a couple times during, you might go in and water the dirt a few times, that way it stays compact and gives your graveyard a real "earthy" smell as well. Beats the hell outta those fake scents.
For easy clean-up and deconstruction you could even put some kind of large tarp or liner underneath.

FoLlOw Me To ThE eNd Of ThE wOrLd, AnD i'Ll Be ThE oNe To PuSh YoU oFf ThE eDgE.


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## rweso (Jul 25, 2003)

Get a large burlap sheet. Coat it in adhesive, throw dirt all over it, shake off the excess. You should have a sheet of dirt now. You can place pillows under it to form mounds. For the walkway you can tape down some cardboard with a brick pattern on it. It will be hard enough to resemble a walkway/path but soft enough to imagine it is in the ground. If you can get brick tiles(for foax facades) and adheare them to the cardboard that would be even better.


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

How large is the area, hight etc. You should use one of those wind simulator fans. Is camo netting a possibility. I want to just throw this out there...It was mentioned that leaves and live substance could not be used. So why recomened leaves and sod...Hello, read the entire post. nothing personal.

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## Thedarktomb (May 10, 2004)

The area is 20' x 60' with a 12' ceiling height. Given dirt isn't flammable that might be a good idea. I could leave any walkway areas dirt-free and use a washable paint in that area to simulate a stone walkway that's been paved through the dirt.

Anyone know where I could get tan/brown camo netting cheap?

The Dark Tomb - Psychological Terror at it's best!


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

A good army navy surplus store. You could also by that rubber stuff with the holes and spray paint it.

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## Thedarktomb (May 10, 2004)

What is rubber stuff with the holes Crazy?



The Dark Tomb - Psychological Terror at it's best!


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

I dont know what it is used for. It is like 1/4 inch, maby less rubber sheets. IT has evenly spaced holes in it.

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## bourno (Apr 7, 2004)

what you are most likely referring to is some shop floor mats so small debri can fall into the holes and leave a decent place still to stand in.


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## rod spain (Aug 27, 2002)

I saw this at a public haunt at our local fairgrounds,they used a plastic sheet then put cheap potting soil and gravel(for trails).It looked okay.

rod spain


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## Screamhaunt (Jan 7, 2004)

This may be a completely stupid idea, but I am sitting here picturing the type of material used for door mats, the kind that is green and looks like grass. I have seen it somewhere before, that looked just like astro turf, it was big, and grasslike. They make fake astroturf, and maybe you could contact the company that mass produces the material, and cut a deal with them somehow. It could probably have the feel of grass, be cut to the desired thickness and actually absorb some energy, should someone trip. It would make your cemetary look awesome. I acually thought of this when dreaming of my "one day" haunted attraction. Hopefully, I won't be in a nursing home before I get where I want to be. Hope this gives you an idea, if you haven't already thought about it.

Screamhaunt


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## madmax (Dec 28, 2003)

You are probably talking about this......








It costed almost 1 million dollars to put Astroplay synthetic turf on the football field. So I imagine it would cost thousands of dollars to cover his grave yard.
(edit)Screamhaunt, I misread your post  you said fake, not the real stuff


Here's another ideal, go dumpster diving at Lowes and other carpet shops. Get all the old shag carpet you can find and paint it a grassy green. I stopped at Lowes (I found some goodies in their dumpster) to day and they had at least 3 big rolls of old carpet and it was green (AS soon as I saw it I thought about your grave yard) each roll was 14 feet by ?...I would guess they were at least 16 feet, maybe more. It wouldn't take you long to find enough to cover the area for your grave yard. Roll a few gal of green paint on it and throw some dirt over it and you should have a good looking grave yard.


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

It would cost 6750 to cover your entire floor area with realistic feeling astroturf for golf practice use.

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## Screamhaunt (Jan 7, 2004)

Holy Geeze, thats too much money. I haven's seen one of those mats I was mentioning (door mat) in a long time. I has a grasslike consistancy. I can only wonder if the manufacturer would cut him a deal on a big piece of that product. It is VERY grasslike.

Screamhaunt


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

So is that stuff, it is supposed to feel like you are actually on a golf course. IT is a little pricy though.

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## Elza (Jun 21, 2004)

I have indoor graveyards every year. I put down plastic painters tarp and then cover with leaves. If you don't want real leaves, you can do what I did the first year. I cut leaves from brown paper sacks and crumpled them. Either way... when you walk on them you get the russle/crunch effect. Add a little craft store moss and it'll look great. For directly under the tree in my grave yard, I use the craft store fall leaves. I even attach a few to the dead trees branches for the last few hanger-ons. The effect works nice!

Elza


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## Thedarktomb (May 10, 2004)

That's a cool idea Elza.

Wow, $6750 for astro turf Crazy? For that much I could buy a truckload of dirt and with the same money purchase a hearse to bring the dirt in with. I'm thinking about using real dirt and chicken wire mounds covered with burlap which has dirt glued to it. In addition I'm thinking about using fake greenery trim to go in different spots to add foliage. I just have to spray them with fire retardant. With a 17' ceiling height in the graveyard, I suppose I could build 2 or 3 really huge trees out of lumber and chicken wire. Curve the graveyard path around the trees. 

I'm trying to figure out a way to make a realistic looking light up moon in the sky?

That and an easy way to make some 3 dimensional realistic trees.




The Dark Tomb - Psychological Terror at it's best!


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## Dear-In-Headlights (Mar 16, 2004)

As for the moon and stars you can take a black tarp or thin sheet metal.. place a low watt white light bulb on the upper side of it and with a tarp the light should look like dull moonlight through clouds, with sheet metal you can drill out the shape of a crescent moon into the metal.. to amplify this effect you can puncture small holes in certain places to give the appearance of stars as well. 

As for the trees, we found that large dead branches can be flame retarded and that they look great as small graveyard trees when you stand them upright or drill them into support beams. Debris from large trees is everywhere and easy to use in a haunt. As for a large tree it might be easier to make a frame out of chicken wire and wrap it in a brown flame retarded sheet or fire-protected tarp to give the appearance of bark.


FoLlOw Me To ThE eNd Of ThE wOrLd, AnD i'Ll Be ThE oNe To PuSh YoU oFf ThE eDgE.


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## Elza (Jun 21, 2004)

In door trees... hum. How about a 3/4 plywood base, add 3 to 4 2 X 4's (upright). Cover trunk in burlap. Glue packing peanuts around the burlap trunk. Spray paint the peanuts, (they'll melt a little). At the top of the 2 x 4's, create cross bracing (more 2 x 4's). Nail some real branchs off the bracing. Add a few leaves... Wall-la!


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## Elza (Jun 21, 2004)

Oh, one other thing for the indoor tree. Add the craft moss. Hang it from the branchs!


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## Thedarktomb (May 10, 2004)

Good ideas. Thank you.

The Dark Tomb - Psychological Terror at it's best!


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

IS it possible to suck your eyeball out with a vacuum?

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## rod spain (Aug 27, 2002)

It all depends on how much SUCKING power that baby's got!!!

rod spain


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

A standard House hold vacuum or a shop vacuum.

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## Thedarktomb (May 10, 2004)

Crazy,

Get away from the vacuum and back out there building props again. I know the leprechauns told you to do it, don't listen to them!!!



The Dark Tomb - Psychological Terror at it's best!


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

Well its just that i need some eyeballs for my props, my brother is bothering me, and if it doesnt have enough suction he will be able to identify me as th e eyeball stealer.

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## Atomic Mystery Monster (Jul 29, 2003)

Another way of doing a fake moon and fake stars, from Gryffynlloches:

"Moon, stars, and lightning effects 
This is where you make a sky of black paper, nice and matte. Behind it, you create a light-colored, preferably white, light mixing chamber wherever you want the light to show through. Standard lamps will suffice for moon and stars, but you've the option of a xenon flashlamp circuit for the lightning. It has the advantage of intensity, but not the duration of a lightning flash, which can flicker fifty times over as much as a second or more as the cloud charge dissipates. For stars, just make pinholes. It works great. If your backlight sources are not intense, just make the holes a bit bigger. For the moon, replace the black paper with several layers of waxed paper. A smeary white paint job can do wonders for hinting at detail, if you look closely at the moon here. The nice yellowish cast "through the smog" is achieved with an incadescent lamp at low voltage. Lightning can be achieved with a jagged cutout backed with transparent tape to reinforce the gap as demonstrated here."


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

I stand by saying you need a wind source, preferably cold. Even in the summer semetarys always seem cold. If your in a warm climate it would probably costa fortune to run Air conditioning throughout the entire thing. If you live in a cold climate pipe in lots of cold air. YOu dont want a cozy feeling!

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## rod spain (Aug 27, 2002)

Hey Crazy,after you suck his eyeball out tell him you'll keep an eye out for him next time!

rod spain


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

HE is always the one who gets hurt, although when I get hurt the injuries are more serious. Lets see, when he was five and I was seven I through a car ice scraper at him and it hit him on the head, gave him a 1 inch gash that needed stitches, but we never bothered to get them in, I sprayed wd40 in his eyes out of curiosity, blew pepper in my sisters face, had a rock fight with him, cutting his mouth, put him in many dangerous situations. I also used to mix all my moms spices in the blender and make him eat it. Ahh, brotherly love. I on the other hand have had 2 broken arms, a visable leg bone due to a sharp peace of metal, battery acid in my eyes, a torn off fingernail when i was 2, a badly spraned toe, allergic reaction to medicine. and 4 or 5 other things that sent me to the ER

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## rod spain (Aug 27, 2002)

Hey Crazy,were you my brother?When I was growing up my brother use to chase me around the house with a fully loaded BB gun and use me as target practice.We use to play in our rec room and we had a dart board,well he got ahold of the darts and proceeded to use me AGAIN as target practice.He also use to go outside and dig holes and tell me to look in and start filling in the hole with my head still in it and LASTLY we had a small kiddie wading pool and he tried to drown me in it.Aaahhh yes brotherly love.(and to think my mom thought he was a goody two shoes!)

rod spain


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## putrid (Aug 18, 2002)

This explains a lot Rod. JK LOL. 
Thedarktomb, I had a how to on my site that may help with moon light,

http://home.earthlink.net/~tekvov/id8.html

It has the same color but a bit brighter than regular moon light. I did a full moon / light bulb test. 



“For you it was the most important day of your life. For me....It was Tuesday.”


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## Gravedigger (Jul 27, 2003)

As for the ground cover, how about plant bed mulch. It comes in different colors and textures (shredded, chipped) and can be bought buy the bag at Walmart, or in bulk at a garden center, and I think clean up would be easier than with dirt. Downside, it is a natural material, but it is not as flammable as say dried leaves or moss. Due to it's natural ability to hold moister (since it's on concrete, could be misted daily with a garden sprayer, watch for electrical stuff, or treated with a flame retardant) it would be harder to ignite than dryer materials, but you would need to check with the Fire Marshall on this. As with any natural material (to include dirt) it might be a good idea to but a gallon or two (depending on coverage requirements) of bug spray and treat the area either before, during or after, to prevent the critters from taking up residence.

No rest for living,
No peace for the dead.


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

Hah, as long as a live here it is going to be hard to get an airsoft gone for that reason. Also we just got a dartboard but my mother would only get a magnetic one 

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## putrid (Aug 18, 2002)

Sod? I'm guessing here but try getting some damaged or poor quality sod. It's not a fire hazard and if left in a dark room will start to look really bad. You will have to lightly water it to keep the grass from turning brown and becoming a fire hazard. The path itself can be the cement floor. Like a side walk through a graveyard. Only problem is time. How long will you haunt be running? If the sod starts to decompose it will smell like cow manure. 





“For you it was the most important day of your life. For me....It was Tuesday.”


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## Thedarktomb (May 10, 2004)

Thanks Putrid, I'm going to try that idea. 

Gravedigger, I thought about mulch but I'm thinking I have to stay away from that because even if I use flame retardant on it, people will be walking over it which could rub some of that off. The Fire Marshal can make surprise inspections throughout the month to come back to flame test items. What I may do is use dirt and then use river rock in areas where people will be walking and something to keep the dirt out of the river rock and vice versus.



The Dark Tomb - Psychological Terror at it's best!
www.mansionofterror.com/props.htm


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

The only problem with sod is sunlight, you may need to get big UV tubes and some troffs. Also with mulch, some people have alergies, they get all stuffy and red eyed, its amusing.

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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## Ugly Joe (Jan 13, 2004)

*Thedarktomb*, if you live in the Southern California area, and have a truck, I have a few hundred cubic feet of red lava rock we can discuss (very special pricing for *Halloween Forum* members).

Very flame retardant (duh), and will cover a considerable area.

*"Kiss me, Fatboy!"* - _Pennywise the clown_


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## Thedarktomb (May 10, 2004)

That's a cool idea Joe but I live in Austin, Texas.



The Dark Tomb - Psychological Terror at it's best!
www.mansionofterror.com/props.htm


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

At leat he has a truck. LOL, JK

Michael Ball
HERES JOHNNY!!-The Shining


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