This is how I made the entrance to my Graveyard.....
you will need....
For the Pillars
4 - 4' x 8' sheets of plywood, wood screws, 3 - 2" x 2" wood poles.
1 - 5' long 2 1/2 inch diameter pvc
Liquid nails
1 - 2" x 4"
For the light up top
1 - 4' x 8' sheet of plywood, 2 - 2" x 2" wood poles, wood screws, marker, drawing paper.
You will also need...
Gray latex paint (old house paint), Black spray paint, and White spray paint.
Tools you will need
* Drill with phillips screwdriver end
* Rotozip saw (or some kind of saw you can cut letters out with)
* Circular saw
* Tape Measure
* Pick or knife
* Multifunction christmas light set
* Foil
* Duct tape
* A large sheet of plastic
* Paint brush
Ok, lets get started! First I took the 4 - 4' x 8' sheets of plywood and measured out and marked with a marker 2 - 2'wide x 6' high sections on one sheet, mark all of your 4 plywood sheets the same, then cut and set aside. Also set aside the extra 2' x 4' pieces you will have, you will use a couple of these later.
Then cut the 2" x 2" into 5" long pieces you will need 12 for each pillar (24 total for both)
* SEE PICTURES BELOW FOR HELP ON THE NEXT PART OF INSTRUCTIONS *
Now take one 2' x 6' piece you have cut out and place 3 of the 5" pieces of wood pole down the long end and put 3 screws into each 5" piece. Do this again to another 2' x 6' piece.
Then take the pieces you've just finished and set them on their sides so that the 5" pieces of wood pole face eachother.
Next place another 2'x 6' piece on top of the other two and put 3 screws into each 5" wood pole section. (look on the side to match up with the other screws to see where they are)
Now turn the whole thing over so you can repeat the last step with the last 2' x 6'. Then from the extra scrap wood cut two pieces out one to fit on the top and one to fit onto the bottom , now on the one for the top cut out a circle big enough for the 2 1/2 inch pvc to fit into.
Now take the piece of pvc and cut two 2 foot long pieces and set aside.
Then take a 2" x 4" and cut two pieces long enough to fit all the way across the inside of the pillar. Now hold the piece of pvc so a little bit is sticking out of the top of your pillar and with a marker mark where the bottom of the pvc comes down to on the inside of your pillar, then line up the 2" x 4" on the inside when your mark is then using wood screws attach the 2" x 4" to the inside of your pillar. Then screw on the top and bottom pieces of plywood then side the pvc into the hole, it should now sit on top of the 2" x 4" the put liquid nails around the pvc on top where it is against the wood. Do this all again to make the other pillar.
When finished set aside we will paint it later.
Now to make the light up top... take the 4' x 8' sheet of plywood and with a pencil or marker draw a 2 or 3 foot thick rainbow all the way across it. Then either by hand or by using the computer make some large letters to spell out cemetery (or whatever you would like) then place inside of the rainbow shape (this will be you curve) then trace around the leters with a marker.
After you have all of your letters drawn on the wood then HAVE AN ADULT (by using a rotozip saw) cut out your rainbow shape and all of the letters in it. When you have them all cut out, cut one of the 2" x 2" wood pole into two pieces and wood screw them to each far end (one before your letters start and one after you last letter), You can cut the last 2" x 2" wood pole into more 5" sections and screw them sticking outward here and there along the back of your rainbow shape, this is so you can lay christmas lights around them and then wrap foil around the back and sides to enclose it.
Now take your pillars and your top, spread them out on plastic sheets cuz now it's time to paint!! And this is VERY MESSY!
Pull one nozel off of 1 can of spray paint, and where the hole is that the paint comes out of, HAVE AN ADULT take a pick or a knife and make the hole much larger, put it back on the can of spray paint and set aside.
Now take the can of old house paint (you can make it gray by adding a little bit of black latex paint to it and mixing) and with a brush paint a coat of gray on everything and let dry.
Next take the can of spray paint with the modified nozel, point at one of the objects standing a foot or two back and spray real quick and all over, it will give youa speckeled look, you can take the modified nozel and put it on the other cans of spray paint, make sure to do this with both the black and white paint this will give you a stone look, it is really cool. Just keep at it untill you get the look or the right amount you like.
When dry you can wrap multi function christmas lights around the poles on the back of the top and then wrap with foil, tape to secure. Then side the top into the pvc on the pillars, And you are finished, just add pumpkins, spiderwebs, caution tape or whatever you like.
