Greetings friends!

As some of you know...
 I run the non-profit haunted maze called "The Maze of Terror" in Southern MN. Last year's theme was something different (Medievel dungeon) & we really had a lot of fun doing it. This year I want to expand on the theme & see what more we can do. I thought making a some foam panel scenes would be a good start. But they need to be not only great to look at but, also sturdy to take the abuse of patrons, & without costing me too many appendages. Ha!

Any thoughts, ideas, & concepts are welcome.

Hey Haunty,

If you need to toughen them panels here is what you do. First get yourself some posterboards. Lay them out in a brick like pattern. Adhere them to the foam board with contact adhesive. Experiment with this one because some adhesives will melt the foam. Save yoursef some money and buy an adhesive by the gallon that can be brushed on. Most of the contact adhesives dry rather quick and won't melt the foam. After the paper boards have been applied and set to dry for a day, go back with a inexpensive deck sealer, there are water based ones available, and soak down the exposed side of the poster board. Now the panels will be suprisingly sturdy. If you do both sides they will be almost as strong as wood and can even accept screws. For bracing and supporting the panels, I would suggest using firring strips (1X3) every two feet behind the panels. Make sure to use washers on the screws to help prevent the screws from tearing through the panels.  This should handle even a rambunctious bunch of teens.

Good luck my friend,

Wally

I agree on braceing them.  We have used them in the past and the effect was great.  I belive the adheasive was PL-300, or possaibly PL-400. To design the pannels we used acetone and wood files.  The asetone eats at the foam and adds great details.  We made brick walls by first useing a felt tiped maker and draw the main design on the foam, then with a wood file we made all the groves that represented the morter lines.  Then we slowly brushed the acetone over the "brick" face.  The more you use the deeper the foam will 'melt'.  After that it was ready to paint.  We also made a chapel front for one display.  That had a wood look to it.  The process is the same only we used the acetone to create wood grain in the foam.  Lots of things you can build out of foam.  But different foam has different properties and will act different.  Play around and have some fun figuring out what works for you.  I wish you the best.

Although I understand the low cost and ease of using foam.  I have used it myself in the past, but in the modern day and age of Heavy fire regulation it is our responsibility to use only fire safe materials.  Foam is highly flammable and should be used only with extreme caution.  After the Monte Carlo fire in Las Vegas a couple of months ago I expect to see fire Marshals extremely hard on foam in the upcoming year.  I would look into vacuum forming, Fiberglass, or vinyl Printing.  There are great Companies out there offering legal alternatives to foam.

Hauntgeek

I belive there is a spray on fire retardent, not sure who carries it, but that may satisfy the Fire Marshell.  Because it is true that SAFTY is FIRST. 

another good materal to use that can take alot of abuse is monster-crete.  Its a combanation of concrete, sand, water, elmers glue, and paint tint. the mix is approx. 60% sand, 40% portland cement, with a lquid mix of 1/3
 glue to 2/3 water.  The tint is called universal tint and can be found at a paint store such as Sherwin Willams.  It is mixed to a pankace batter consistancy and applied to plywood.  Makes great rock and stone lookin effects.  Can also be aplied to chicken wire forms as lond as you use burlap or somthing similar to  help hold it until hard.

this is a good alterintive to foam if you are indoors and worried about fire codes.  After it is dry you can use dry brushing and other painting styles to add color.