Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without a touch of spooky — pumpkins, skeletons, spiderwebs and, of course, easy DIY Halloween tombstones!
Join 500+ cozy folks for weekly recipes, crafts & good vibes – from my home to yours.
Sign up and receive the Cozy Weekend Starter Pack — a free PDF with three recipes, three crafts, and cozy weekend inspiration.
At Maplewoodroad.com we love crafting, and Halloween is our favorite time of year. Erich and I make most of our decorations — from image-transfer candles and paint-splatter pumpkins to a crochet trick-or-treat bag and even origami bats — so every display is unique. We raid craft shelves and make trips to the hardware store to find fresh ideas each season.
No Halloween yard feels complete without a graveyard and some spooky tombstones. The first year we used cardboard tombstones, but rain proved that they weren’t durable. We switched to a sturdier method that has held up for nearly a decade. Occasionally a letter peels off — a dab of glue and it’s fixed.
These tombstones are highly customizable: cut them in different shapes, add humorous names or epitaphs, and include decorative elements. You’re only limited by your imagination.
🧰 Materials
- Jigsaw
- Oriented strand board (OSB)
- 1″ x 1″ wood, cut into 1-ft lengths
- Grey stone spray paint
- ¼” black foam sheet
- X-Acto knife
- Cutting mat
- Clear-drying glue
- Screws
🪦 Instructions
OSB (oriented strand board) is similar to plywood but made from compressed wood strands, giving it a rough texture and a lower price point. That texture works well for mimicking old stone.
Start by sketching your tombstone shape on the OSB. You can make any size or style you like. Cut the shape out with a jigsaw and sand any rough edges if desired.
Next, cut the 1″ x 1″ wood into 12-inch lengths and attach one to the back of the tombstone so about half extends below the bottom edge — this becomes the stake to push into the ground. Secure the wood with screws. If you prefer, carve the bottom of the stake to a point to make installation easier.
Take the cut tombstone outside and apply grey stone spray paint. Choose a paint with a textured, bumpy finish; the texture adds to the stone-like appearance.
While the paint dries, trace and cut your letters and numbers from the ¼” foam sheet. Be creative with names and sayings. The foam adds dimensional contrast so the letters pop from the tombstone surface. Take care when using an X-Acto knife — it’s very sharp.
When the paint is fully dry, lay out your letters to confirm the placement. Apply clear-drying glue to the back of each foam letter and press firmly onto the tombstone. Because the OSB surface is textured, use plenty of glue to ensure a secure bond.
Allow the glue to dry completely before placing the tombstones in your yard. For extra effect, add props like skeleton bones, old masks, or moss around the base to enhance the spooky scene.
We’ll share many more Halloween projects, recipes, and videos throughout October, so check back for fresh ideas and tutorials.
Happy Halloween!
Love Halloween? Try these other projects and recipes:
Recipes
- Homemade Black Squid Ink Pasta
- Spooky Face Meat Pie
- Boo-tifully Delicious Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
Crafts
- DIY Image Transfer Candles
- Paint Splatter Pumpkins
- Crochet Trick-or-Treat Bag
- Paper Mache Face
- Adorable Crochet Pumpkin
- Big Guy Spooky Decoration
- Head in a Jar
Nature
- Owling, Howling, and What Does the Fox Say?
Did you make these Halloween tombstones? Let us know in the comments below!