Haunted Halloween Display

By Terry Merlo

I took many months to create my Haunted Halloween display. These photos are a small sample of the incredible detail that went into building this display. Hot Wire Foam Factory tools were used to sculpt all of the 30 plus sheets of 2??? foam used to create the castle façade, mountains, shelving and surface areas later covered with black paint and landscape materials. The real stars were the foam cutting tools. The 2×4 Bow Cutter made creating the mountains a snap. The Engraving tool made easy work of creating the stone look in the castle walls. I used all of the various length hot knives to run wire and cut foam to specified oddball shapes. The Sculpting Tool and Freehand Router allowed me to do work I never expected I could. Carving the edges of the shelves took literally seconds per side. Hand carved staircases made first with the Freehand Router and then the Engraving tool look so real that it’s easy to imagine yourself walking up and down them.

The entire display is 15’ x 15’ x 8’ tall. I mention the height because it is literally floor to ceiling. Thank you to Department 56 and Hot Wire Foam Factory for making this family fun project truly possible and enjoyable.

By the way, this was my first ever Halloween display! Not bad for a rookie as long as you have a good imagination and the right tools!