Hungry Happenings

Build a Halloween prop using a costume and pvc plus a costume giveaway.

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Dress up a PVC and chicken wire frame for Halloween. It’s easy to create a human body frame using PVC and chicken wire to create a creepy Zombie prop for your front porch.

use pvc and chicken wire to create a human body then dress it up with a zombie costume for Halloween

Today I’m going to stray from my usual tutorial on creating fun holiday food and instead share with you how we built this zombie using PVC pipe, chicken wire, a costume, mask, and a styrofoam head.

Purchasing full-size Halloween props can get very expensive, so we try to reduce those costs by doing some DIY projects each year.

Once you have finished reading this tutorial you can check out all of our other cool zombie-themed decorations on my Zombie Party Post. We created boarded up windows with zombies crashing through them for our dining room, created a creepy graveyard in our front yard and more.

use PVC to create a human form to make a Halloween prop

Create a PVC frame.

Before you cut your PVC pieces, be sure the costume you are using works for this size figure.

We held up the pant legs then cut our pipes to fit the pants. Then we determined how tall the torso should be and cut those pieces.

Our costume had short arms, so we cut accordingly. Use the measurements below as a guide.

PVC pieces needed:

We used all 3/4 inch wide PVC pipe and these are the sizes we cut:

  • 2 – 41″ (that means 41 inches) PVC pipe
  • 1 – 10  1/4″ PVC  pipe
  • 2 – 12  3/4″ PVC  pipe
  • 2 – 4  1/2″ PVC pipe
  • 4 – 2  1/4″ PVC pipe
  • 1 – 2″ PVC pipe
  • 2 – 17″ pvc pipe
  • 4 – pvc elbows (curved pieces)
  • 5 – pvc T’s (T shaped pieces)

Other Supplies needed:

  • chicken wire*
  • costume
  • styrofoam head
  • mask
  • optional, eyes of some kind to fill in the eye holes in the mask
  • optional, steel rebar**

*Chicken wire helps to build out the shape of your human frame, but you can also just wrap the frame with bubble wrap.
You can make the arms and legs using pool noodles or just leave it a PVC frame if you want a really skinny zombie.

**If you want to use this Halloween prop outside, put rebar in the ground then set the pipe over the top of the rebar to hold it firmly in place.

You can find costumes, PVC, and chicken wire from Amazon. I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you use the links below.

 

wrap chicken wire around the PVC frame to create legs for your zombie

Assembling the human frame

  • Cut and attach all of the PVC pieces together as shown in the picture above.
  • Use the chicken wire to create a structure for your PVC framed body.
  • Create two legs using “tubes” of chicken wire then attach the wire to the PVC frame by snipping the wire and wrapping those cut pieces around the frame.

wrap chicken wire around the PVC frame to create arms and a chest for your zombie Halloween prop

  • Make smaller tubes of chicken wire to create the arms and shoulders.
  • Just feed the PVC arm into the tube and bring the tube up and around the shoulder pieces of PVC.
    • My chicken wire tubes stayed in place after I wrapped it around the shoulder area.
    • If yours does not, just cut some wire and attach it to the shoulder.
  • Make a large tube and wrap it around the torso area.
    • I just fed the neckpiece of PVC around one hole of the chicken wire and it held this in place.

cut a hole in the base of a styrofoam head., tape some eyes to the inside of the zombie mask then fit it over the Styrofoam head

Adding the zombie’s head

  • Cut a hole in the bottom of a styrofoam head, just big enough for a piece of PVC to go into it.
  • Cover the styrofoam head with a mask.
    • My mask didn’t have eyes, so I used some black electrical tape to attach two eyes (actually the eyes are erasers with eyes printed on them) to the inside of my mask. Then fit the mask onto the styrofoam head.

dress the PVC frame in your zombie costume

Dressing the PVC frame

  • Carefully dress your zombie, add the head, and some feet or shoes.
  • You will probably have a difficult time finding both left and right feet for your zombie at a Halloween store. I do not understand why they do not make both! It’s a mystery to me. Anyway, I just hid one foot under the costume and let the other foot stick out.
  • I did have to pin the costume a bit at the top so that it looked more natural.
  • I also pinned the chest piece to the chicken wire underneath it, because at first, it looked too boxy.
  • Now I think it looks great, don’t you?

zombie prop on front porch for Halloween

  • When we finally decide where he will go, we’ll figure out what to do with the feet.
  • He’ll probably end up in our graveyard outside.
  • We’ll hammer two pieces of steel rebar into the ground, cut holes in a pair of old shoes and feed them over the rebar then feed the PVC leg pieces down over the rebar so that it looks like he’s wearing the shoes. I
  • love him and am excited to display him at our Halloween party.

NOTE: This human-sized prop does not stand up on its own. You will either need to prop it up next to a wall or use rebar to attach him to the ground.

This post was originally published on September 21, 2012.

PVC Zombie Ticket Taker and Usher

To make the props stand up on its own you need to add more PVC fittings to the bottom of the legs as we did with these zombies.

We used a similar technique to create our zombie movie theater props.

The zombie usher was made with PVC and bubble wrap. The ticket take was actually a skeleton prop that we purchased. We just dressed him up in a vintage movie theater costume.

See more about these zombie movie props here. 

zombie prop behind a creepy concession stand in a dark movie theater

This zombie prop has been used for many of our parties. He’s usually an usher, leading our guests into our Catacomb Cinema, but one year we placed him behind the concession stand.

During the party, that table was loaded up with candy, popcorn, and a few creepy snacks.

zombie window decorations DIY project for Halloween

These boarded up window decorations were our favorite DIY Halloween project ever.

We created frames that fit into our window cavities so the windows were not damaged. The frames fit snuggly so they stayed in place but were able to be removed after Halloween.

You can see more about our zombie-themed party here.

zombie desserts including gumdrop brains, zombie popsicles, zombie cake, PR&J brains, Cake Ball Brains, and Zombie Candy Cups

If you are hosting a zombie party don’t forget to make some creepy, yet delicious) zombie-themed desserts.

Be sure to also check out all these creepy zombie-themed desserts.

Pizza Brain served on a white blood-stained platter alongside marinara sauce.

I wish I would have thought to make this Stuffed Pizza Brain for our zombie party. Next time! You can make one though.

Have you made your own Halloween props? If so, let me know what you made in the comments below.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Jeff

    Nice. When I was in the Air Force years ago, I dress up as a fighter pilot with the helmet, oxygen mask and all. I would sit by the door and wait for the kids. Some wouldn’t even come close.

    Reply

    • Beth

      We’ve had kids too afraid to come up on our porch too. I go out to the driveway to give them their candy. I don’t want anyone to pass by our house without candy! What fun would that be?

      Reply

  3. Angie

    Just a friendly question: is there a particular reason you didn't just use a larger diameter pvc pipe instead of the skinny pipe AND the chicken wire? I'm having a hard time with the chicken wire getting it to form a halfway decent tube around the pipe. I'm almost tempted to scratch this technique and just go buy pvc pipe with a larger diameter. Say, 3 inches or so. Then it seems like the chicken wire could just be omitted altogether.

    Reply

    • beth

      Hi Angie,

      We used the smaller pipes because they are much more cost effective. If you use larger pvc pipes, it costs more plus the fittings are more expensive. My husband always gets big bags of the fittings which saves money. The chicken wire we bought came in a roll, so I just cut off a piece, and allowed it to go back to it's original shape. It made perfect arms. We've also used pool noodles to make arms, but I liked the chicken wire better. Some people don't use anything on their pvc frame, and just allow the shirt and pants to hang. That works too, but I like my bodies to have more volume.

      I hope this helps.

      Reply

    • Angie

      Ahhh……that would make sense! Ok going to take a stab at it again. You wouldn't happen to know right off the top of your head how big/wide of a piece you cut off, would you? (My 4 yr.old daughter and I are planning on making a scarecrow with our form and using an old pair of Daddy's jeans.)

      Reply

    • beth

      It's been two years since I made this, so I really don't remember exactly, but I would guess for the arms, I cut off about 10-12 inches, then let it roll back up so it's arm shaped. For the legs, I probably cut off more than twice that. Once rolled, the chicken wire overlaps, which gives it more stability. Cut the ends right along the next part of the grid patter, so that you have about 1 inch pieces that you can, carefully, fold over to secure the chicken wire in place.

      Reply

  4. Jason Holton

    These tips on props Halloween Costumes are my favorite so far in helping me the right costumes I have always wanted. I really appreciate this blog for giving this great information for regarding halloween costumes.

    Reply

  5. mo

    I too was dressed up in a Halloween costume when I met my future husband. I was a dead bride! We've been married 11 years now.

    Reply

  15. Sharon

    oooh, I love dressing up for Halloween! I usually try to coordinate w/my son but I don't know if that will work this year .. we'll see. I might be able to do something w/my husband, maybe ketchup & mustard or bacon & eggs 😉

    Reply

  19. Anonymous

    Your zombie is so cool. I build static displays every year and your directions are so easy to follow. I love it and everything you do. You are so talented. I'd love to go to one your parties!!!!

    I hope to win. wickedvickie {at} woh.rr.com

    Reply

  43. Diana

    Your ideas are so awesome….I really would enjoy your kind of creativity…for now, my lil kiddies are reaping all benefits of me finding your blog. Your goodies and designs really rock!

    Reply

  44. Genie

    I would love to get the chef costume! that way i can bloody it up and have a zombie party. I have all sorts of fun "creepy" food I like to make and this costume would go great with it.

    And I love your pvc costume monster – he is great!

    Reply

  48. Carmen Nuland

    Not one I wore, but my favorite costume was a Winnie the Pooh one my mom made for my sister. She wore it as pajamas for a long time (without the head/ears) because it was so loved

    Reply

  49. Kim @ KimsKandyKreations

    I love your zombie decoration. I can't wait to go and try this. I also pinned this and it will make it to my Halloween party this year. Thanks so much for the great idea and how to!

    Reply

  55. Anonymous

    I love the zombie!
    I had beenn trying to think of a way to make zombies for halloween & then though wounder whats on your blog ,saw this & was like du why didn't I try this.

    😉 thanks & nice post.

    love your blog! it is saved on my fav.
    you should have a contest where you will come down & decorate someones house for halloween …just say'n..

    Reply

  56. The Partiologist

    WOW Beth – the zombie you created is remarkable! You know what they say "a way to a mans heart is through his stomach!" It worked with you in the cookie costume! 🙂

    Reply

  61. Fiddlesticks

    That's Awesome….
    We have a full size Mummy that we sit out on the front porch every year and he lights up and as soon as someone gets close enough to him he makes a loud scary noise and it never fails to make everyone scream LOL!!!!
    Got to Love Halloween :))
    dwmarks33@comcast.net

    Reply

  66. louise

    I used to make all my own costumes by hand and always loved the ones I made for my children including a witch, pumpkin and clown.

    louisepaints {at} hotmail.com

    Reply

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