Toxic Waste Containers

$20 - $30 (based on 2020 prices)

Makes five canisters

 

To complement the toxic waste skeleton and add some radioactive material to 2020’s laboratory, I created these containers to spread throughout the haunt. Originally, I used the recipe for the blood glue to fashion the waste; however, it did not achieve the desired effects (you can still see parts of it dripping down the sides of the tins). I finally settled on expanding foam, which yielded a more impressive result.

• Five 3.8” square tea tins
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in metallic silver
• One sheet of cardboard large enough to trace the outlines of the tins’ openings
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in glossy hunter green
• Two pieces of 8” x 11.5” copy paper with biohazard labels printed on them
• At least four tablespoons of dark roasted coffee grounds
• One pan large enough to soak the copy paper
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One 12 oz. can of insulating foam
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in glossy apple
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in glossy eden
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in grasshopper*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in hunter green*

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the tins. If there is any sticker residue, use rubbing alcohol to remove it (soak a paper towel in the solution, let it sit over the area for a few minutes, and wipe away the remaining glue). Then, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, build up layers of black and metallic silver spray paint to give the containers the look of steel. I found it works best to apply a base coat of black to the entire prop and then add the sliver, working in quick bursts to allow parts of the black to remain visible. You can also touch up portions with additional blasts of black if the silver becomes too heavy.

2. Trace the outlines of the tins’ openings on a sheet of cardboard and cut them out. To give the illusion that the containers are full, the cardboard will sit near the top and create a base for you to adhere the foam. You will need to gradually trim the squares until they sit as low within the tins as you would like. After, that, glue them in place. Do not worry too much if your glue job is not pretty, it will be covered by the foam in step six.

3. Give the interiors of the canisters a coat of glossy hunter green spray paint. Although this act is optional, it makes the painting stage in step seven easier, since it can be difficult to get between the foam once it has expanded in the openings.

4. Boil enough water to completely submerge the copy paper and pour it into the pan. Add the coffee. The longer you allow the coffee to brew, the darker the stain will become. Likewise, greater amounts of coffee will produce a richer stain. Submerge the paper in the coffee mixture and soak it until it reaches the color you desire. I soaked mine for eight hours and scattered the coffee grounds over the top of the paper to add spots. Remove the paper from the water and allow it to dry. After the paper dries, cut out the labels, leaving a small border around their edges, and roughen their surface with sandpaper.

5. Once you have achieved your desired level of distress, glue the labels to the fronts of the containers. You can also use olive or vegetable oil to add further stains. Likewise, a dusting of brown spray paint can be applied at the end of this step to give the tins a layer of dirt.

6. Spray the insulating foam into the openings of the tins to create the waste. Try not to overthink your application. A random pattern produces the best results. Also, keep in mind that the foam will expand as it dries, so do not apply excessive amounts which will overtake the containers.

7. After the foam has thoroughly dried, cover the tins in plastic bags and tape off any gaps with painter’s tape. Then, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give everything a base coat of hunter green spray paint before building up layers of apple, black, and eden. Akin to step one, you can always apply bursts of hunter green to the prop if the other colors become too overpowering.

8. After the paint had dried, remove the painter’s tape and plastic bags from the tins and use grasshopper and hunter green acrylic paint to blend the unpainted foam, stipple the surfaces, and accent the labels. If the tape removed part of the silver paint, you can cover that up with the green paints.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.