Wooden Crate

$50 - $60 (based on 2022 prices)
Makes one crate

At the end of 2022, I was asked to make a set of props for a local theater’s production of Christmas Belles. Being unable to make many props for the Halloween season, I jumped at the opportunity to do something creative. For this prop, I used the painting technique for the withered boards to create a wooden crate one of the characters carried offstage. The director wanted something large and heavy looking but extremely lightweight, so I built the entire thing out of foam insulation boards.

• Four 24” x 24” boards of foam insulation
• One package of wooden toothpicks (at least 132 picks)
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One 8 oz. can of exterior paint in flat white*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat tan
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat brown*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat khaki*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat tan*

1. Cut one of the foam boards into two 12” x 24” sections and another board into two 12” x 22” sections, reserving the excess for the crate’s trim in step five. How large you decide to make the crate will impact the dimensions of these pieces. For a smaller version, you can go with two 6” x 24” sections and two 6” x 11” sections.

2. Evenly space toothpicks along the sides of the boards, leaving ¾” sticking out. These will serve as nails to help hold the boards in place and give the crate extra stability.  

3. Align the panels along the edges of one of the 24” x 24” boards to form the base of the box. Then, run a small line of glue between the seams and push everything together, driving the toothpicks into the foam. If you elected to make a smaller version of the prop, the board for the base will need to measure 12” x 12”.

4. Repeating the process in steps two and three, line the edges of the panels with toothpicks, run a small line of glue along their edges, and attach the second 24” x 24” board to complete the box. Here, too, you will need to reduce the board’s size to 12” x 12” for a smaller version.

5. Cut the excess foam reserved from step one into four 21” x 1.5” sections, four 24” x 1.5” sections, four 11” x 1.5” sections, four 16” x 2.5” sections, four 21” x 2.5” sections, and four 24” x 2.5” sections. As before, you can cut these dimensions in half for a smaller crate.

6. Glue the four 16” x 2.5” sections and four 21” x 2.5” sections to two of the 14” x 24” ends of the crate on opposite sides of each other, leaving a half-inch overhang. For added support, drive toothpicks into them. Then, repeat the process with the four 11” x 1.5” sections and 24” x 2.5” sections on the remaining two 14” x 24” ends of the crate. Finally, attach the four 21” x 1.5” sections and four 24” x 1.5” sections to the box’s bottom and top.

7. Use the blunt end of a pen to create wood grain, nail holes, and slats in the foam. You can also use a wood-burning tool or soldering iron to do this; however, if you do, ensure you that you wear a mask and perform the task outside because the fumes are toxic.  

8. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the entire box two coats of exterior paint. This will serve as a barrier to protect the foam from the spray paint applied in step nine. For the time-pressed haunter, you can use tan paint for this process and completely skip step nine.  

9. Give the entire crate a light coat of tan spray paint, allowing portions of the white paint to show through. This will help give the wooden patina more depth by contrasting the darker tan with the lighter white.

10. Moving from dark to light, brush hues of brown onto the crate to give the illusion of wood. I found applying several globs of paint to the box and using a paper towel to smudge it works well. Also, for the best results, smear the paint in the same direction to create a uniform grain and add additional paint to certain areas to make discolorations.

11. To finish the patina and add a level of distress, brush black paint between the slits and into the nail holes. You can also smear black in random places to give the prop further depth.

12. Although the director of the play wanted the prop to remain relatively simple, you can embellish it with additional details, such as the word fragile written across the side or weathered shipping labels adhered to its surface, to cater the prop to your haunt’s theme.

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