Q&A for How to Make a Haunted House

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  • Question
    How do I find the perfect time to scare my guests?
    Community Answer
    It is best to scare them when they are distracted, by others or some specific prop/item/action. Example: they walk in a room and in front of them is a person they are expecting to scare them (that person is the draw). Then you come up behind or from the side and scare them while their focus is elsewhere (you are the hit).
  • Question
    I have a small hallway. What should I do?
    Michael Hathman
    Community Answer
    For best effect, you could decorate it all in black and hang big spiders in cobwebs (if you can get them to move battery-operated, all the better). Seems to really add to the "scare factor" because so many people are terrified of spiders.
  • Question
    If I make a haunted house should I charge for it?
    Community Answer
    This should depend on how much effort was put in and how big or it is. Ask some friends or neighbors to check the haunted house out, and afterward ask them what they think would be a good admission price.
  • Question
    How can I create a haunted house in my home without altering my home?
    Community Answer
    Buy a lot of Halloween animatronics and decor, which you can easily remove at the end of the season.
  • Question
    How can I make a haunted house in a room?
    Community Answer
    Pin long sheets of black fabric between the walls to create smaller rooms and paths. Use mirrors to make the room appear than it actually is.
  • Question
    Where can I find information on makeup techniques for the associated monsters?
    Community Answer
    On YouTube. There are lots of tutorials there.
  • Question
    How can I make a haunted house without spending any money? DIY?
    Community Answer
    Look around your house for as many things you can use to your advantage as possible. You may already have mirrors, sheets you can tear up, ketchup to use for "blood," etc.
  • Question
    What is an easy way to make a haunted house?
    Community Answer
    Just do it in a room. It is a lot less work, and just because you don't make any money off admission, doesn't mean that it won't be fun. Use chicken wire for ghosts and put ketchup on a lot of mirrors. Dim the lights or put a flame retardant shirt on the lamp's light bulb. Pin up long posters of Halloween photos on the walls. Play some spooky music -- or Michael Jackson's "Thriller".
  • Question
    What if I'm doing a haunted house, but just on the outside?
    Michael Hathman
    Community Answer
    I would recommend decorating the house (make it look condemned) with "condemned" tape going either around the entire house or just the front and back. Hang skeletons on the walls for a fun effect, and feature scary monsters in the windows. I would turn the yard into a maze, and you can use the ideas on how to make walls for under $300 listed in these questions. Use decorations throughout and friends or actors who are dressed up in Halloween costumes.
  • Question
    How do you decide who the guests are?
    Community Answer
    You could ask some friends to come over, or family. You can also advertise it online or on social media (Facebook,Twitter,Instagram etc) if you want a big load of people.
  • Question
    What's the most important thing in a haunted house?
    Community Answer
    Ghosts, skeletons, vampires, blood, skulls, and dark spaces are all important things to put in a haunted house.
  • Question
    How do I make a haunted house with only a few weeks left?
    Community Answer
    Follow these steps, just try to hurry everything along. Remember, you don't have to do everything on the list, just the most important things. You can close a few rooms off too and make it smaller and easier to handle.
  • Question
    How can I create a haunted house that has a "killer clown" theme?
    Community Answer
    Try creating a "jack-in-the-box" out of a large cardboard box, for someone in a creepy clown costume to jump out of. Play music when someone approaches the box, but slow it down at the end when the clown is about to jump out, to build tension. Another idea is to have someone dressed as a creepy clown stand near the exit and offer black balloons. He can caution guests not to take them or "bad things will happen."
  • Question
    How can I make or get walls for an outside haunted house for under $300?
    Community Answer
    You can buy fencing such as Easy Gardener 7 ft. x 100 ft. polypropylene deer barrier (also referred to as garden fencing) for approximately $60. If you want the walls to be covered, you may be able to use 20 in. x 1000 ft. stretch film ($22 per roll). Although it is light green in color, you can get plastic paint and paint the plastic black or whatever color suits your needs.
  • Question
    What would I have to do to really terrify guests?
    Michael Hathman
    Community Answer
    Hiding, wearing a very scary mask, and coming out of the dark and reaching out to choke them is always a guaranteed winner.
  • Question
    Should I do it in a forest if there's one behind my house?
    Community Answer
    You can as long as you can set up your haunted house safely so no one gets hurt. (This is especially important because it will be dark in the forest at night.)
  • Question
    How can I make fake blood for effects in my haunted house?
    Community Answer
    If you want it liquid-y, usually red food dye or just red dye and water does the trick -- just make sure you're not putting it on something you don't want stained, unless you can bleach it. If you want it slimy, you can use red dye, water and clear glue. If you don't want it liquid-y at all, use red dye, a little water to make it stick, and baking soda, baking powder, flour or cornstarch.
  • Question
    How can I make a fake hand with card sheets?
    Community Answer
    First, you can draw a shape of a hand, then trace it with crayons, colored pencils or markers to add some color. Next, cut out the shape carefully until you are at the very end of the line. Last, try to stick it to a wall because it will be more terrifying.
  • Question
    How do you make a haunted house without worrying about people stealing or messing up your decorations?
    Aislyn Roueche
    Community Answer
    Have some of the actors guard areas and make sure people don't steal your decor.
  • Question
    How can I make a haunted house child friendly?
    Community Answer
    Make the haunted house fun and light-hearted. Add goofy pumpkins with googly eyes, If you have a pet, use it as a distraction, then an actor could make a decoration in the room 'talk to them'. Add goody bags at the end with fun things like Squishie toys, stress balls, fidget spinners, and candies.
  • Question
    What about having an actor in the crowd and then having the creatures grab her from the crowd and drag her off?
    DeckTheHalls
    Community Answer
    That is a very good idea! You could try that. But make sure that your actor screams or else it won't be noticed.
  • Question
    Should I use PVC pipes, drywall, or wood for the walls of a haunted house in a barn?
    Hypotheticalpebble
    Community Answer
    Using just PVC pipes won't feel like walls, but covering them with dark fabric can work well. Consider watching horror movies or viewing others' displays for ideas, or personalize the design for your audience.
  • Question
    How can I build a haunted house in my garden?
    Hypotheticalpebble
    Community Answer
    You could build a shed or put up walls to create a structure, then decorate it as the article describes. Alternatively, you could make a 'haunted garden.'
  • Question
    I am only a kid, and I have to do it by myself.
    Community Answer
    Try to reuse spooky-looking things around the house. You could hang up a fake spider with white string!
  • Question
    What are some tips for creating a haunted house for a school fair?
    Holly Shanley
    Community Answer
    Using a fog machine can create a spooky atmosphere, along with colored lights like purple, orange, and green. Consider asking participants if they can lend lights for the event.
  • Question
    What if I want to make a haunted house, but my parents won't help clean up to make it spooky?
    Hypotheticalpebble
    Community Answer
    Remember that a lot of spookiness involves making a place seem abandoned, so it doesn't need to be perfectly clean. However, I'd recommend getting some friends to help or doing the work yourself.
  • Question
    How can I create a Dead by Daylight-themed haunted house?
    Mary
    Community Answer
    To create a Dead by Daylight-themed haunted house, start by choosing characters from the game and decide whether your friends will be the Killer or Survivors. You can decide whether to provide costumes or have them bring their own. Recreate the game's graveyard settings and include recognizable elements from DBD. Play the theme song "Dies Irae" in the background, make emblems out of cardboard and paint them, create a puddle of green goo for the Vommy Mommy character, and place a black cape for Dracula on a chair. Get creative and have fun!
  • Question
    Where can I find materials for a haunted house, such as Spirit Halloween or Walmart?
    Finn Kennedy
    Community Answer
    You can find materials and decorations at Spirit Halloween, Walmart, Target, and Amazon.
  • Question
    How can I scare someone who claims they aren't afraid?
    Hypotheticalpebble
    Community Answer
    You could try personalizing the scare to what they're afraid of, or enlist their friends to help build the ambiance. They might be less brave alone, especially with eerie elements like nursery rhymes played backward.
  • Question
    How can I make a haunted maze without using boxes?
    Finn Kennedy
    Community Answer
    You can use hangers with blankets or taller pieces of furniture. However, it might be easier to get boxes from a local post office.
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