Transform Pool Noodles Into Showstopping Halloween Décor With This DIY

For some, the fall harvest season is about giving thanks with turkey dinners and all things pumpkin spice. But for the rest of us, it's synonymous with spooky décor and vibes. With Halloween right around the corner, we can't help but notice ingenious craft ideas that satisfy the latter, particularly a witch tree made of — wait for it — pool noodles (among other materials). One need only Google "pool noodles" and stumble upon people fashioning noodles into wreath bases, Halloween décor, and more. YouTuber KelleyDoesStuff did just that, creating this gnarly witch tree incorporating the buoyant tubes. 

To achieve this, she first built the framework out of PVC pipes and connectors, then mounted it onto a sturdy wood base. After gluing the PVC pieces together and letting it dry, she wrapped the structure with pool noodles cut to size, in some spots (such as the trunk) layering them to create thicker girths. A heat gun helped weld together the noodles before she made shallow cuts with a knife to mimic bark texture. Finally, she painted and embellished the tree with faux foliage, lighting, and decorative miniatures. But there are so many ways you can put your own personal spin on this project.

Sketch the tree to figure out which pipe sizes and connectors (i.e. elbows and tees), as well as how many noodles, you'll need. Make sure you get at least one PVC table screw cap, which is a base plate that you'll use to mount the "trunk" onto the base. Pick up pool noodles from Dollar Tree, or another discount chain, and the following from a home improvement store: PVC pipes and connectors, PVC cement, an all-purpose permanent adhesive like E6000, and a wood square or round to form a base heavy enough to keep the tree from tipping over. Gear-wise you'll need a saw (or PVC pipe cutter), a drill, screwdriver, utility knife/box cutter, heat gun, and safety gear. Don't forget to grab some brown acrylic craft paint(s) and faux foliage. You can usually find a good selection of both for a bargain at Dollar Tree.

Cut the pipes to lengths you need for the trunk, limbs, and branches. Drill pilot holes into the wood base for the table screw cap, mount it, and insert the trunk pipe before assembling the rest of the structure. Once you land on a framework you like, while checking that the weight distribution is balanced enough to stay upright, glue all the pieces together using the PVC cement. This is a step in which you must be in a well-ventilated area (or wear a respirator) and use safety gear such as goggles and gloves, as this adhesive, when wet, emits solvent vapors that are dangerous. Allow enough time for the cement to cure before moving forward.

And now for the pool noodles: You'll need enough to cover and layer onto the PVC structure. Cut noodles down the center on just one side (length wise) to expose the interior of the tube, and wrap them around pipes using the all-purpose adhesive as you go. (Do not use the PVC cement because it can melt/dissolve pool noodles). You can use duct or masking tape to temporarily affix the noodles, but remove them before painting. For thicker areas, layer noodles. Use a heat gun to "weld" the noodles to each other and from end to end, but only when the glue is dry — some adhesives could be flammable when wet. Make shallow cuts into the welded foam surfaces with a utility knife to recreate natural bark texture.

Paint the entire piece after you've made the cuts to ensure you coat the crevices, too. Wait for the paint to fully dry before decorating the tree with faux foliage. For foliage with wire stems, you can usually use the ends to poke these directly into the foam. If using stringy garlands, you can wrap them around branches. Consider upping the ante on creepiness by dangling Spanish moss from some branches, sticking or painting sinister eyes on the trunk, or adding prop spiders, crows, and bats to various spots. For more of a lighthearted and whimsical tree, try what KelleyDoesStuff did: She wrapped it with green string lights, attached small platforms, and decorated them with fairy-garden–style miniatures of witches having fun.