pillars of the earth?

[Eeeekim]

Hello big haunting brains. I need a little help.
I'm making some very standard pillars. I have started with styrofoam tops and bottoms and a large cardboard tube. I want to cover it with joint compound to give it some texture. But I'm not sure it I should use monster mud (mix the joint compound with paint) or i could paint the compound after it has dried on the pillar? These will be outside but only for a few days. so what will give me a more durable prop? and should I still seal it?

Thanks

[IMU]

Monster mud on it's own won't add much more weatherproofing to your cardboard tube (assuming it's a sono-tube which has a little bit already).

If you use just straight joint compound, you'll have trouble with it chipping/breaking off your tube. If you use a MM mix, you could spread it on with your hands. My MM mix is a bit thinner (4:1) and I paint it on.

My latest test coating material is actually what I used on my piling prop: Monster Mud & Liquid Nails. It's a 1:1 mix and it held up to being in water for 24 hours without any added protection. I took my test piece out of the water and added a layer of paint over the new coating mixture and I'll see how well that holds up to being wet.

http://www.hauntforum.com/picture.php?albumid=727&pictureid=8120

So ... to answer your question (took me long enough to get there, huh????):
1. I'd use a MM mix
2. Add at least 1 coat of Drylok over the MM
3. Use a Spar Varnish to help seal everything
4. Paint over the Varnish with your latex paints

Hope that helps!

[jaege]

Joint compound is not weatherproof, that is why it is used strictly on the inside of the house. You could paint the project with outdoor latex paint. Alternately you could use dryloc that has been tinted.Since you are only looking at one season I would go with the paint, as it is cheaper.

[DarkLore]

I'd start by cutting a circle that fits the inside rim of the tube. But think of it more like a large ring with a large hole in the middle. Sort of like giving yourself a 3 inch rim on the inside of the sonotube. Use liquid nails, epoxy, or wood glue to fix that in place in the end of the tube. Then put the end on the tube and the rim will act as a fixed support to make it stronger.

http://www.mourningwood.com/images/tube.jpg

I wouldn't use MM at all. I'd paint it with DryLock after fixing the end on it.

[sorry...drawing lacks detail. White would be the tube. Brown would be inner rim. Pink represents additional foam trim prior to putting an end over the entire surface.]

[JohnnyAppleseed]

Do not use joint compound directly and I would be hesitant to use a "standard" monster mud mix. Also, I would seal the inside of the tube with DryLock as well to keep moisture from being wicked through form the inside and causing you problems with any outside applied materials. I learned this lesson with my column build and it was built from an exterior grade plywood, the insides are now painted. painting of the tube inside can be accomplished with a small roller and a pole. Capping as DarkLore as so elegantly detailed is nice also creating a more water resistant cap as he has shown it.

[nixie]

I use foundation/insulation coating on nearly all my props, it's made for exterior use. For my own take on Monster mud, I mix the foundation coating with exterior latex paint. It's a bit pricier than standard monster mud, but it's already weather proof and very durable. This is my fourth year using this method, I keep my props for the entire month of October, and I have had very good luck with it so far.

I agree that you will need to seal up the inside. You may also want to consider creating a base out of foam or wood for the pillars to stand on to avoid setting the tubes directly on the ground.

[Eeeekim]

thanks everyone.
I was thinking of treating it like a paper mache and use spar urethane to seal the heck out it then give it a good coat of outdoor paint. and yes I will put foam then wood base on it. Nixie I would like to see your foundation/insulation coating stuff in action. do you have some pic of how it looks?