As much as natural trees add charm to your surroundings, they are difficult to look after. But that does not mean you will have to compromise on tree arrangements. You can switch to artificial trees made of foam and install them. Now the question arises “how to make a fake tree out of foam?”
Carving the spray foams and attaching stems to them makes the primary base. Painting and placing it does the rest. And to know why you should get into the process instead of buying fake trees, stick along till the end.
What Supplies Do You Need for Making Fake Trees?
Most of the materials needed to make a tree out of foam are cheaper and easily available. So, you will not have a hard time arranging the following things –
- Canned foams or spray foams that expand once they dry.
- Cardboard tubes for the trunk and fake branches for the greenery.
- A drill, hot glue, wire cutters, sand, rocks, a basket, and green papers.
- Spray paints of grey, brown, and black color.
Once you keep the materials ready beforehand, jump right to the project. It will reduce the time needed to complete the task. And early preparation takes away the stress too.
How to Make a Fake Tree Out of Foam?
Using foam is the easiest DIY technique to carve out trees. Also, it has almost zero health hazards and risks while working with it. So, without further ado, let’s get into the detailed process –
Step 1: Prepare the Base
In order to make the trunk of the tree, get a 5 to 6 feet long cardboard tube from online or local stores. If the size is not perfect, buy several tubes.
Take glue and attach each end of the tube on top of the other to form a long trunk. Let the glue dry so that the tubes can hold their shape together.
Step 2: Spray Foam Tree Trunk
There are various types of spray foam, but for this project, make sure to get the expanding one from the hardware store. It is better to buy the canned one.
Spray the foam on the trunk in a vertical pattern from top to bottom. The line should not be more than two to three feet. The gaps are necessary between the lines, which leaves room for them to expand. Once the foam dries, it will fill the gaps.
Step 3: Carve the Foam
Let the sprayed trunk dry overnight to remove the gooey and sticky texture inside the layers. Then, take a bread knife to carve the roundness of each layer. To give the base a natural look, carve with a serrated knife to bring out the uneven and rough texture of the trunk.
Remove thin slices of foam from top to bottom. It creates bark-like crevices on the base. Do not go too deep. Otherwise, the artificial tree trunk and branches will not be sturdy enough after installation.
Step 4: Paint the Trunk
Take four spray paints in shades of grey or brown and black. Apply the first layer of grey on the trunk in a vertical pattern. Do not overcoat the layer. Or else the crevices will not look natural!
Then, spray light brown color by keeping some gaps between the foam lines. If you want, you can overcoat this layer.
Now hold the dark brown spray bottle 8 inches away from the trunk and cover the foam in a random pattern. Make sure not to hide every nook and cranny of the base in brown. Otherwise, the tree trunk will look too artificial and dull.
Last but certainly not least, use the black spray to make spots over the brown base. And spray camo paint in between the crevices.
To smooth out the combination of these colors and splotch, apply dark brown color over them. Do not touch the bark now and let the paints dry for several hours.
Step 5: Install the Tree Base
Fill a basket or pot with some sand and rocks. Then, install the trunk in the pot. Make sure to gently tap the sand around the trunk on the ground level. It prevents the base from leaning sideward.
Step 6: Make and Place Greenery
You can buy fake tree branches online or can make your own. For that, take some plastic straws and attach paper-cut leaves with threads and glue. However, the DIY foliage can be a bit troublesome to attach to the trunk.
With a nail or drill bit, make ⅛” small holes on top of the trunk. Then, add some glue to the holes, and insert the fake stems. For the store brought branches, you need to use wire cutters to separate them before installing them. Now you can place the tree anywhere you want.
Is A Fake Tree Made of Foam Worth It?
Most of the readymade fake trees are too expensive, and you cannot even make alterations to them easily. And if you want an asymmetrical tree, it is always better to carve the foams to come out with a tree shape of your preferences.
Also, store-brought trees can be tricky to place in different settings. But that is not the case with your DIY foam tree. As the latter is light weighted and easy to disassemble.
And you can easily separate the stems from the tree made of foam. Then, hanging some weeping willow or any strands of leaves from the ceiling can change the atmosphere of the room. So, you have creative liberty with this tree, unlike the store ones.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q’s):
Can You Make a Christmas Tree Out of Foam?
Yes, you can. But here, carving the cardboard in a Christmas tree structure is the main role. The foam is secondary here.
Can Artificial Foam Trees Withstand Wind?
If you have installed the base in the solid ground of sand, the trunk is safe from heavy wind. Furthermore, a sturdy trunk and multiple foam layers can protect the tree.
Do You Need to Clean Artificial Trees Made of Spray Foams?
You can remove dust and dirt from the leaves with a dry cloth. But avoid spraying cleaning liquid on the trunk or stems.
Conclusion
Sometimes, readymade fake trees are not a possibility due to preferences. In such cases, you can be the crafter and make a fake tree from foam. And it costs almost nothing. I hope the detailed guide on how to make a fake tree out of foam has made the process way easier than before!
Here is a suggestion – Always wear a safety mask and gloves while working with foam so that flying dust from the foam will not irritate you.