Make Your Own “Stone” Decorative Column… With Pool Noodles!I had this awkward small corner to fill in my
For the building, you’ll need DAP Weldwood Contact Cement, which costs $15 on Amazon. 50/pint), $10 at The Home Depot for DAP Alex Fast Dry Latex Caulk Plus Silicone 56/2pk), as well as aerosol cans of primer, “stone” effect spray paint, and orange peel wall texture. Additionally, you will need two sturdy boards to serve as the column base and top, a paintbrush for applying contact cement, a clean cloth, a utility knife or other smooth cutting tool, and strong tape (such as duct or washi). As long as they are smooth, square, and bigger than the diameter of the tube itself, these can be particle board, recycled laminate shelving, or sturdy construction-grade cardboard that is comparable in strength to the tube itself. Once these are all acquired, youre ready to start assembling.
After letting the texture dry, apply an aerosol primer made for plastic, styrofoam, and laminate surfaces. Krylons COLORmaxx is an excellent choice; it costs $11 on Amazon. 35. To make sure this is totally hidden, you might want to apply at least two coats if your noodles are a vivid neon color. After this is finished and allowed to dry, you can at last apply the stone-effect spray paint. In the YouTube tutorial, Rust-Oleums Stone Creations was used; a 12-ounce can costs $16 on Amazon. 96. Apply at least two to three coats of paint to the column gradually, working smoothly and letting each coat dry completely before applying another. Visitors won’t know you made it yourself if you place it between two windows, for example, and place one of your favorite flowering plants on top.
Once your structure is set, you can start the real transformation. Use the orange peel wall texture spray (Homax has a 20-ounce can at Lowes for $21.98) to give the column a more stone-like, roughened feel. After youve covered it with the spray, wipe it down with a clean cloth to spread the texture over the entire surface, ensuring it no longer feels like pool noodles to the touch. This process will also randomize which parts are smoother and which parts are rougher, to mimic the effect of natural stone.
Next, cut three lengths of whole noodles into rings the inside diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the tubes (12 inches), and secure the ends of each circle with washi tape or duct tape. After tracing one of the rings onto the interior of the top and bottom boards, coat the tube’s bottom with contact cement, and then slide two rings onto it. Apply additional contact cement to the inside of the ring drawn on the board and the bottom of the column ring, and then press the two together. Using your finger or a piece of cloth, apply the caulk to the spaces above and below the noodle ring and smooth it in. To finish and close the column, drop a sandbag into the middle of the tube for more stability at this point. Then, repeat the procedure with the top board and the last ring.
After laying out your pool noodles and cutting them in half lengthwise, use contact cement to paint the interior edges. As this dries quickly, work with just one at a time at first. The easiest way to achieve the desired subtle spiral is to follow the design of the Quik-Tube logo, which also spirals around the structure. Place the first half of the noodles along the line made by the logo, and ensure that each subsequent half of the noodles fits exactly next to the preceding one, with no spaces between them.
