She Bought $1.16 Fence Boards Instead of Using Old Pallets: Her Halloween Mummy Looks Like It Was Wrapped in Bandages
Finding enough usable wooden pallets for a large Halloween decoration can take time, and taking them apart brings another problem: pulling out nails without splitting the boards. Instead of dealing with both, one homeowner found cedar fence slats at Lowe’s for $1.16 each, giving her the pallet-wood look without dismantling a single pallet.
The creator behind West Creek Design used those boards to build a wooden mummy for her front porch. She started with a large sheet of wood, cut out the figure’s silhouette, and attached cedar strips across the body to imitate overlapping bandages.
The project used a material meant for fencing to create something that looked wrapped in fabric. Black paint, oversized eyes, and a diluted white finish completed the transformation, while the construction photos reveal how the wooden layers came together.
She Started With a Large Sheet of Wood
Lowe’s cut an inexpensive sheet of wood to approximately 5 by 3 feet, providing the backing for the mummy. The panel would support the cedar strips, painted face, and additional boards attached during the project.
She Drew the Mummy’s Shape Onto the Board
Pencil lines mark a rounded head, narrow neck, shoulders, and wide body across the panel. A printed mummy illustration sits near the center as a reference while the creator draws the outline by hand.
The shape leaves enough width across the body for staggered cedar boards, with curved edges that will be trimmed after the wood is attached.
A Rotozip Cut Out the Mummy Silhouette
Her husband used a handheld Rotozip cutting tool to follow the pencil outline, removing the surrounding board and creating the mummy’s rounded shape.
A jigsaw could perform the same cut, but the Rotozip allowed them to follow the curves around the head, shoulders, and body.
Cedar Fence Slats Became the First Layer of Bandages
Short cedar boards cover the backing in staggered rows, with different lengths arranged across the body. A pneumatic nailer secures the pieces, while their ends extend beyond the cutout.
The mixed wood tones and visible grain give the surface a reclaimed appearance, even though the boards came from the store’s fencing section.
She Continued Adding Boards Across the Body
More cedar strips fill the lower section, with joints offset between neighboring rows. The nailer fastens each piece while the edges remain uneven around the silhouette.
After attaching the boards, the creator turned the figure over and used the cutting tool to remove the excess wood, following the outline of the backing.
Two Wooden Discs Became the Mummy’s Eyes
Two round wooden discs from Joann’s received white paint and black circles in their centers. The creator attached them to the head with wood glue after painting the exposed face area black.
The dark background separates the eyes from the pale boards that will surround them, giving the mummy its expression without cutting openings through the backing.
She Left a Gap Between the Boards for the Eyes
Cedar strips cross the head at opposing angles, leaving a black opening around the two painted eyes. One board covers the forehead, while another passes beneath the eyes.
The arrangement resembles bandages pulled apart around the face, with the black surface creating depth behind the white discs.
Sanding Smoothed the Attached Cedar
A handheld sander moves across the wooden body after the protruding ends have been trimmed. The tool smooths the board faces and cut edges before the final finish.
Knots, grain changes, and slight differences in color remain visible across the cedar, preserving the wood’s texture.
Extra Cedar Strips Created Raised Bandages
Longer boards run diagonally across the body, crossing the shorter pieces underneath. The creator fastens these additional strips in opposing directions to create raised bands.
Their placement breaks up the horizontal rows and gives the mummy the appearance of overlapping wraps, with sections of the original cedar surface visible between them.
Diluted White Paint Created the Wrapped Appearance
White paint mixed with water covers the wooden body, leaving streaks of brown cedar grain visible beneath the finish. The creator used approximately two parts paint to one part water.
The raised boards catch the pale finish across their surfaces, while the joints and grain remain darker. She leaves the black face uncovered so the eyes retain their contrast.
The Finished Mummy Stands on the Front Porch
The completed wooden figure stands against a brick wall beside two stacked pumpkins. Whitewashed cedar strips cover the body, with raised diagonal boards forming the outer bandages.
An orange “Trick or Treat” sign hangs across the chest from black ribbon, adding a Halloween message without covering the wooden design.
The Face Gives the Mummy Its Character
Two oversized eyes peer through the narrow black opening between the wooden strips. The upper band crosses the forehead, while another angles beneath the eyes toward the shoulder.
The orange sign sits below the face, attached with a black ribbon and bow. Whitewashed wood, dark gaps, and visible cedar grain give the finished figure its layered appearance.
Would you use old pallets or $1.16 cedar fence boards to build your own Halloween mummy?
Project and images: West Creek Design.