How to Make a Halloween Coffin Centerpiece

Last updated September 7, 2023
This Halloween coffin centerpiece is sure to turn heads at your next Halloween party. Plus, it's easy to make. All you need is a skeleton with light-up eyes and succulents and moss to arrange inside for a decorative look. Then, bring out the party favors, and you’re ready for some scary fun. This step-by-step guide shows you how.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Duration:
2-4 hours
Table of Contents
Cut the Wood for the Sides
Secure Side Pieces with Glue and Nails
Add Base to Coffin
Paint and Stain the Coffin
Arrange Skeleton in the Coffin
Plant Succulents in the Coffin
Cut the Wood for the Sides

The first step is to measure and cut wood for your Halloween coffin centerpiece. Don’t forget to wear safety glasses and use a mask. After each piece of wood is cut, sand rough edges with a sanding block.
You will need a 1" x 4" x 8' board and a 20" x 13" piece of 1/2"-thick plywood or MDF board.
CUT LIST:
Top left and right pieces of coffin:
- Cut two boards 6 inches in length. On one end of each board, cut a 40 degree angle. On the other end of each board, cut a 30 degree angle. The boards will fit together at the 40 degree angles to form the top of the coffin.
Right and left side pieces of coffin:
- Cut two boards 13-1/4 inches in length. Cut a 30 degree angle along the one edge of each board and a 42 degree angle on the other end of each board. The 30 degree angles of the top and side boards will meet to slant the coffin boards inward.
Bottom piece of coffin:
- Cut one board 7 inches in length. Cut a 42 degree angle on each end.
Secure Side Pieces with Glue and Nails

Starting with the two top pieces of the coffin, glue the 40 degree edges together and secure in place with a brad nailer and nails. Use a wood clamp to hold in place. Continue by glueing each side to the tops of the coffin, and secure with nails. Use clamps to hold the wood in place and wipe away excess glue. Make sure that the side pieces of the coffin slant inward.
Attach the bottom of the coffin to the sides with glue and then nail together. Wipe away excess glue and sand any remaining rough edges.
Add Base to Coffin

Lay the piece of plywood or MDF board on a table and place the coffin sides on top. Using a pencil, trace the outside of the coffin outline onto the plywood. Using a table saw, cut out the base of the coffin. Sand edges with a sanding block. Glue the coffin sides to the base and secure in place using a brad nailer and nails.
Paint and Stain the Coffin

Spray the inside of the coffin with black spray paint. Cover the inside bottom and sides with the paint. When dry, stain the outside of the coffin using the weathered grey stain. Make sure to stain all edges in the process.
When dry, create a weathered look on the outside of the coffin using white craft paint. Lightly rub it in unevenly around the sides of the coffin.
Arrange Skeleton in the Coffin

Working with a 5-foot plastic skeleton, use a Phillips-head screwdriver to remove any screws securing the arms and legs of your skeleton to the torso. Unscrew one of the hands from the arm bone and place it aside. Place the skeleton inside the coffin.
Plant Succulents in the Coffin

Add potting soil around the skeleton about 2 inches deep. Plant succulents as desired around the skeleton. For a creepy effect, place skeleton hands, including the one with the arm bones, into the dirt so it looks like they’re reaching out of the Halloween coffin centerpiece.
Complete the Look

To finish the look, fill any gaps around the skeleton and succulents with Spanish moss or sphagnum.
Place the Halloween centerpiece on a dining table or console. If desired, add fairy lights around the base of the Halloween coffin centerpiece so it stands out wherever you end up using it.
When Halloween is over, you can always use this centerpiece again. Remove the succulents and repot them up in another container. Empty the potting soil, then wipe down the coffin and the skeleton and its hands and store them for next year.
Want to make a Halloween coffin centerpiece, but you don’t have the tools you need?
Consider power tool rental from The Home Depot. You can rent the tools using The Home Depot Mobile App, and return them when you’re done with the project.