46 DIY Outdoor Halloween Decorations to Add Seasonal Spookiness

DIY Monster Wreath

Create a DIY monster Halloween wreath that's a little cute and a little scary. Handmade yarn pom-poms are all it takes to transform a plain wreath form into a jolly Halloween monster. We used green yarn ($5, Michaels), but customize it with any color you like.

All Eyes on You

You won't be able to take your eyes off this simple DIY outdoor Halloween decoration. Buy some giant googly eyes and attach them to wooden dowels or skewers using hot glue or strong tape. Place them in your bushes or plants to make monsters in any garden.

Mask Up

Give your Halloween decorations outdoors a mysterious twist with a grouping of masquerade-theme pumpkins. To make them, cut paper mask shapes with holes for the eyes and use glue or pins to attach the masks to the pumpkins. Stagger different sizes and colors of pumpkins over the porch steps or line a walkway with these spooky faces.

Giant Halloween Spiders

These giant DIY spiders are bone-chilling when hung with twine, wire, and exterior adhesive hooks. Nearly seven feet across, these enormous creatures will turn your home into a house of horrors. Make them with faux fur, black foam tubes, and half-sphere wire forms from a florist's supply shop.

Ornaments in October

It seems like Christmas decor hits the shelves sooner each year, but you can use the early holiday spirit to your advantage. Use orange, purple, and black ornaments to create a jewel-toned wreath that's perfect for Halloween. Complete the DIY Halloween wreath with decorative skulls, spiders, and eyeballs, and use hot glue to hold everything together.

Skip the Mess

Carving pumpkins can mean a mess and not-so-pleasant smells, especially after a few days or weeks. Trade your carving knife for paintbrushes for a painted pumpkin craft. Copy this owl inspiration, or use any of our Halloween pumpkin stencils to inspire your creation.

Scary Spider Webs

Attack of the giant spiders! These DIY outdoor Halloween decorations are oversized and perfect for decking out your front porch. Made with braided yarn, these large faux spiderwebs can be reused year after year.

Boo-tiful Doormat

Use our free printable stencils to create a DIY Halloween doormat that's perfect for greeting trick-or-treaters. Halloween pumpkin decorations go way beyond carving with this boo-tiful fall porch decoration.

Halloween Farmhouse Porch

Typically inviting farmhouse style takes an unnerving turn with a mass of mischievous mice and a ghostly greeting that says it all. Don't let the natural country charm fool you; this particular porch screams, "Beware!" A few metallic elements add a touch of chic to this country scene.

Oversized Bats

These larger-than-life Halloween bats are fun and easy DIY outdoor Halloween decorations for the season—and the winged creatures are easier to make than they look! They're made from plastic hangers, pipe foam insulation, and black trash bags, making them a budget-friendly craft.

Scary Sidewalk

A little chalk goes a long way. Sets of ghoulish hands and well-shaded cracks create the ultimate optical illusion. To make this DIY Halloween outdoor decoration, use outdoor adhesive to attach plastic hands to the sidewalk, then use black chalk to make it look like the hands are rising up out of the concrete. This spooky look will surely capture the attention of any neighbors or trick-or-treaters. Plus, removing the hands and chalk from the walkway is easy: spray the concrete with a hose when the holiday is over.

Cold Hands Wreath

You've heard of cold feet, but how about cold hands? This wreath is simple but stands out among other Halloween door decorations.

To make: Apply a few even layers of silver spray paint to nine plastic skeleton hands (available at dollar stores). Add a liberal amount of hot glue to the back of the hands and affix in place around a small chalkboard circle. Write a spooky phrase in the center with chalk, then hang the wreath with string.

Black and White Pumpkins

Black is the new orange! Paint and decorate a few pumpkins for these simple, easy DIY Halloween outdoor decorations.

To make:

1. Using a pencil, trace a moon onto one pumpkin and a bat onto another.
2. Leaving the traced shapes unpainted, paint the rest of the moon pumpkin black and the bat pumpkin white.
3. Hammer a crafts nail every ¼-inch around the edges of the moon and bat, making sure the nails remain slightly above the surface of the pumpkin.
4. Randomly wrap string in a contrasting color around the nails to create the webbed design.
5. Finish by looping the string around the adjacent nails to create an outline of the shape.

Menacing Garland

Classic fall foliage looks less friendly when it's painted an unnatural shade. Black spray paint ($6, Target) transforms basic leaf garlands into eerie Halloween outdoor decorations. Wrap them around a fence, porch rail, or pillar.

Quoth the Raven

Make a pile of pumpkins a little scarier with faux animal skeletons. This raven, for example, contrasts nicely with a pile of pretty painted pumpkins. Set up your display at the base of a planter or on a porch step.

Paper Bag Lanterns

These outdoor Halloween luminaries are so simple—the kids will love helping with this project. Decorate an assortment of paper bags with stickers, paint, tape, and vinyl, then arrange them on the front porch or line them up your driveway to welcome trick-or-treaters. Choose battery-operated tea lights for worry-free lighting on Fright Night.

Messaging Pumpkins

Let your DIY Halloween outdoor decorations talk back. These stylish pumpkins were painted a sleek black, then lettered with metallic sheets and decorative tacks. Stack pumpkins horizontally or vertically to spell out spooky sayings.

To Make:

1. Pick three pumpkins of varying sizes and cut the stems off the two bigger pumpkins. Paint all three black, tracing a "B" on the small pumpkin, an "O" on the midsize pumpkin, and a second "O" on the large pumpkin.
2. For each pumpkin, fill in the letter outline with metal-leaf adhesive and place a silver-leaf sheet on top. Brush the silver leaf in place using a soft bristle brush until no excess leaf remains.
3. Gently brush the silver-leaf letters with a sealer, and outline each letter with decorative tacks.
4. Complete the look by stacking the pumpkins, starting with the largest on the bottom.

Batty Wreath

This festive Halloween wreath is the perfect blend of spooky and stylish. Orange chevron ribbon dresses up a basic straw wreath (from $7, Michaels), but the real star is a trio of glittery bats perched on the bottom. Hang using patterned burlap ribbon.

For the Birds

One bird: Not a big deal. A whole flock of them? Well, that's a scary Halloween yard decoration. Assemble a collection of faux ravens arranged in various poses on your fence, porch banister, deck railing—even your roofline! Secure with cable ties and black duct tape.

Rat Invasion

Think of the spooked responses from passersby when a crowd of whiskered pests marches up your front walk. Trace an oversized rat outline on a large piece of paper, then transfer to plywood. Cut out the rats, sand them, and paint them black. Screw vertically aligned U-brackets ($4, Lowe's) to the back of each rat. Prop up each rat by slipping the U-bracket over a plant stake pushed into the ground.

Spiderweb Greeting

Ensnare trick-or-treaters on your porch with this crafty DIY Halloween outdoor decoration that resembles a spiderweb.

To make:

1. Cut a 3x4-foot lightweight black mat into a 36-inch-diameter circle using heavy shears.
2. With chalk, draw a spiderweb design onto the mat.
3. Cut a clothesline into pieces to fit your design, and singe the ends of each piece to prevent fraying.
4. Use heavy-duty white glue to attach the clothesline pieces over the chalk lines.

Unique Pumpkins

You can display DIY outdoor Halloween decorations without going to great lengths to be scary. Pumpkins—the most treasured symbol of the season—used to be bland and basic, but new types and shapes add visual and graphic texture. Stack several pumpkins on top of each other to create a no-carve pumpkin display, then accent with potted seasonal flowers and tall dried cornstalks. For a little bit of an eerie atmosphere, add a faux raven or large spider.

Pallet Crafts

Play with all the colors of Halloween with festive painted pallet decorations. Create your ghost and pumpkin DIY outdoor Halloween decorations. It's easy to line your walkway at trick-or-treat time.

To make: Cover a wood pallet board with white paint, then freehand three ovals in black paint to form a ghost face. Repeat with orange paint to create a smiling jack-o-lantern to match.

Bats in the Bushes

Ominously animate your Halloween yard with colonies of airborne bats.

To make: Enlarge and trace our bat patterns onto black foam-core board and cut out; poke two holes into each bat for black cable ties to hold it onto a branch. Stick tall limbs into the ground or into sand-filled buckets. Place the largest bats high on the branches and smaller ones toward the bottom, making sure each cable tie is tight.

Keep the Halloween theme going throughout the house with more fun DIY bat crafts.

Upside-Down Witch

This easy-to-make Halloween porch decoration looks like a wayward witch landed headfirst in a moss-filled urn. Dress bendable mannequin legs in striped hose and buckled shoes to recreate this DIY witch decor. Place upside down in a tall urn filled with reindeer moss ($7, Michaels) by your front door.

Bare-Boned

Give your visitors a frightful hello with a welcome from these bare-boned greeters. Pose several Halloween skeletons on the porch and the roof, securing them with fishing line. Add props as appropriate to your Halloween aesthetic—scary or whimsical.

Toxic Shocker

Poisonous it is not: This "puddle"—meant to look like a toxic spill—is actually hardened white glue ($3, Walmart).

To make: Outline a desired shape on a melamine sheet; fill in with glue and let dry. Using a font of your choice, create a "poison" label and attach to an empty bottle. Remove the dried glue puddle from the melamine, and place it and the bottle where desired. Attach plastic insects with more glue.

Add this scary Halloween decoration to your front porch, deck, or stairs.

Spooky Garage Door

Scary Halloween decorations should start with your garage door! The key to creating this scary scene is a combination of black vinyl ($1, Michaels) and card stock. Turn on your Halloween lights so the zombies glow during the night.

To make: For this craft, you'll need bright-colored cardstock or tissue paper and black cardstock. Cut out the bright color to fit the windows and set aside. Cut outlines of hands and feet from the black cardstock. Attach the hands to the bright cardstock and adhere to the windows using removable tape. Attach the feet to the base of the door or house.

Mummy Hands Wreath

Halloween wreaths don't have to be complicated to make! A simple masking tape technique is all it takes to create a pair of spooky mummy hands. Add them to a plain grapevine wreath and finish with faux spiders and webbing.

Candy Corn Cute

A fun color palette and playful touch suggest a handful of yum is most certainly just a knock away. Greet trick-or-treaters with this bright Halloween front door. Make your own wreaths by wrapping foam forms with yarn. Add our free printed message to set the scene.

Carved Craft Pumpkin

Use one of our free pumpkin carving patterns to carve a craft pumpkin to add to your Halloween decor. It's just as easy (maybe even easier!) as carving a real pumpkin, but you don't have to worry about these pumpkins rotting—so you can display it year after year.

Monster Garland

Whether you're throwing a Halloween party or just decorating your home for the season, this colorful monster garland is easy enough that anyone can make it.

To make: Start with a multi-pack of Rainbow Honeycomb Shapes ($11, Amazon), stringing them together using fishing line or thin twine. Use craft paper, markers, and googly eyes to add monster-like features.

Snaky Doormat

Guests will step back in fear, thanks to a slithering mass of snakes. Spray-paint rubber snakes glossy black. Create various lengths of snakes by cutting them in two; arrange them at the edge of thick plastic foam board and glue to the edges. Set the board underneath a doormat.

Spiderweb Wreath

Easy-to-find crafts supplies and a few minutes are all it takes to create this elegant, holiday-themed wreath. Cut enough spiderweb fabric to cover an embroidery hoop; secure with hot glue. Attach a plastic spider with another dab of hot glue; tie a bow made from black ribbon and hang.

Bat-and-Cat Creepiness

Think of your garage door as a giant canvas where you can display many DIY Halloween outdoor decorations. This temporary artwork is made from removable black cloth tape (2- and 3-inch widths) and black crafts-foam sheets cut into spooky shapes. Use tape loops to press the silhouettes into place on the garage door.

Yarn Ball Spiders

Kids can help create this whimsical, colorful wreath with a hidden surprise—spiders!

To make:

Gather materials:

• 40 to 50 plastic foam balls (1 inch, 1½ inches, and 2 inches wide);
• fuzzy black and plain black, green, purple, and orange yarn;
• 12-inch medium-density fiberboard (MDF) wreath form;
• seven 12-inch-long black chenille stems;
• googly eyes.

1. Wrap and cover one large, two medium, and two small plastic foam balls with fuzzy black yarn, using hot glue to secure. (These will be your spiders.)
2. Wrap the remaining plastic foam balls with the black, green, purple, and orange yarn.
3. Tie four lengths of black yarn to the wreath, spaced evenly, to create eight spokes. Weave a continuous spiral with a long length of black yarn to create a spiderweb.
4. Hot-glue the yarn-covered balls to the wreath, then attach the fuzzy yarn balls.
5. Cut the chenille to create legs (eight 3-inch pieces for the large spider, sixteen 2-inch pieces for the medium spiders, and sixteen 1½-inch pieces for the small spiders); insert into the yarn balls and bend to form legs and feet.
6. Hot-glue the spiders to the yarn balls and hot-glue eyes to the spiders.

Ghoulish Glaring Eyes

These unblinking eyes are sure to make guests do a double take. Select plastic foam balls ($16, Michaels) in varying sizes and draw large pupils using a permanent marker. Use a toothpick or stick to hold pairs together. Attach the pairs of eyes to a dark bench or fence so they pop.

Pumpkin Message

Trick or Treat! Happy Halloween, Boo: Whatever your Halloween sentiments, use pretty pumpkins to spell it out.

To make: Use painters tape to mark off stripes; paint with black acrylic paint. Trace letters or words with stencils; use a small brush to paint them with more black paint; let dry. Using a large drill bit, cut out evenly spaced holes.

Night Sky Porch

A vivid yellow moon, fall mums, and a pillow balance the striking black cat silhouettes on this fall front porch. Create your Halloween wreath using two wire wreath forms and yellow electrical tape. Simply set the smaller wreath inside the larger one, offsetting so the hoops almost touch on one side. Wrap with electrical tape until the crescent shape is finished.

Flame Pumpkin Display

A pile of pumpkins transforms into a campfire-inspired display with our free pattern and a simple carving technique. Finish the DIY Halloween outdoor decoration with a few logs and a cozy blanket. Use battery-powered lights to give the "fire" a realistic flicker.

Crow and Pumpkin Display

Pay homage to the spooky bird mascot of the season with this easy weekend DIY project. Carve a few Halloween pumpkins and stack them outside. Finish the pumpkin display with an assortment of faux crows ($28, Oriental Trading).

Hanging Jack-o'-Lanterns

Light your sidewalk with a lineup of Halloween pumpkin decorations. Hang carved jack-o'-lanterns from shepherd's hooks using hangers crafted from heavy-gauge wire. Battery-powered candles keep the pumpkin Halloween lights illuminated without risk of fire.

Window Webs

Give giant spiders (created from plastic foam balls) a place to call home with window webs spun from a few crafts store supplies. These Halloween window decorations are sure to spook even the bravest of visitors.

Outdoor Skeleton Crew

Gather a group of skeletons to act as spooky yard greeters. Perch the gang on a bench or ledge and add top hats and bow ties. These guys are sure to create a bone-chilling Halloween.

Hanging Ghost Gourds

Adorn your front stoop with a tangle of lifeless branches and vines hung from porch rafters. Paint gourds white and add ghostly expressions with black paint. Suspend gourds from the rafters so they hang down among the vines. When darkness comes, the apparitions will be illuminated by shifting shadows, a scene guaranteed to frighten and chill.

Mummy Statues

These Halloween lawn decorations take spooky to a new level. You'll scare the pants off passersby with a front yard featuring mummies that eerily rise and pose to haunt the twilight landscape. Look for mummies at Halloween supply stores, or make your own with old mannequins and bandage wraps.