Hey everyone! I'm looking to DIY a massive ear of corn that can stand up to the elements. I'm aiming for it to be about 5 feet in diameter and around 6 feet in length. I initially thought about painting a 60-inch drain pipe yellow, but it turns out that might be too expensive. I'm also considering wrapping a printed tarp around some sturdy rings, but I really need it to be rigid enough to handle 70-80mph winds and support some weight for snow. Any creative ideas?
3 Answers
Another fun option is to use two garbage bags end to end, do a paper mache to shape it like corn, and then wrap it in a waterproof tarp. Finally, paint it to give it that classic ear of corn look!
Have you thought about reaching out to local cattle ranchers? You could use two round bales of hay stacked on top of each other. A little spray paint on the wrappers can help keep them looking corn-like, and since they each weigh around 1,100 pounds, there's no chance they'll be blown away!
You could think about laying up fiberglass and polyester resin over a metal mesh frame, kind of like building a fiberglass boat. Alternatively, you can connect two plastic barrels end to end, wrap them up, and even throw in some concrete blocks inside to keep it grounded. Also, just a heads up, a realistic ear of corn should only be about 18" in diameter if it's not going to be 25 feet tall!
Haha, yeah—talk about corn on the cob at that height!
That's a cool idea, but the weight might not work for me. I’m looking for more of a decorative piece that could be used on a parade float.