You’ve probably seen finials in your life even if you don’t know it. You’ll find them on top of Victorian buildings or on top of a post. Finials, in case you’re not familiar with them, are ornamental objects, usually placed at the top of something. For example, if you have a lamp that has a screw-on object that holds the shade in place, this could be considered a finial. Finials come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and distinctive markings. Most of them are pointed at the top but the designs can vary considerably. Some people collect finials, which can be wooden, metal or made from other materials. You can have your own collection of finials without having to scavenge old buildings or put forth big bucks to buy them. Start with Styrofoam shapes and you can make any number of different finials with little money or effort.
The shapes you combine to make your finials, and the paints you choose to embellish them, will make all the difference in the world. Metallic paints, as well as faux-stone paints, will help you make finials that look very real. Applying spackle to various Styrofoam shapes will give a finish that resembles wood. With assorted Styrofoam shapes you can make finials that look like they’ve been hammered from metal, ones that seem to have been carved from marble, and ones that look as though they’ve been salvaged from an antique building. Only you will know that they’re lightweight, fake and made from Styrofoam.
An example of a finial you can build would start with a round disk base. Although you can make the finial any size you want keep in mind that finials are generally not huge in diameter. They can, however, be somewhat tall. The size of the Styrofoam circle you choose to start the finial needs to be at least an inch or two thick. Lay the disk on a flat surface and add the next piece. Cut a Styrofoam ball in half to continue building the finial. The ball should be less wide than the circle you’ve selected. After cutting the ball in half glue the flat side to the round disk. Make sure the ball is centered on the disk shape. To make cutting Styrofoam much easier cut a few times, into a old candle, with a serrated knife.
After placing the half-ball on the base you can continue with the design. A small block of Styrofoam makes a great lift between the half-ball and the rest of the finial. The block should be smaller than the half-ball. Position it on top of the half-ball and glue in place. Now finish the finial with a cone shape. Glue the cone to the block lift piece then glue a small ball on top. Paint the entire thing with the faux stone or metal paints. This is only one example of a finial design. There are literally hundreds of different designs you can do.
Using the above design you can make similar but different designs. For example, replace the round disk base with a square base. Add a small ball to each corner of the square. Use a small, flat disk to replace the square block lift. And, use sandpaper to reshape the cone. Begin sanding straight up and down on one side of the cone. Sand until flat. Turn the cone over and do the opposite side in the same manner. Now create two more sides and you’ll have a four-sided shape rather than a cone shape. The bottom of the cone can be sanded as well. Sanding Styrofoam is very easy and only takes minutes when using sandpaper. For smaller areas an Emery board or fingernail file work great.
When trying to create a wooden look for the new finial use spackle to cover all the pieces. Follow the package directions for mixing the spackle. Smooth it on with a stiff brush then use a putty knife to smooth ridges or areas where the spackle is too thick. Allow to dry completely then sand out obvious flaws. Also, create a woodgrain look by sanding in a vertical manner. After the spackle is dry you can then apply the paint. It might take more than one coat to get the right look.
Other tricks you can try, so that you can achieve the look you want, vary. One idea is to sand down sharp corners on cubes and squares to give them a more defining look. Another technique is to use a toothpick, ice pick or another implement to create grooves and other designs. It’s fun to try all sorts of different Styrofoam shapes, paints, spackling and grooving techniques to come up with dozens of unique finials.
There are no definite shapes when it comes to finials. Stack different sizes of balls on top of each other, making each one smaller and smaller, and place the whole thing on a square base. Or, make a finial that has a square base, then a smaller, circular disk, then a cone and a ball. Another design is made when you use a square base, then a cube, then a cone and a top ball. You can even use a knife or cookie cutters to make thin shapes that can be attached to the other shapes. For instance, cut the shape of a simple angel, then glue one to each side of a cube. No matter what design you choose, or what finish you give it, you’ll be proud to display the finial – or finial collection – in your home. Although the finished finials look real enough, the moment someone picks one up, the jig is up! Display your beautiful finial collection where it can be seen but not touched – or risk someone discovering the truth!
Reference:
- See some fake finials here: craft.dow.com/craft/proj/1969.htm
