Home / Wheelchair Halloween costumes for adults / Hearse
Hearse Wheelchair Costume: How to Build It
- Time About 2 hours
- Help needed Cutting the panels
- Best for Most recognizable
A hearse is the easiest chair build to recognize from across the street: long, black, trimmed in silver, with a coffin riding in front. The panels are flat, the trim is tape, and the only part that needs a helper is cutting the foam board.
What you will need
- Black foam board or sturdy black cardboard (two long panels and a short front and back panel)
- Black paint or black duct tape, silver tape or silver paint for trim
- Fake white flowers and a shallow tray or box lid
- A cardboard box for the coffin prop, tapered at the foot end
- Hook-and-loop strips, removable zip ties or bungee cord
- Two battery LED lights (white for the front, red for the back)
- A black suit or dark jacket and a driver's cap
Step by step
- Measure the space from your armrest to just above the top of the wheel, and from the back post to the front. Cut two side panels to that size, shaped like the side of a hearse with a long hood and a squared-off rear window.
- Paint or tape the panels black. Add silver tape for window frames and a long trim stripe, and paste a strip of black paper with a gap as the curtained window.
- Mount each panel on the armrest or frame side with hook-and-loop strips or removable ties. The bottom edge of the panel should sit above the wheel and well clear of the hand rim. Never attach anything to the wheel or the brakes.
- Cut a smaller panel to fit across the front of your lap, below chest height so your view stays clear. Glue the flower tray along its top.
- Build the coffin: a long cardboard box, tapered at one end, painted black or dark wood, with a silver cross or handles. Keep it empty and light, and rest it across your lap or on the front panel.
- Add the lights: two white LEDs on the front panel as headlights and two red LEDs on the rear panel. Tape the battery packs inside where they are easy to switch on.
- Dress as the driver: black suit, tie, a chauffeur cap and gloves.
Before you roll
Check. Roll slowly in the room before you go out. The panels should not touch the wheels or hand rims at any point. Brakes should reach and engage without touching foam. If the front panel narrows your doorway, shorten it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Panels that sit low enough to catch the wheel or hand rim. Raise them until there is clear air under the bottom edge.
- Permanent glue on the chair. Use strips or ties so every piece comes off in seconds.
- A heavy coffin. A light, empty prop keeps your arms free and your balance steady.
Make it better
Add a battery fog tray of dry-ice-free fog, such as a small mister, at the back for a haunted drive. Sew black fringe along the roof panel and add a license plate that reads R.I.P.
Where to buy
Amazon links; check the product page against the notes before you order.
- Removable mounting tape (a removable version, not industrial strength)
- Battery LED puck lights (battery powered and cool-running)
- Reflective tape (a small roll is enough)
- Black foam board (check the pack size and thickness)
Safety for every build
- Nothing may block, touch or catch in the wheels, hand rims, brakes or controls. Keep fabric above the wheels and make every attachment quick to remove.
- On a power chair, also keep clear of the joystick, cables, battery and vents.
- Keep tall pieces light and low on the chair so they do not change your balance.
- Check that the finished build fits through a standard door.
- Add reflective tape or a battery LED so you are visible in low light.