25 Spooky DIY Halloween Wreaths for Less Than $5

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Decorating for Halloween doesn’t have to be expensive! One of the easiest and most eye-catching ways to spookify your home is with a Halloween wreath. The best part? You can make a DIY Halloween wreath for less than $5 using items you already have at home, or inexpensive supplies from the dollar store, thrift shops, or your craft stash.

In this guide, you’ll find 25 creative DIY spooky Halloween wreath ideas that are budget-friendly, fun to make, and guaranteed to wow your neighbors and trick-or-treaters.

Why Make Your Own Halloween Wreath?

Affordable – Most of these wreaths cost under $5.
Customizable – Choose colors and themes that match your style.
Creative – Great family or kids’ craft project.
Eco-friendly – Use upcycled or thrifted materials.

The secret to a sub-$5 wreath is smart shopping. Your best friends will be dollar stores, craft supply clearance aisles, and even your own backyard.

Wreath Base: Look for wire wreath forms, foam rings, or grapevine wreaths. You can also make your own base from cardboard, twisted newspaper, or even a hula hoop!
Spooky Elements: Plastic spiders, googly eyes, cotton balls (for webs), plastic bats, fake skulls, and black craft foam are all staples.
Fabric and Ribbon: Black and orange tulle, burlap ribbon, cheesecloth, and even garbage bags can be used to create texture and volume.
Natural Elements: Don’t forget to look outside! Twigs, pinecones, and dried leaves can be spray-painted to create a hauntingly beautiful base.
Tools: A hot glue gun is a must, but you can find mini ones for just a few dollars. Scissors, floral wire, and black spray paint are also key.

25 DIY Spooky Halloween Wreaths for Under $5

Here are 25 budget-friendly ideas, complete with mini-tutorials, to inspire your next spooky project.

1. The Classic Spider Web Wreath

Materials: Wire wreath form, black yarn or twine, plastic spiders.

How-To: Wrap your wire form in black yarn to cover it. Weave a spiderweb pattern across the center, and hot-glue plastic spiders to the web.

Use cotton webbing and faux spiders from dollarama to turn a foam wreath into spider wreath.

Cute spider web wreath with net covering a foam wreath and a pom pom spider with pipe cleaner legs.

Turn a medallion into a Halloween wreath with paper cutout spider.

2. Googly Eye Invasion Wreath

Materials: Foam wreath form, various sizes of googly eyes, black spray paint.

How-To: Spray paint the foam wreath black. Once dry, cover the entire front of the wreath with a dense cluster of googly eyes, using hot glue.

Gaudy wreath with foam cutout sign

Spooky painted eyeballs glued on the wreath.

3. Trash Bag “Tulle” Wreath

Materials: Wire wreath form, a roll of black or orange trash bags, scissors.

How-To: Cut the trash bags into long, 2-inch strips. Tie the strips onto the wire wreath form in a “pull-through” or knotting method until the entire form is covered and fluffy.

4. The Spooky Twig and Branch Wreath

Materials: Twigs from your yard, black spray paint, wire or floral wire.

How-To: Form a circle with the twigs and secure them with wire. Spray paint the entire wreath black for a ghostly, burnt-wood effect. Add small plastic bats or spiders.

A quick spray paint and some cotton project.

5. Cheesecloth Ghost Wreath

Materials: Grapevine wreath, cheesecloth, hot glue, googly eyes.

How-To: Rip strips of cheesecloth and drape them around the wreath, securing with hot glue. Make small ghost shapes by bunching up cheesecloth and adding googly eyes, then glue them to the wreath.

Cute wreath made with ribbons and DIY ghost garland.

6. The “Witch’s Broom” Wreath

Materials: Small broom from the dollar store, black ribbon, fake flowers.

How-To: Cut off the broom bristles, leaving the handle intact. Arrange the bristles in a circular shape and secure them to the handle with wire. Add black ribbon or a spooky sign.

7. Creepy Crow Wreath

Materials: Grapevine wreath, plastic crows or black bird figurines, hot glue.

How-To: Simply hot-glue plastic crows in various positions onto the grapevine wreath to create a haunting scene.

Crow with lace wrapped around the wreath.

Repurpose crochet doilies and embroidery hoops to make a lace wreath you can upgrade with seaosnal touches.

8. Black Rose Wreath

Materials: Foam wreath form, black silk flowers, hot glue.

How-To: Cut the heads off the silk flowers and hot-glue them in a dense cluster onto the wreath form.

9. The Bloody Handprint Wreath

Materials: Foam wreath form, white ribbon, red paint.

How-To: Wrap the wreath form in white ribbon. Use red paint to create a “bloody” handprint on a few sections of the wreath.

10. Skeleton Bone Wreath

Materials: Small plastic skeleton, wire wreath form, floral wire.

How-To: Disassemble the skeleton. Use floral wire to attach the bones to the wire wreath form in an overlapping, macabre pattern.

Wreath with felt covering of foam wreath and a printable paper skull with a bow at the center.

11. Dollar Store Pumpkin Wreath

Materials: Mini foam pumpkins, hot glue, grapevine wreath.

How-To: Attach pumpkins in clusters for a harvest-meets-haunted look.

Make a pumpkin wreath with fabric and or yarn.

Mini Pumpkin and Posies Wreath

12. Glow-in-the-Dark Wreath

Materials: Glow sticks, tape, black ribbon.

How-To: Crack glow sticks, tape around wreath, and wrap in ribbon.

DIY Oct 31st wreath with colorful ribbon wreath tutorial.

13. Haunted Doll Head Wreath

Materials: Old doll heads (thrift store), spray paint.

How-To: Spray black or white, glue them around the wreath. Creepy classic!

Halloween coffee filter wreath

14. Bat Colony Wreath

Materials: Black cardstock, hot glue.

How-To: Cut bat shapes, fold wings, glue to wreath form.

Last but not the least a chevron wreath made with bats on the twine.

15. Candy Corn Wreath

Materials: Foam wreath, orange/yellow/white ribbon.

How-To: Wrap in candy-corn-inspired colors.

Burlap ruffles wreath with candy corn colors.

Burlap candy corn wreath

16. Haunted Mirror Wreath

Materials: Small dollar store mirror, creepy frame.

How-To: Attach mirror to wreath form, decorate with cobwebs.

17. Trash-to-Treasure Wreath

Materials: Cardboard circle base, scrap fabric.

How-To: Tie scraps around the base for a shabby-chic spooky vibe.

Cute idea to recycle old tin cans and a fun project to do with kids for trick or treat.

18. Glow Spider Wreath

Materials: Glow-in-the-dark spiders, hot glue, black ribbon.

How-To: Glue spiders all over wreath. Perfect for porch lighting.

Make a spider web wreath for the entrance.

19. Haunted House Silhouette Wreath

Materials: Black foam board, LED tea lights.

How-To: Cut haunted house shapes, glue around wreath, add backlighting.

A yarn wreath with a scary scene using paper cutouts.

20. Blood-Drip Wreath

Materials: White foam wreath, red hot glue.

How-To: Let glue drip and paint red for blood effects.

21. Poison Ivy Wreath

Materials: Green ivy garland, plastic bugs.

How-To: Wrap ivy around wreath form, glue bugs.

A yarn wreath with Raven, skeleton, spider, and black flowers to bring the sign to life.

22. Glow Stick Skull Wreath

Materials: Plastic skulls, glow sticks.

How-To: Attach glow sticks behind skulls for eerie lighting.

Make a straw wreath with a badge like this “trick or treat” one on the side.

23. Creepy Cloth Wrap Wreath

Materials: Creepy cloth (dollar store), wire wreath.

How-To: Wrap wreath with cloth and let pieces dangle.

24. Vampire Bite Wreath

Materials: White foam wreath, fake vampire teeth, red paint.

How-To: Insert teeth and drip red paint like blood.

25. Haunted Ribbon Wreath

Materials: Dollar store Halloween ribbon.

How-To: Wrap wreath form with themed ribbon for quick décor.

I am loving the paint chip flower on this licorice covered wreath.

Tips for Making $5 Halloween Wreaths

Use cardboard bases – Free and sturdy.
Shop at dollar stores – Perfect for spiders, skeletons, gauze, and plastic toys.
Recycle old clothes/fabrics – Black T-shirts, scarves, or bags work great.
Look in your yard – Twigs, pinecones, and dried leaves make spooky fillers.
DIY hot glue frame – Shape wire hangers or use duct tape circles.

Common Questions About DIY Halloween Wreaths

1. What can you use as a base for a Halloween wreath?

Cardboard, wire hangers, pool noodles, embroidery hoops, or even old picture frames.

2. How can you make a Halloween wreath without hot glue?

Use tape, string, clothespins, or staples to attach items.

3. How long does a DIY wreath last?

Fabric and cardboard wreaths can last multiple years if stored properly.

4. Can kids help with Halloween wreaths?

Yes! Choose simple projects like paper bats, candy corn plates, or handprint ghosts.

5. Where should you hang your Halloween wreath?

On your front door, windows, or even inside as spooky wall décor.

6. How do you make a Halloween wreath step by step?

The process typically involves three main steps:

Prepare your wreath base
Attach a primary material (like ribbon, tulle, or fabric) to cover the base
Embellish with spooky decorations like spiders, bats, or ghosts.

7. How big should a Halloween wreath be?

A standard front door wreath is usually between 24 and 30 inches in diameter. For interior walls or smaller spaces, a 12 to 18-inch wreath is a great option.

8. What can you use instead of a wreath form?

You can use a variety of household items, including a bent wire hanger, a cardboard circle, an embroidery hoop, or even a pool noodle shaped into a circle.

9. Where can you find cheap materials?

The best places are dollar stores (Dollar Tree, Dollar General), big-box store clearance aisles, craft store coupons, and using items you already have at home or can find in nature.

10. How do you make a wreath look professional?

The key is density and neatness. Use a lot of your primary material to cover the form completely. Use a strong adhesive like hot glue to secure all your embellishments, and use a consistent theme or color palette.