Walmart DIY Spooky Halloween Candelabra Tutorial

When creating a creepy Halloween tablescape, one item is absolutely essential: A spooky candelabra! Halloween decorations are often an afterthought with the expenses of Christmas and Thanksgiving coming up, but this tutorial is so affordable and easy, it’s 100% worth it! In this post, I’ll break down how you can create a DIY spooky candelabra perfect for a Halloween party or Halloween dinner table.

The Perfect Candelabra For a Haunted Mansion

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Halloween has quickly become one of my absolute favorite holidays to decorate for. The creepy, spooky vibes coupled with the delicious fall food and fall scents just flood me with nostalgia.

This year, my main goal is to transform my home into a literal “haunted mansion” just in time for trick-or-treating in our family costumes! (BTW… Check out THIS post if you want some family costume ideas!)

When I started thinking of what spooky accents I could add to my 2000s craftsman to get a “haunted mansion” vibe, I immediately thought of giant Halloween candle holders!

You know, in the Halloween movies when the witches are stirring a giant cauldron in the light of a super drippy, waxy tall candelabra? That’s what I was going for but on a very low budget! I didn’t want to spend a fortune, so I had the great idea to DIY some cheap candelabras to get the look I wanted.

The good news is: This fun diy candelabra project is easy and cheap. I was able to finish this project in about 15 minutes and it cost me a grand total of $35 for 2 candelabras + candles!

Create The Perfect Halloween Centerpiece

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This DIY candelabra project is the perfect centerpiece to create a Halloween tablescape. It is also super versatile to use on a refreshment table, on living room shelves, and even in outdoor decor!

I’m always looking for my DIY projects to be FAST and CHEAP. After all, I have 3 toddlers are there is literally NO time to work on extensive projects. This one was one of my favorites because it was incredibly easy to create. Just 2 fast steps and you’re done!

Materials for This Fun Project:

Cheap plastic or metal candelabras. I got mine from Walmart. They sold THIS candelabra in a pack of 2 for $27. I checked the dollar store also and they didn’t have anything that would have worked. I’ve also seen others complete a similar DIY with their thrift store finds so if you are lucky enough to find an awesome thrift store candelabra, even better!
Black Rub n Buff (or black paint of your choice, rub n buff is easiest for me)
Black hippie drippy candle sticks

How to Create a DIY Halloween Candelabra: Step By Step

Step 1: Rub n’ Buff The Candelabra

My candelabra was bright gold, which isn’t terrible. For this project though, I wanted the candelabra to look super aged and even a little “dirty” to give it more of an old/spooky look.

I love using rub n’ buff acrylic paint because it goes on easily and dries so quickly. I got a tube of Rub n’ Buff in the shade “Ebony” and used a microfiber rag to spread the paint evenly on all the sides of the candle holder. Once the paint was spread I used a different section of the rag to rub the paint in and make it look aged/worn.

One coat was really all it needed but if you wanted more of a solid look, you’d probably need a second coat. I liked the way it looked like really old, unpolished brass with this black top coat. It was exactly the look I was going for.

Let the candelabras dry for a few hours.

Step 2: Melt Candles for an Extra Waxy Look

This is the essential step to really get the old-fashioned, spooky vibe! I wanted the candelabras to have a ton of wax pooling around the base of the candles and even dripping down onto the arms/base of the candlestick holder.

The issue I had was that most tapers now-a-day are specifically formulated as NON-drip… Then I discovered THESE fantastic candles! Hippie Drippy candles have a unique wick that wraps around the exterior of the candle which makes them extra drippy. They also burn quickly so this step should only take a few minutes.

Start by laying down some dry paper towel on your surface so you don’t get wax everywhere. (Seriously, they drip a LOT). Then, place the hippie drippy candles in the candle holders and light them! They will do the work for you.

I left mine lit for about 5 minutes. The wax pools around the candle holders drips down on the base and overall creates a really waxy, creepy look. SO cool!

I chose to go with black candles so it looked VERY Halloween-y, but you could definitely go with white or cream for a more neutral vibe.

Blow the candles out when you are satisfied with the amount of wax/drippiness.