Steps for Making Your Own Corn Hole Boards

According to the American Corn Hole Association, Corn Hole originated in Germany during the 14th century and moved to the Southern USA nearly 100 years ago. It is a fantastic combination of Horseshoes, Shuffleboard, and bean-bag toss.

It is often played at at large group gatherings, picnics, or bar-b-ques. In fact, the first time I played was at a family reunion. Later, I found Corn Hole Boards at nearly every summer picnic or bar-b-que I attended. After a dozen games, I decided that building my own Corn Hole Boards was a must.

In this guide, I am going to teach you how to build your very own Corn Hole Boards. In no time, you can be slinging the cornbags like a master Cornholio.

Before we get started, make sure you have read and you understand all of the directions.

Here are your necessary materials

* 2 sheets of 1/2" plywood cut 2' by 4'
* 4 8 foot 2x4's
* 4 5 3/8" carriage bolts (5" long)
* 4 3/8" flat washers
* 4 3/8" wing nuts
* 1 box 2 1/2" wood screws
* wood putty
*paint

Here are your necessary tools:

* circular saw, or hand saw
* mitre box
*protractor
* T-square
* measuring tape
* drill and bits
* sandpaper
* hammer
* jigsaw or keyhole saw

Step 1: Cut your wood. You will need to collect and cut down your wood pieces.

For the Corn Hole Board top, you will need two 2' x 4' pieces of 1/2" plywood. I recommend either using a circular saw to make these cuts, or if you want great cuts, ask your local home store to cut them for you.

As for the 2x4's, you will need to cut them into the following dimensions; you will need two sets of boards as in figure 1:
4 - 4 feet
4 - 21 inches
4 -11 5/8 inches with a 99 degree angle at each end. Use a protractor to draw a 99 degree line and cut it with your saw. Each of the four legs will need to be angled to ensure you Corn Hole Game board is angled correctly.

Step 2: Construct your frame. Attach two 4 foot 2x4's and two 21 inch two by fours into a rectangle using your wood screws. Make sure to use a T-square to ensure your angles are good. You should end up with two identical frames.

Step 3: Surface your table. Attach the two foot by four foot sheet of plywood to your rectangle frames using your screws. You will end up with two identical Corn Hole Board Table tops.

Step 4: Attach your legs. The legs should attach on the inside of your frame. Put the angled cut against the table (make sure your angles on your legs match). Use your drill to drill a 5/8" hole for your carriage bolt through both the frame and your leg.

The next step can be a bit tricky. Take the leg with the hole drilled in the center of of it. Use a compass to draw a half circle at the end of the leg. Use your handsaw or jigsaw to round out the top of the leg. You should end up with a rounded rectangle. Sand the half circle down so that it rotates well.

Attach your legs with the carriage bolts. The washer and wing nut should be on the inside of the frame. Your Corn Hole Board should look like figure 2.

Step 5: Make your Corn Hole. The center of the hole should be 9 inches from the top end of the board and centered 12 inches from either side. Your Corn Hole should be 6 inches in diameter. You can use a template or compass to create the hole.

Use your drill to create a pilot hole, then continue to cut out the hole using a handheld jigsaw or keyhole saw. If you hole isn't perfect, that is what sandpaper is for.

Step 6: Rough Finish. Make sure all of your screws are sunk well and use wood putty to cover them. Also, make sure all of the edges are sanded clean for safety and painting.

Step 7. Paint. Paint your Corn Hole boards. You can paint your Corn Hole boards any way you see fit. Mine feature the Colorado Avalanche. Popular paint jobs include college football team, especially the Ohio State Buckeyes or the Nebraska Corn Huskers.

Now that your boards are complete, all you need are some Corn Hole Bean Bags and you are ready to play!