DIY Cornhole Boards: Build Your Own Bean Bag Toss Game

Craft Your Own Bean Bag Toss Game: The Ultimate DIY Guide

There’s immense satisfaction in creating something with your own hands, and a custom Bean Bag Toss game is no exception. Beyond the sheer joy of building, a DIY approach offers numerous advantages:

• Cost-Effectiveness: Save money by sourcing materials yourself and avoiding retail markups.
• Customization: Personalize every aspect, from the board’s finish and colors to the bean bag fabrics and fillings, making it truly unique.
• Quality Control: Choose durable materials and ensure robust construction, guaranteeing a long-lasting game.
• Skill Development: Enhance your woodworking and sewing skills with a rewarding project.

This tutorial is designed to be accessible for both novice DIY enthusiasts and seasoned crafters alike. We’ve meticulously broken down each step to ensure clarity and success. Before you begin, gather all your materials and tools, and always prioritize safety. Wear appropriate protective gear, such as safety glasses and gloves, and ensure you understand how to safely operate all power tools.

Essential Materials for Your Bean Bag Toss Boards

To construct the two sturdy game boards, you will need the following:

• Plywood: Two pieces of ½-inch thick plywood, precisely cut to 2-foot by 4-foot dimensions. This will serve as the playing surface for each board.
• Lumber (2x4s): Four 8-foot long 2x4s. These will be cut down to create the frames and legs for both boards, providing structural integrity.
• Carriage Bolts: Four 4½-inch long, 3/8-inch thick carriage bolts. These are crucial for securely attaching the folding legs to the frames.
• Flat Washers: Four 3/8-inch flat washers. These distribute the pressure from the wing nuts, preventing damage to the wood.
• Wing Nuts: Four 3/8-inch wing nuts. Their design allows for easy tightening and loosening by hand, facilitating the folding mechanism of the legs.
• Wood Screws: One box of 2½-inch wood screws. These will be used extensively for assembling the frames and securing the plywood playing surface.
• Wood Filler: A standard container of wood filler. Essential for patching any screw holes, imperfections, or blemishes, creating a smooth, flawless finish.
• Polycrylic: One quart of polycrylic clear coat. This water-based protective finish will seal and protect your boards, enhancing their durability, especially for outdoor use, and providing a beautiful, natural sheen.
• Optional Paint/Primer: If you plan to paint your boards, you’ll need a good quality wood primer and your chosen semi or high-gloss latex paint.

Step-by-Step Board Construction: Building Your Cornhole Game

1. Prepare Your Lumber: Cutting the 2x4s

Begin by cutting your four 8-foot 2x4s into the necessary lengths. For each board, you will need:

• Two pieces cut to 21 inches each (for the short sides of the frame).
• Two pieces cut to 4 feet (48 inches) each (for the long sides of the frame).

This means from your four original 8-foot 2x4s, you’ll end up with four 21-inch pieces and four 4-foot pieces for the frames of two boards. Precision is key here; accurate cuts ensure a square and stable frame. Use a miter saw or circular saw for clean, straight cuts.

2. Assemble the Frames

Using the four-foot and 21-inch pieces you just cut, construct two rectangular frames. Each frame will consist of two 4-foot pieces and two 21-inch pieces. Position the 21-inch pieces between the 4-foot pieces, forming a 2-foot by 4-foot rectangle. Secure these joints using the 2½-inch wood screws. Drive at least two screws through the long pieces into the ends of the short pieces at each corner. Ensure the frame is square before fully tightening the screws. A square frame is essential for a level playing surface.

3. Marking and Cutting the Holes

Next, take your two 2-foot by 4-foot plywood pieces, which will be the playing surfaces. On each piece, measure 9 inches down from the top edge and 12 inches in from each side. Mark this intersection point – this will be the exact center of your hole. Using a compass, draw a perfect 6-inch diameter circle centered on this mark. This is the regulation size for a cornhole board hole. Carefully cut out these circles using a jigsaw. Take your time to ensure a smooth, clean cut, as this is a prominent feature of your board.

4. Attach the Plywood Surface to the Frame

Once the frames are assembled and the holes are cut in the plywood, it’s time to combine them. Place one plywood surface squarely on top of one frame, aligning all edges. Ensure the plywood is flush with the frame. Using your 2½-inch wood screws, securely fasten the plywood to the frame. Drive screws every 6-8 inches along all four edges and periodically across the interior for added stability. Countersink the screw heads slightly to ensure a smooth playing surface.

5. Crafting the Folding Legs

Now, for the ingenious folding legs that make these boards easy to store. From your remaining 2x4s, cut four identical pieces for the legs. Each leg should be 11-5/8 inches long. One end of each leg needs to be cut to a 99-degree angle. This specific angle ensures the board sits at the regulation height and angle when the legs are extended. The opposite end of each leg should be rounded. This rounded edge is where the leg will pivot, allowing it to fold neatly under the board for storage. You can achieve this rounded shape with a jigsaw or a sander.

6. Drilling Holes for Leg Attachment

On the frame, measure and mark the points where the legs will attach. These points should be aligned with the 4-foot side of the frame, near the bottom edge (the end opposite the hole). Drill a hole through the side of the frame at this marked location. Ensure the hole is large enough for the 3/8-inch carriage bolt to pass through smoothly. Repeat this for all four leg attachment points on both frames. Also, drill a corresponding hole through the flat end of each leg (the end that is not angled or rounded) where it will meet the frame.

7. Attaching the Legs with Carriage Bolts

Align the drilled hole on the rounded end of each leg with the corresponding hole on the frame. Insert a 4½-inch long, 3/8-inch carriage bolt through both the frame and the leg. The carriage bolt head should be flush against the outside of the frame. On the inside, first slide a 3/8-inch flat washer onto the bolt, followed by a 3/8-inch wing nut. Hand-tighten the wing nut sufficiently so that the leg can pivot freely but doesn’t wobble excessively. This setup allows you to easily swing the legs out for play and fold them in for compact storage. Mr. Woodsy often emphasizes the importance of snug but not overtightened wing nuts for smooth operation!

8. Finishing Touches: Filling and Sanding

With the boards fully assembled, it’s time to prepare them for finishing. Use wood filler to fill all visible screw holes, minor blemishes, and any gaps in the wood. Allow the wood filler to dry completely according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once dry, thoroughly sand your tables smooth. Start with a medium-grit sandpaper (e.g., 120-grit) to smooth out any rough spots and filler, then follow with a finer grit (e.g., 220-grit) for a silky-smooth finish. Remember to sand along the edges and inside the hole as well, ensuring no splinters or sharp areas remain. A well-sanded surface is crucial for a professional look and feel, and for proper paint or polycrylic adhesion.

9. Protecting and Decorating Your Boards

After sanding, thoroughly dust off your tables to remove all sawdust. Now you have a choice: keep the natural wood look or paint them for a personalized touch.

• Natural Look: If you prefer the natural grain of the wood, apply several coats of polycrylic. Polycrylic offers excellent protection against moisture and wear, crucial for outdoor games, and provides a clear, durable finish. Follow the product’s instructions for drying times between coats.
• Painted Finish: If you plan to paint, first apply a high-quality wood primer. Primer ensures better paint adhesion and a more vibrant final color. Allow the primer to dry completely. Then, apply your chosen semi- or high-gloss latex paint. Latex paint is durable and easy to clean, making it ideal for game boards. Apply multiple thin coats for the best finish, allowing ample drying time between each. This is where you can get creative with team colors, personalized designs, or unique patterns!

Crafting the Perfect Bean Bags: Materials and Instructions

No Bean Bag Toss game is complete without the bean bags themselves! These need to be durable enough to withstand repeated throws and impacts. Here’s what you’ll need and how to make them:

Materials for the Bean Bags:

• Fabric: Sixteen 7-inch by 7-inch squares of sturdy duck cloth or outdoor-specific fabric. We recommend two different colors, 8 squares per color, to create distinct sets for gameplay.
• Sewing Essentials: Quality thread, sharp scissors, and straight pins.
• Filling: 8 pounds of feed corn. This is the traditional and preferred filling for cornhole bags due to its weight and feel. (Note: While dried beans or plastic pellets can be used, feed corn offers an authentic experience and breaks down nicely over time, though it is susceptible to mold if left wet. For a truly weatherproof bag, consider plastic pellets.)

Step-by-Step Bean Bag Assembly:

1. Prepare and Sew Your Fabric Squares

Take two 7-inch by 7-inch squares of the same color fabric. Place them together, face-to-face (right sides inward). Using your sewing machine, sew a double-stitch with a ½-inch seam allowance along three of the four sides. A double-stitch is crucial for durability, as these bags will undergo significant stress. Reinforce the corners with extra stitches.

2. Turn and Shape the Bags

Once you’ve sewn three sides, turn each bag inside out. Use a pencil or a chopstick to gently poke out the corners, ensuring they are sharp and well-defined. At this stage, your bag should now measure approximately 6 inches square, with one side open.

3. Fill the Bean Bags

Carefully fill each bag with 2 cups of feed corn. This amount typically results in a finished bag weighing approximately 1 pound, which is the regulation weight for cornhole bags. Be mindful not to overfill, as you need space to sew the final seam. It’s important to keep the corn away from the open edge during filling.

4. Close and Secure the Bags

With the corn inside, fold the open edges of the fabric inward by ½ inch. Pin this folded edge securely in place. This will keep the corn contained while you sew. Then, using your sewing machine, carefully double-stitch the final seam closed. This seam will be the most critical for preventing corn from escaping. Ensure your stitches are strong and close to the edge of the folded fabric. This step requires precision and patience.

Important Sewing Tips:

When sewing the final seam on filled bean bags, extra caution is necessary. As Mrs. Woodsy learned the hard way, this step can be tough on your sewing machine and needles! Here’s her advice:

“I bent 2 needles while sewing 8 bean bags! Make sure you are using a heavy-duty needle (like a denim or leather needle), and sew slowly. It is extremely important that no corn go near the presser foot and needle! I wanted to top stitch around the entire bean bag for an extra neat finish, but after bending multiple needles, I decided to not chance any more fatalities and just top stitch what needed to be stitched up (and move on)! Trust me, a secure final seam is more important than decorative top-stitching when corn is involved.”

Repeat this process for all remaining bags until all 8 bags (four of each color) are completed. Once finished, you’ll have a complete set of durable, regulation-sized bean bags ready for action.

Game On! Enjoying Your Handmade Bean Bag Toss

With your custom-built boards and handmade bean bags, you’re all set for countless hours of outdoor entertainment. Mr. Woodsy was quick to test out their new game, ensuring it met all expectations for fun and functionality. The folding legs proved to be an ingenious design choice, demonstrating how effortlessly the boards can be stored away when not in use. This practical feature makes them ideal for homes with limited storage space or for transport to various events.

We hope you thoroughly enjoyed reading about the process of creating your very own bean bag toss game. This project perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Sew Woodsy, combining thoughtful woodworking with practical sewing skills to create something truly special. As mentioned, Mr. and Mrs. Woodsy plan to bring their newly crafted game to friends who recently built a new cabin – making it the perfect housewarming gift! A handmade gift carries a unique personal touch that simply cannot be replicated by store-bought items, making memories that last a lifetime.

Meet the Creators: A Glimpse into Sew Woodsy

For those new to our community, Sew Woodsy is the creative outlet of Katie and Jon, a husband-and-wife craft team passionate about all things DIY. Katie is the vibrant voice and author behind the blog. With a self-proclaimed “West Elm taste on a Wal-Mart budget,” she’s a beginner sewer who loves finding great deals and making stylish new additions for their home. Her ambition doesn’t stop there; she also authors a cooking blog, Katie’s Cucina.

Jon, affectionately known as Mr. Woodsy, is the dedicated hobby woodworker of the duo. Despite not being “techy” by any stretch of the imagination, his enthusiasm for woodworking is immense. He particularly admires the work of other crafters, often finding inspiration online. We were thrilled to be guest posting for Handmade Christmas in July on Sawdust & Paper Scraps, a blog we both love following because Sandra shares our passion for woodworking, sewing, and home DIY projects.

When we committed to this guest post, we wanted to ensure our project beautifully blended both woodworking and sewing. After brainstorming several ideas with Sandra, we ultimately landed on the Bean Bag Toss game. It was a project both Mr. Woodsy and I had wanted to make since last summer, and it truly does make the perfect, personalized gift for family and friends. We believe everyone can find joy and fulfillment in creating something with their own hands, and we hope this tutorial inspires you to embark on your next DIY adventure!