How to Make Your Own Bean Bag Throwing Boards in Time for July 4th
Bean Bag Toss (also known as “sacks” or “cornhole”) is an outdoor game that can be played by anyone of any age and athletic ability. These boards can also be transported to a park, to the beach, or to your friend’s backyard.
You can buy fragile plastic play sets from good sports stores, but they don’t last long and you miss out on customizing your own. With the help of family and friends, you can create these games in the morning and play in the afternoon. The following are instructions for creating an official sized bean bag throwing board based on dimensions supplied by the American Cornhole Association .
What do you need
The tools you will need include a cordless drill / screwdriver, jigsaw, compasses (or pencil and string), 180-220 grit sandpaper, tape measure, and paint.
In terms of materials, you will need two ½ “48” x 24 “plywood covered with birch sheathing, three 2×4 8ft screws, a box of 2” deck screws, and four 3/8 “bogie bolts with washers and wing nuts.
Our local home center (Lowe’s) has pre-cut pieces of birch plywood covered plywood to measure 48 x 24 inches, so check this area first before buying and cutting the entire sheet.
Cut the 2×4 into the following lengths: four 48 “pieces, four 21” pieces, and four 12 “pieces.
Steps
1. Sand the edges of all cut plywood and 2×4 plywood.
2. Cut a center hole in the board. It should be six inches in diameter and centered nine inches from the top and 12 inches on either side of the corners of the corn pit platform. Find your center and use your compass to draw a circle. We took a 3 “rope, attached one end to the center, and tied a pencil to the other end to draw our circle.
Drill a starting hole for the jigsaw and cut it around the circumference. Sand the inner and outer edges of the hole.
3. Assemble the cornfield board frames by aligning the sides (48 “) and ends (21”) and pre-drilling the holes before installing the deck screws (two on each end). Use a speed square to make the corners perfect 90 degrees. The corners must be square so that the platform fits exactly into the frame.
4. Attach the platform by placing it on the frame and align each edge so that it is evenly seated against the frame. Pre-drill holes in each corner, then tighten screws to secure each corner, and add additional screws on the sides, top and bottom to make sure the platform is securely attached to the frame.
5. Before attaching the legs (12 “parts), you need to round off one end so you can loosen and fold the leg for storage. Measure the center point 2×4, then place your compass here and mark your semicircle.
Use a jigsaw, cut off the end and sand it. Drill a hole in the center of the 2×4 post using a 3/8 ” drill bit.
6. Press the leg against the outside of the top of the corn hole board (end with hole) and use a pencil to mark the center point of the leg on the frame. Then drill a hole in the frame and attach the leg to the inside of the frame with a carriage bolt. Use a wing nut to easily loosen and fold the storage legs.
7. You can paint the boards and glue them to make them look more natural, or paint them in the colors of your favorite team. We recommend using a semi-gloss or high-gloss paint to ensure that the bean bags glide well over the platform.
For best results, countersink the screws and apply putty to desired areas, then sand to get a smooth finish.
Start throwing
To start the game, take 8 official 6 “x 6” 14-15 oz bags and place the boards 27 feet apart. Two teams of two take turns tossing bags of beans towards the cornhole board to punch a hole. If your bag goes through the hole, the team is awarded 3 points. If he lands on the board, your team gets 1 point and zero points for not landing on the board. The first team to reach 21 points wins.