Cornhole is a game of dexterity that is very popular in recreational events, where tournaments are also organized. The players throw bags trying to hit the holes in the board. Follow these steps to make a board for playing Cornhole.
Steps
Method 1 of 7: Constructing the Board
Step 1. Build the platform
You will need a sheet of plywood measuring 61X122 cm. These are the standard sizes promoted by the American Cornhole Organization (ACO).
Step 2. Measure 30.5 cm from one side and 23 cm from what will be the top
Mark this point with the pencil - it will be the center of the cornhole.
Step 3. Draw the outline of the hole
Use a drawing compass to draw a circle 15 cm in diameter (7.5 cm radius). Place the tip of the compass on the dot you marked in pencil in the previous step and draw the circle.
If you don't have a compass, put a pushpin on the dot you marked in pencil. Put a piece of string under the thumbtack and push it down so that it blocks the string. Measure with the ruler 7.5 cm starting from the center of the pin. Tie a pencil to the string making sure the distance between the pencil and the push pin is 7.5 cm and trace the circle
Step 4. Using the drill, make a hole in the center of the circle, at the point marked with the pencil
Be specific. This hole will be where you will start sawing.
Step 5. Insert the hacksaw blade and cut the hole
Try to follow the contour of the circle precisely. If the result is not perfect it is not a problem: you can sand it with sandpaper.
You can also use a hole saw or vertical cutter to make the hole
Step 6. Wrap a piece of glass paper around a cylindrical object
A hammer handle or thin tube may be fine. Rub the sandpaper against the inside surface of the hole until it is smooth and smooth.
Method 2 of 7: Build and Attach the Frame
Step 1. Cut the necessary pieces of wood
You will need six 5x10cm wooden planks for the frame. Use a picture frame saw or handsaw to cut the planks. Be careful if you use power tools. Don't forget to take into account the width of the saw blade.
If you don't know how to use the picture frame saw or the hand saw, ask a carpenter to cut your planks; make sure you give it the right measurements
Step 2. Cut 2 of the 5x10 boards to measure 53cm in length (these will be the short sides of the frame)
Cut 2 more 5X10 boards to measure 122cm in length (these will be the long sides of the frame). Cut the last 2 boards 5X10 so that they measure 40 cm in length (these will be the legs you will use later).
Step 3. Mount the frame
Place the 53cm board between the 122cm boards.
Step 4. With the drill and wood screws approximately 6 cm long, join the planks
Screw in starting from the outside of the longer axis and moving towards the short axis, where the two axes meet. Use two screws for each corner.
Make the holes using a drill bit that is a bit smaller than the screws. This way the wood will not break and the screws will fit more easily
Step 5. Place the board on top of the frame
Before screwing in the screws, drill the holes using a drill bit that is a little smaller than the screws you will be using.
Step 6. Use 12 long drywall screws to mount the board over the frame
Use 4 screws at the top, 4 screws at the bottom and 2 on each side.
Step 7. Sink the screws well, so you can cover them with putty later
Method 3 of 7: Building and Attaching the Legs
Step 1. Take one of the 40cm boards
Estimate where to insert the bolt using the ruler. Measure the width of the plank and locate the center point, which should be approximately 4.5 cm. (To clarify, let's say half of the usable width is about 4.5cm).
Step 2. Put the ruler on the edge of the plank and measure 4.5 cm (or the length found in the previous step)
Make a mark to indicate this measurement. From the point you marked, draw a line that divides the axis in half. Also draw a line that passes from the point marked previously, so that the two lines form a 'T' and are perpendicular.
Step 3. Take the drawing compass (or the homemade one) and place it in the center of the 'T' you just traced
Draw a semicircle starting from the side of the board, with the apex towards the top of the board, and end the semicircle on the opposite side.
Step 4. Turn the cornhole board so that it is face down
Take a piece of wood from the scraps (use a leftover piece from the plank cut) and place it in one of the corners of the board with the base against the board (it doesn't have to be parallel to the frame).
Step 5. Place one of the legs you prepared against this piece of wood so that the marks you made are facing out
It must be perpendicular to the other piece of wood (i.e. parallel to the side of the frame).
Step 6. Transfer the middle line of the leg to the frame
Use a square or ruler and draw the line with a pencil. Find the center of the frame with the ruler and mark it along the line you just drew. Do not include the plywood panel in this size.
This intersection indicates where you will need to insert the bolts
Step 7. Make a small hole at the intersection point with an extra screw
It will help you guide the screw or bolt into the correct position.
Step 8. Using a screwdriver, insert the screw into the hole you just made
Make sure it goes through the frame and fits into the leg. Add the other leg in the same way.
Step 9. Measure the distance from the top of the board to the ground
If the measurement is not 30 cm, mark where you will need to cut the legs to reach the distance of 30 cm from the ground.
Step 10. Turn the board over and saw the legs to the measurement you just made
Make the cut so that the legs remain parallel to the ground. If necessary, smooth them with sandpaper.
Method 4 of 7: Paint the Board
Step 1. Use putty to fill screw holes or other holes in the board
Read the instructions to figure out how long you need to let it dry. The surface of the cornhole board should be as smooth as possible. If you put too much putty in a hole, you can sand it with sandpaper when it's dry.
Step 2. Sand the surface of the board
A smooth board will allow the bags to slide better. You can use the electric sander if you have one; otherwise, medium grit sandpaper will do.
Step 3. Apply a thin coat of primer to all visible surfaces of the board and legs
You can use the brush or the roller. Let it dry. When dry, the primer will be white.
Step 4. Add a layer of white latex gloss paint
This layer will form the border if you choose the traditional cornhole design. Let it dry.
Step 5. Choose the colors and the image to paint
Traditional cornhole boards have a 3.8cm white border. They also have a white border of the same width around the hole. Tape the parts you want to leave white.
Step 6. Paint the rest of the board however you like
Use latex glossy paints. This type of paint will make the board smooth, so the bags will slide off easily. Let the color dry. If it's color is too light, give it another coat.
If you decide not to follow the traditional pattern, be creative! Use masking tape to create shapes to paint or paint their outlines. Use bright colors and make your table unique
Method 5 of 7: Build the Bags
Step 1. Get the necessary materials
You will need a large piece of canvas (usually 18X142 cm pieces are available on the market). You will also need scissors, a ruler, a sewing machine, fabric glue, a bag of corn seeds and a digital scale.
You can use needle and thread if you don't have a sewing machine
Step 2. Cut the canvas into 18X18 cm squares
With the ruler take accurate measurements. You need to cut out 8 of these squares.
Step 3. Match 2 squares so they are perfectly aligned
Using your sewing machine or needle and thread, sew 3 of the sides. Sew about one and a half centimeters from the edges.
Step 4. Apply a strip of fabric glue between the edges of the two squares
Do this only on the sides you sewed. The glue will allow to further reinforce the bags to prevent them from losing the contained material.
Step 5. Turn the bag inside out
This is also done to avoid losses.
Step 6. Add 450 grams of corn to each bag
If you don't have a digital scale, 2 cups of corn should be a good estimate
Step 7. Measure one and a half centimeters on the side that is still open
Fold the edge and keep it closed. You can use a pin.
Step 8. Sew the last edge to close the bag
Try to sew as close to the edge as possible so that you have bags of similar size.
Method 6 of 7: Rules
- It is played in teams of 2, 1 player per team per round
- Draw the first team
- The goal is to score 21 points (some play exactly 21, others with the first team reaching 21 points)
- The team that won the draw begins.
- Once the first player throws the bags, it's the second player's turn. Do not remove the bags from the board until both players have made all throws. It is allowed to move the bags of the other team by throwing their own.
Method 7 of 7: Score
- Bag on the board: 1 Point
- Bag in the hole: 3 Points
- The scores are marked with the difference of the points actually scored. For example, if team A manages to get one bag on the scoreboard and one in the pocket and team B only gets two bags on the scoreboard, team A will receive 2 points, while team B will not receive any.
