DIY Cornhole

I got to spend the day, Saturday, watching one of my good friends say “I do” to her best friend in the most beautiful backyard, DIY, setting. The look and feel of the ceremony and reception couldn’t have been more perfect for Jessie & Kyle.

This was also the wedding I was making the DIY yard games for, such a cute and personal touch that Jessie wanted to add to her big day. I think, of all 3 games I made, Cornhole was my favorite, probably because I created a personalized monogram and painted it onto the cornhole boards so it would feel just a bit more special.

Supplies
4 – 2x4x8 studs
4 – 1x6x8 boards
2″ hinges
wood glue
2 1/2″ nails
2″ finish nails
jigsaw
pencil
straight edge
measuring tape
stain or paint color of your choice
polyurethane top coat
8 bean bags

1. First, you will cut the studs to make the frame
cuts – use your 2x4x8 and make the following cuts
-4 pieces cut to 43″
-4 pieces cut to 15″
Set the rest of your 2x4x8 aside for later use

(This photo just shows the cut pieces for one cornhole board. Keep in mind, you will have double this amount.)

2. Use wood glue and 2 1/2″ nails to attach the boards together to form the frame, 43″ boards will sit vertically and the 15″ boards will sit horizontally inside the 43″ boards.

3. Now for the top boards, you will simply cut your 1x6x8 boards in half at 4′.

4. Next, I laid the 1×6 boards side by side to make sure there were no major bows in the wood and that they laid flat, rearrange the order of the boards if necessary. Once you determine the order the boards will lay, you are going to draw the hole on the 2 center boards. The center of the hole should be 9″ from the top of the board and the hole should be 6″ in diameter. I used the lid of a 1 gallon paint can to draw the circle for cuts.

5. Use your jig saw to make the cutout for the hole

6. Now, make a couple of marks to determine the placement of your center 1×6 boards. Find the center of the frame by making a mark at 9″, this is where your center 1×6 boards will meet. On your 1×6 boards, measure and mark 2 1/2″ from the top and bottom. This is where the 1×6 boards will meet the edge of the frame. Use wood glue and 2″ finish nails to attach the 1×6 boards to the frame making sure to line up the edges of the hole, NOT the top and bottom edges of the boards. If the boards aren’t completely even at the top and bottom, don’t worry, you can use the jig saw once all 4 boards are attached to even out the top and bottom cuts.

7. Use wood glue and 2″ finish nails to attach the outside boards to complete to top of the cornhole boards. Once all 4 boards are attached, use your jigsaw to even out your top and bottom edges if necessary.

8. Now you are going to flip your board over and attach the retractable legs. Use your remaining 2x4x8 to cut the legs, cut 4 pieces at 11″ each. On the underside of your board, place the legs about 1/2″ from the side edge of the frame and flush with the top edge. Attach the legs with the 2″ hinges so that when you are storing the game boards, you can fold the legs down and under the frame.

9. Last step is to paint and seal! I used Minwax stain in Walnut and sealed with Minwax Polyurethane top coat. Before sealing, I also added a custom monogram with the couples initials. If you want to do this, you can use a stencil, I did the monogram freehand and it’s much easier than you would think. I used a piece of string measured to the width of the boards, minus 1″. I held one end of the string in the center of the boards and attached the other end to a pencil and drew a complete circle to contain the monogram. Then using pencil, I sketched the outline of the letters. I used Heirloom Traditions chalk paint in “a la mode” to paint the monogram. Once it was dry, I went over the monogram with some fine grit sandpaper to rough it up a bit. This also helps with the edges of the lettering, it doesn’t need to be perfecting straight if you are going to sand it for a rough look.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t make the bean bags because of time constraints. You can find bean bags at most sporting good stores or if you want cute colors or patterns, try searching on Etsy for custom made bean bags. Maybe one day I’ll give that a DIY shot too!