...to Make a Cornhole Set.

I can hear them now.  Old people across the universe are asking, "What in the durn world is a cornhole?"  Well, I can proudly tell you, my grandparents know all about this so-called cornhole, and that is because I subjected them to weeks of watching me struggle to create one.  Gramps even helped a bit!  Now all you young'ns know what I'm talking about here, but for those of you who don't, cornhole is a "bean bag toss" style game, where teams try to get their bags in a 6-inch hole on a board about 27 feet away.  You earn three points for sinking your corn bag in the hole, and one point for landing on the board itself.

There are all sorts of how-to sites for creating your very own cornhole set (I used Cornhole-How-To), so when I friend of mine was looking to buy one (and they are not cheap), I thought I'd try my hand at carpentry before he spent all that money.  It was a long process, but it was so much fun!  My brother was in town that week, so he helped me gather supplies at Home Depot.  Here's what we needed:

-Four 2x4's, 8' long, for the legs and frame

-Two sheets of 2'x4' plywood, 1/2" thick, for the tops of the boards

-Four 3/8" diameter carriage bolts, 4-1/2" long

-Four 3/8" flat washers

-Four 3/8" wing nuts

-One box of 2-1/2" wood screws

I didn't have the right tools either, so I had to purchase a jigsaw.  I went for the cheapest one, about $30.  It was sufficient for the project.  I also picked up some replacement sandpaper for the electric sander, and some larger drill bits.  You'll want a few sizes, as the holes are easier to drill when you start small.  The largest you'll need is 7/16" (unless you can get the 3/8" bolt into the 3/8" hole...it's a tight fit, and I wasn't that strong).  You'll probably want a compass for the circle and some clamps for sawing and drilling, unless you've got serious multitasking abilities and super strength, which again, I do not have.

Time to start building!  After you finish reading this, hop on over to the how-to site I mentioned and follow their step by step instructions.  Mine will be a little less technical, and lot less helpful.  Sorry.

Building the frame.  Pick good wood.  I bought the cheapest, and it splintered a lot when I took the saw to it.  Cut your 2x4's into pieces.  Four 4' frame sides, four 21" frame ends, and four 16" legs.  Assemble the frame using clamps or have your brother hold the pieces together.  I recommend the clamps.  Use two wood screws in each end.  The final frame should be the same size as the plywood you bought.  The short frame pieces should be on the inside of the long pieces.  This is important.

One imperfectly completed frame.

The frame building step is also the step where you learn how important precision is!  If you zoom in on the above picture, you can see how my plywood does not quite line up with my frame.  This is because I used a jigsaw to try to cut the perfect edges you need on the 2x4's.  Consequently, I ended up with imperfect edges, and the frame was not the exact rectangle I wish it had been.  But you can't un-cut the wood, so move on!  Much like a child, your cornhole set will not be perfect, but you will love it anyway (I assume), because you made it.  You can only hope the second one you make will be better.  The frame, that is.

Attach the plywood.  The surface of the board should be smooth.  I bought the pre-sanded plywood, because it looked heavenly compared to the gross old splintery plywood next to it.  You can sand it yourself if you want to waste time.  Use the wood screws, about ten per board, spread evenly around the edges.  I found myself failing time after time to drill them all the way down, so I was left with a couple that stuck up out of the wood a little.  Learn from my mistakes.  Pre-drill a smaller hole first, or be stronger than I am and muscle those screws all the way down, a little past the surface of the wood, because you'll be filling it in with putty later.

Cut the hole.  Grab the compass you've had in the drawer since high school geometry.  Mark the center of your hole at 9 inches from the top and 12 inches from either side, then draw your circle.  Use the drill to make a small hole, just so you have place along the edge for the jigsaw to start.  Now actually cut the hole.  This part was terrifying!  All your work so far could be ruined right now if you don't cut a perfect circle.  I can't even draw a perfect circle.  I don't think anyone can.  Do your best.  Sand it down later!

Prepare the legs.  This part gets a little complicated.  If you're trying to build your own cornhole game, definitely check out the step by step instructions.  Basically, your legs need to prop one end of the boards to a height of 12 inches.  On each leg, use the compass to trace a rounded end, and then mark the spot where the center of the "circle" would be.  This is where the hole on the leg goes.  You're going to drill the hole on each side of the board by placing the edge of the leg about 1-1/2" from the inside edge of the frame.  Mark the spot on the outside of the frame to match up with the hole marks on the legs, and clamp the legs in place so you can drill through both frame and leg at the same time.  Did you follow all that?  You can attached the legs now, because you have to figure out where to cut the angle so they rest flat on the ground.  Then take the legs off again and saw away.  See, it's complicated.

Putty.  The savior of bad carpentry.  Putty your boards like there's no tomorrow. Putty the edges where the frame doesn't quite meet the surface.  Putty the surface to hide the screws.  Putty all the places you didn't cut right and the wood cracked.  Let the putty dry and sand the boards until they are satisfactorily smooth.  

What time is it?  Putty time!  Or 7am.

Prime time.  Get some primer and coat everything.  Everything.  This is the easiest part of the whole process.  Just let it dry long enough, so your final boards aren't sticky.

Painting.  You can paint the boards any way you like.  Semi- or high-gloss paint, some painter's tape, and a brush.  

White paint roughed in over the primer.

I opted for a design with a white arrow pointing to the hole, and a red background.

I later realized I recognized this design.

Don't smoke, kids.

Sewing the bags is pretty simple.  You need duck cloth fabric, and a ten-pound bag of corn feed for horses.  I actually had to go to a feed store for this, because regular pet stores don't carry it.  The bags should be 6"x6" when finished.  You will need four of each color.

And that's how it's done!  I now understand why people spend the money for quality cornhole sets.  But, it turns out, I am better at building the game than playing the game.  But that is another post for another day.

My beautiful imperfect child.