It’s been around for centuries, it is believed, and the cornhole game has grown in leaps and bounds in popularity in recent years. Since the mid-nineties, countless families have turned to the once predominantly Midwestern game as a riotous family time and hours of entertainment for children of all ages. Cornhole is rather simple to play, with rules that can vary depending on each family’s personal preferences or penchant for competition.

Building your own cornhole boards is quite simple and anyone with even the most remote carpentry skills can produce high quality cornhole boards that they will be proud to show off to family and friends. The playing field can generally be any length that you deem appropriate, depending on whom will be playing it -such as young children who may do best with a closer board or truly competitive adult friends and colleagues who want to be as regulated as possible.

The basic components of cornhole boards is a sheet of plywood and 2×4 boards to frame the sheets. The surface should be wood, as plastic and other components can cause inconsistency in the bounce of the bean bags and therefore create an unfair playing surface. 1/2″ plywood is accepted as the regulation wood for the cornhole board surface. The riser legs should also be made of 2×4 and should rest at a 90 degree angle to the board when opened.

The board dimensions should be 24 inches by 48 inches long. The hole in the cornhole board should be cut to 6 inches in diameter and centered 9 inches from the back of the board and 12 inches from either side. While the general initial cut will be relatively simple, the hole can pose some challenges for those with less carpentry experience. The best advice would be to measure out and mark a line 9 inches from the back, then measure to dead center from side to side. Once you have this mark, then use a protractor or compass and place the solid metal point on that center mark. Measure out three inches to the pencil of the compass and draw a circle.

Next, drill a