A cornhole board’s dimensions are 48 inches by 24 inches. One game uses two cornhole boards on either end of the playing field. The front side of the cornhole platform has to be 2 to 4 inches off the ground, while the back side must be 12 inches off the ground. This creates an angled elevation.
This article will explore everything you need to know about cornhole boards, including how to make yours at home, why cornhole board size matters, and how to set up a good cornhole court! So keep reading.
DIY Cornhole Board
Making a cornhole board is easier than you might think. You need some familiarity with woodworking and the appropriate tools, but the process is quite straightforward.
Keep the thickness of all the plywood boards uniform. Ideally, use 2-inch thick wood. It is a decent midpoint between bulky and flimsy.
Here’s what you need to make two boards:
- Two 24-inch x 48-inch pieces of plywood
To make the frame:
- Four 48-inch x 4-inch plywood boards
- Four 21-inch x 4-inch plywood boards
For the legs:
- Four 12-inch x 4-inch long plywood sticks
Other materials you’ll need include:
- Desk screws
- Wing nuts
- Washers
- Carriage bolts
- Wood putty
- Exterior grade paint
- Primer
The tools you’ll need include:
- Jigsaw
- Circular saw
- Compass
- Drill bit with Phillips-head screw bit
- Clamps
- Measuring tape
- Paint roller
The Process
Step 1: Make the main frame
Take two 24-inch long and two 48-inch long pieces of plywood and join them using screws. Then take your big 24 x 48 plywood plank and lay it on top using screws to secure it. Repeat for the second platform box.
Tailgate boards are smaller than regulation-size boards. Tailgate size is 2 ft x 3 ft. You can make those if you want to.
Step 2: Cut out and attach legs
Attach two legs to one side of the platform box to elevate it. Do this for both the boxes.
Step 3: Cut out the cornhole hole
Next up, cut out a 6-inch diameter hole in both platforms.
Make a mark 9 inches from the top (elevated end) and 12 inches from the bottom. Use your circle to make a circle at this spot.
Use your drill to make a hole, then shift over to your jigsaw blade. Sand out the edges of the hole to make it smooth.
Measure the center hole distance from the top to ensure you didn’t cut it out too big.
Step 4: Neaten out the boards
Take some sandpaper and go over both Cornhole boards to make the edges and surfaces neat. Putty all the screw holes to make everything nice and even.
The playing surface needs to be smooth. Even the smallest blemishes on the wood surface can disrupt gameplay, so getting rid of them during construction is important.
Step 5: Decorate!
Once that dries, you can paint over it in whatever shape, color, and design you want.
According to ACO rules, you must use a varnish or high gloss latex paint. The surface must be smooth enough to allow bags to slide when tossed on it. However, it can’t be too slippery because the bags will keep sliding down the platform whenever they land.
Setting up your cornhole boards
Setting up the cornhole court correctly is super important because it ensures fairness and standardization. The American Cornhole Association has very specific rules regarding what goes where and how much distance you’re supposed to be leaving between different components of a cornhole court. So let’s take a look.
Here’s everything you need to set up a cornhole court:
- 2 cornhole boards
- Chalk to mark out the pitcher’s box
- 4 cornhole bags per team
- A measuring tape to mark distances
Placing the cornhole boards
Two cornhole boards are placed opposite each other. The distance between both boards must be 27 feet if you measure from the inner edge.
However, if you measure from the center of the holes in the cornhole boards, the distance must be 33 feet.
These standard measurements may be changed if you’re playing an informal game according to the age and skill level of the players. But you can not change them in formal competitions.
The pitcher’s box
The pitcher’s box is the area to the right and left of each board. You use chalk to mark 3 feet-wide rectangles that are as long as the cornhole board.
This is the only area you can stand in to toss your bags. Any throw made outside this box is illegal and can not count towards your team’s score.
There are two pitcher boxes on each side of a cornhole court.
Cornhole bag
Each team in a game of cornhole gets 4 bags. These bags are reused after every round of tossing.
Why mark distances with a measuring tape?
Cornhole is about tossing fabric bags and your control over them when throwing them. Therefore, your target (the hole in the cornhole board) has to be a bit far away. Therefore, you have 27 to 33 feet between you and your goal.
Moreover, having the same distance in all cornhole games allows you to hone your skills properly. After enough experience, you’ll be able to slide your bag into the hole almost every time.
Then you can focus on more strategic gameplay using defensive and blocking techniques.
If you have to adapt to throwing your bag across a new distance every time, you’ll have a learning curve each time and take a lot longer to improve at the game.
Conclusion
A cornhole board is 2 feet x 4 feet, exactly 24 inches x 48 inches. This board is sized so that you can slide your bag into the hole. Each game of cornhole has two of these boards placed 27 feet away from each other on opposite sides of the playing court.
