I Don't Just Bake

At my daughter's 5th birthday party the other day my Uncle Bill asked me about the cornhole boards I made last summer.  Right now they are up in the attic for the winter.  I was explaining to him how to make them and how much fun it was and I thought, "I should put this on my blog...people are probably sick of the party stuff right now, anyway".  This is a good project for this time of the year because then you have them ready for that first BBQ.

A great reference for this project is http://www.cornholehowto.com/ , I used it almost exclusively.  It has the most easy to follow instructions and pictures.

Here is the materials/supplies list. 

• 1/2″ thick sheet of plywood – one 4’x4′ or two 2’x4’s
• 8′ long 2×4’s (4)
• 4 1/2″ long 3/8″ diameter carriage bolts (4)
• 3/8″ flat washers (4)
• 3/8″ wing nuts (4)
• 2 1/2″ wood screws (1 box)
• wood putty
• measuring tape
• clamps (optional but very handy)
• power drill and assorted bits (up to a 3/8” bit in size)
• sandpaper (course, medium, and fine grit or at least medium)
• hammer
• compass (optional)
• jigsaw
• handsaw, mitre saw, or circular saw

I used a birch plywood that was already 2'x4'.  This really helped me cut down on puttying, sanding and finishing.  It was really worth the extra money.

You cut your 2x4's to these lengths:

• 4 feet (4)
• 21 inches (4)
• 16 inches (4)

Use these to make the frame.  Your plywood will be attached to the top.  Pre-drill all of your holes to prevent splitting.  You need to counter-sink the holes in your plywood so you can putty them later to have a completely smooth surface.

I had my kids do all of the puttying. 

This way you can save your energy for the sanding.

(Note, next time have the kids sand, too!)

  

I confess that I had my husband cut out the circles. 

He is an engineer and I knew he would make sure they were perfect. 

I had the kids decorate the inside of the boards. 

I hope to give them to the girls for tailgating when they are older. 

I think they did an awesome job. 

It makes such a difference when you can capture a moment in time like that.

Next...PAINTING!!!

We painted the boards with a white primer first.  I used a high quality exterior latex.  I wanted to make sure these last for a long time and so I didn't want to skimp on the paint.  Now, you will notice that my boards have a very specific theme.  You can add your own, or leave them plain.  You can also order decals.  I found an awesome website where you can design your own.  http://www.goseegraphics.com/ (disclaimer: I have not actually purchased from this site...I just thought it was a cool idea).

Oh, and by we, I meant "the girls".
They really rocked it. 

They did such a good job, in fact, that I put them on color duty, too.

I made my own stencils out of clear contact paper.  After painting and letting it dry I cut around the stencil with a blade to insure that it pulled up cleanly.

It was a multi-step process.

The finished product.  I put two coats of clear polyurethane on...I want to put two or three more on before football season starts.

I know these instructions are not complete, but you can get the main idea.  They were sooo much fun to make and my kids had a blast.  I can't wait to put them to work with the poly this summer!  Ha!