We first published cornhole plans on this site in 2008, before you could buy boards at every big box store. People still email about those plans. This is the same build, updated with what seventeen years of backyard seasons taught us about what breaks and what lasts.
Total cost lands around $80 in materials and one comfortable Saturday. Store-bought regulation boards run $150 to $300, and the ones under $100 flex like a diving board.
What you’re building
A regulation set per the American Cornhole League: two boards, 48 by 24 inches, front edge 2.5 to 4 inches high, back edge 12 inches high, with a 6-inch hole centered 9 inches from the back edge. Eight bags, 6 by 6 inches, 15.5 to 16.5 oz each.
Materials and cut list
| Item | Spec | Approx cost |
|---|---|---|
| Plywood, sanded | One 4x8 sheet, 1/2 inch | $35 |
| 2x4 lumber | Four 8 ft boards | $20 |
| Carriage bolts, washers, wing nuts | 1/2 in x 4 in, qty 8 | $10 |
| Deck screws | 1-5/8 in, small box | $6 |
| Wood glue, sandpaper, paint or poly | On hand or | $15 |
Cuts: rip the plywood sheet in half for two 48x24 tops. From the 2x4s, cut four 48-inch side rails, four 21-inch end rails, and four 11.5-inch legs with a rounded top corner so they fold.
The build, step by step
- Frame: glue and screw the rails into two 48x24 rectangles. Square them by measuring corner to corner both ways; equal means square.
- Top: glue the frame edges, lay the plywood on, screw every 8 inches. Countersink so nothing catches a sliding bag.
- Hole: center 12 inches from each side, 9 inches from the back. Trace a 6-inch circle, drill a starter hole, cut with a jigsaw, sand the edge smooth.
- Legs: round the pivot end with a jigsaw, drill for the carriage bolts, mount inside the frame. Legs should hold the back edge at exactly 12 inches; measure your set on flat ground and trim.
- Finish: sand to 220 on top. Two coats of paint, then two of water-based poly. The poly coat is the difference between bags that slide and bags that stop dead, and it is the step every cheap store board skips.
Bags: buy these, honestly
Our 2008 plans included sewing instructions. Respect to everyone who tried, but bag technology won. Modern bags are dual-sided (slick and grippy) with resin fill that will not rot when someone leaves them in the rain, which someone will. A regulation set of eight runs $25 to $40; compare current dual-sided regulation cornhole bags. Sew your own only if you enjoy sewing more than playing.
Scoring, in one paragraph
Cancellation scoring: bag on the board is 1, bag through the hole is 3, and the round’s points cancel against each other. First to 21 wins, and in our yard you do not have to land exactly on 21, because we like finishing games before dark.
The quick answers
- Board size: 48 x 24 inches, back edge 12 inches high
- Hole: 6 inch diameter, centered 9 inches from the back
- Distance between boards: 27 feet, front edge to front edge
- Bags: 6 x 6 inches, 15.5 to 16.5 oz, buy dual-sided resin
- Material cost: about $80 plus bags
More builds from the original series are on the way: the DIY Builds section is where the horseshoe pit and ladder golf plans land next. Thirsty work? Sort the drink table with our home bar essentials.