How to Build a Bean Bag Toss Board | DIY Cornhole Plans

Building a regulation-size bean bag toss board requires two 2-foot by 4-foot sheets of 3/4-inch plywood, a single 6-inch hole centered 9 inches from the top and 12 inches from the side, and a folding leg frame made from 1×4 lumber.

Building your own bean bag toss board (Cornhole) is a weekend project that saves money over store-bought sets and gives you exactly the quality you want. The official dimensions produce a board that plays true for casual and competitive games alike. Below are the verified measurements, the full build sequence, and the common mistakes that ruin a good board.

Official Dimensions and Materials You Need

A regulation bean bag toss board measures exactly 24 inches wide by 48 inches long. The playing surface must be 3/4-inch plywood — nothing thinner works without reinforcement. The single hole is 6 inches in diameter, placed 9 inches from the top edge and 12 inches from the side.

The leg frame uses 1×4 lumber: two 48-inch boards for the longer sides, two 22.5-inch boards for the short ends, and four 11.5-inch support legs cut at a 10-degree angle on one end for a folding action. Expect to pay $80 to $150 for all lumber and hardware, with precut 24×48 plywood sheets running $25 to $40 each.

If you’re looking at buying a pre-built set instead of building one, check our tested roundup of the best bag toss boards for ready-made options that skip the sawdust entirely.

Step-by-Step Construction

Build in this order for a square, stable board that folds flat for storage.

Cut and Mark the Play Surface. Start with two 24×48 sheets of 3/4-inch plywood. Measure 9 inches down from the top and 12 inches from one side. Trace a 6-inch circle centered on that mark. Use a 6-inch hole saw if you have one, or drill a starter hole inside the circle and cut with a jigsaw. Sand the hole edges smooth — rough edges snag bean bags.

Build the Frame. Cut four 48-inch 1×4 boards and four 22.5-inch 1×4 boards. Drill pocket holes in the sides of all boards and in the ends of the shorter ones. Join the frame at the corners with wood glue and 1 1/4-inch pocket hole screws. Attach the assembled frame to the underside of the plywood using pocket holes driven from the frame into the board.

Install the Folding Legs. Cut four 11.5-inch support boards, cutting one end of each at a 10-degree angle and rounding the bottom corners so they fold without binding. Clamp each support to the inside of the frame, drill a 3/8-inch hole 1 3/4 inches from both the side and bottom of the support, then bolt through the support and frame using a 2-inch bolt, fender washer, and wing nut. Test that all four legs fold flat.

Finish. Sand the entire board, then apply semi-gloss paint or stain. Semi-gloss provides the right slide — not too slippery, not too sticky — and holds up to outdoor use.

Bean Bag Specs and Scoring

Make bags by cutting 5-inch squares of fabric with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, which yields roughly 4-inch finished bags. Fill each with about 1/3 cup of dried beans, corn, rice, or plastic pellets.

Standard single-hole Cornhole scoring is 1 point for a bag on the board and 3 points for a bag through the hole. Some house rules assign different values, but that 1-and-3 system is the most common for regulation play.

Common Mistakes That Break a Board

The most frequent error is hole placement. Putting the center of the hole less than 9 inches from the top edge makes the board play too short and changes the game balance. The second biggest mistake is using thin plywood — 1/4-inch board warps under repeated tosses unless you add a full backing board for rigidity.

Rough edges around the hole are the third killer. Unfinished hole edges catch bag fabric and tear it within a game or two. Always sand the cut edge until it feels smooth to the touch.

Finally, secure the hinges on a kickstand design tightly. A loose hinge lets the board collapse backward mid-game, which is dangerous and frustrating.