Build a set of wooden goals for cornhole -- a beanbag tossing game popular in the South and Midwest -- for a surefire way to keep backyard party guests entertained.

Tools and Materials

• 1/2-inch birch-faced plywood
• Two 2-by-4-by-8 lengths of lumber
• Circular saw or table saw
• 2-inch drywall screws
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Compass
• Drill
• Jigsaw
• Sand paper

• Clamp
• 3/16-inch drill bit
• 3/8-inch drill bit
• 3/8-inch carriage bolts (with washers and wingnuts)
• Palm sander
• Tack cloth
• Primer
• Paintbrush
• Paint in two contrasting colors
• Smooth-surface paint rollers
• Painters' tape
• Polycrylic high-gloss sealant

Cornhole Game How-To
Main Deck
1. Using a circular saw or table saw, cut two 2-by-4-foot rectangles from 1/2-inch-thick birch-faced plywood.

2. Construct two 2-by-4-foot frames from two 2-by-4-by-8 lengths of lumber (two 48-inch lengths and two 21-inch lengths), and using 2-inch drywall screws, attach one plywood rectangle to each frame.

3. To mark the center point for the hole in the plywood, measure 9 inches in from the top of the board and 12 inches in from either side.

4. Using a compass set to a 3-inch radius, draw a 6-inch diameter circle from the center point.

5. Drill a pilot hole in the circle big enough to fit the blade of a jigsaw and then, using the jigsaw, cut out circle from plywood.

6. With a coarse-grit sandpaper, sand all cut surfaces to smooth edges.

Legs
1. To mark where the anchoring bolt will pass through each leg, start with a 20-inch-long piece of 2-by-4-by-8 lumber and draw a line 1 3/4 inches in from the end. Then draw another line 1 3/4 inches in from either side, perpendicular to the first line.

2. Set compass to a 1 3/4-inch radius, place on point where lines intersect, and draw a half circle, extending out to the edges of the board.

3. Turn main deck over so plywood surface is facing down, and place a piece of scrap 2-by-4 in the corner of the frame. This will give the right amount of space for the leg to pivot in the frame.

4. Place leg adjacent to the scrap of wood with markings facing out, and follow the midpoint line drawn on the vertical leg down to the horizontal 2-by-4 of the frame. Along this line, measure 1 3/4 inches from the bottom of the frame and mark this as the center point for the bolt (this point should also be 2 1/4 inches from the top of the main deck).

5. Clamp the leg to the frame and, to prevent chipping or splitting, use a 3/16-inch bit to drill a pilot hole at the marked center point. Then use a 3/8-inch bit to drill through the center point and through both the side of the main deck and the leg. Remove clamp and scrap of 2-by-4.

6. With jigsaw, cut along marked half-circle line to round off top of each leg. Mitre legs at about 45 degrees so the raised end of the board is 12 inches off the ground. The shorter edge of the mitred leg should measure about 13 inches.

7. Use sandpaper to sand all cuts and to smooth out all edges.

8. Attach legs to main deck with carriage bolts, washers, and wingnuts.

Painting
1. Using a palm sander fitted with coarse sandpaper, sand entire cornhole game board until smooth.

2. Remove all dust with a tack cloth and paint entire board with primer.

3. Once primer has dried, sand again with a finer-grit sandpaper, remove dust with tack cloth, and paint with another coat of primer.

4. Finish with one last round of sanding and removing dust with tack cloth.

5. Using a smooth-surface paint roller, paint entire game in one color.

6. Once paint has dried completely, sand entire board with fine sandpaper, and apply second coat of paint. Let dry.

7. Sand one final time, remove dust with tack cloth, and with painters' tape, create a triangle shape from the center of the top edge to the bottom corners of the main deck.

8. Using smooth-surface paint roller, paint with third and final coat of paint and let dry completely.

9. Remove painters' tape and mask prior edge of color one, on the outside edge of the triangle. Using a smooth-surface paint roller, paint in the triangle with second color of paint.

10. Once paint has dried, apply second coat, let dry, and remove all painters' tape.

11. Finally, apply coat of polycrylic high-gloss sealant to entire board.

Resources
Martha Stewart Living Paint in Miso and Flagstone, as well as all other tools and materials, available from The Home Depot.

For cornhole rules and other information, visit playcornhole.org.