Cornhole Cornhole

268 responses so far ↓

• 1 linda // Jun 18, 2007 at 12:48 am

  thx lots for this site, we never played but trying to build one,thx to this maybe we can get it right

• 2 Eric // Jun 18, 2007 at 6:50 am

  Glad you got some good info Linda. Enjoy your building!

• 3 Teresa // Jun 28, 2007 at 5:29 pm

  Do you have the dimensions for building? We just shopped around and found some not so great ones at the store. I don’t thin I like the bumps I saw on the plastic one. Anyway, I want to build ours.

• 4 Eric // Jun 28, 2007 at 8:56 pm

  Hi Teresa,

  Sure, take a look!!

  http://www.cornholecornhole.com/cornhole-plans/

• 5 Tom // Jun 28, 2007 at 8:59 pm

  Should 1/2″ or 3/4″ plywood be used for the boards?

• 6 Eric // Jul 4, 2007 at 9:38 am

  Hello Tom,

  1/2″ plywood is suggested. It wouldn’t hurt to use 3/4″ , but your boards would be pretty heavy. 1/2″ does the job while keeping the weight manageable.

• 7 Rick // Jul 14, 2007 at 3:23 pm

  What is a good surface finishing product for slickness. I like the wood finish, but want a pretty slick suface.

• 8 Eric // Jul 16, 2007 at 9:41 pm

  Hi Rick,
  You could try just a clear lacquer. I have never used it myself, but if you want a slick alternative to a high gloss painted surface, it would probably do the job.

• 9 Robyn Seavers // Jul 22, 2007 at 10:01 pm

  Hey Eric, I am building my corn hole board and want to put stickers on it after I prime and paint it with high gloss latex paint. What can I put over the entire surface so the stickers will stay put?

  Robyn

• 10 Eric // Jul 23, 2007 at 6:45 am

  Hello Robyn, You really don’t need to put anything over the stickers. They should stick to the paint fine. They might wear over time though. If you are worried about the wear, you could paint a clear coat over top of the whole top surface.

• 11 Robyn Seavers // Jul 24, 2007 at 6:03 pm

  Hi Eric, yeah I was thinking of something clear to protect the wear on the stickers, any suggestion on what would be best to use? that would still be good for the board as far as the slide of the corn bag goes?

• 12 Robyn Seavers // Jul 24, 2007 at 6:04 pm

  oh Sorry I see you told Rick to use a clear lacquer, I will look for that when I go to Lowe’s tonight )

  thanks!

• 13 Eric // Jul 24, 2007 at 7:20 pm

  No problem Robyn!

• 14 Robyn Seavers // Aug 10, 2007 at 10:53 am

  Hey Eric, I finished my boards and I used high gloss latex paint but my bags are not sliding……what’s up with that? Can’t wait to get the bags broke in they are so stiff!

• 15 Eric // Aug 10, 2007 at 4:20 pm

  Robyn,

  Your boards are build, that’s great to hear! The slide problem could be with your bags being so new. If you added the stickers, that could slow them down some.

• 16 Robyn Seavers // Aug 10, 2007 at 6:14 pm

  Wish I could send you a picture! if you want to email me I will!!! I haven’t put the stickers on yet…….I am thinking they are too small, trying to find a stencil of the numbers 2 and 0 (we are tony stewart fans) but having no luck and I have tried to make a stencil and it looks dumb! lol…….. I hope it’s just the newness of the bags…….

  Robyn

• 17 Eric // Aug 13, 2007 at 9:38 pm

  Hi there Robyn,

  I’d love to see your boards. I sent you my email. I wish I could help with the stencils. I’ll keep looking around and let you know if I find any!

• 18 Matt // Aug 15, 2007 at 7:20 pm

  Will twill fabric work for the bags? I have seen that duck canvas is preferred but I was wondering if there is a difference between the two fabrics.

  Matt

• 19 Eric // Aug 24, 2007 at 2:14 pm

  Hi Matt,

  I haven’t used twill before but it seems like a strong enough fabric. I have seen denim used as well.

• 20 Robyn // Aug 24, 2007 at 2:19 pm

  Hi Everyone and Eric!! I can’t find very nice colors in the duck cloth but I’m still looking. Eric my bags broke in rather quickly and slide great now. We’ve had such extreme heat here in IN or rain that I haven’t been able to play in over a week and I want to!! lol I bought my first set of bags online, they said they are double stitched but they aren’t! I can see them busting open anytime now. I have been sewing some and I am triple sewing mine. They will never come apart!
  Have fun playing!!!

• 21 travis // Sep 20, 2007 at 10:11 pm

  ya i used 1/2 in particel board and i used can paint and can clear to put over it when i toss my bags on it and they slide a little what do i put on hit to make it slide better.for my corn hole board

• 22 travis // Sep 20, 2007 at 10:15 pm

  i just what to now is particle board ok to use for corn hole board

• 23 Robyn // Sep 21, 2007 at 8:32 am

  The best board to use is untreated plywood, the better grade cost me $18.00 and change at Lowe’s. They cut it for me and I got 6 boards out of it. (s0 three corn hole sets) It’s already sanded, however after sinking the screws and filling the holes, I filled a couple of areas on the board and sanded them. No need for a clear coat of anything after using High Gloss Latex paint. Slides perfectly!

• 24 travis // Sep 22, 2007 at 10:45 am

  thanks

• 25 travis // Sep 22, 2007 at 10:47 am

  can you used clear out of a spray can after putting high gloss paint on it

• 26 travis // Sep 22, 2007 at 10:49 am

  never mind i see that you wrote you dont need clear coat

• 27 Eric // Sep 22, 2007 at 8:37 pm

  Hello Travis,

  The can of clear coat will work fine. Just keep a look out for runs. Make sure you use even strokes.

• 28 Dave // Sep 22, 2007 at 10:14 pm

  Hello everyone, i have just built a set of boards, painted white with some red and black on it, they look very nice. However i went to the local hardware store and the guy working recomented a clear finish used for decks. It has worked well for a protective coating but i would like to see it a little slicker, i was told to use gym seal by a freind. anyone ever used gym seal before?

• 29 Robyn // Sep 23, 2007 at 3:25 pm

  If you go to any corn hole sites and as Eric has stated before you are to use HIGH GLOSS LATEX PAINT and the end result is a great sliding board! that way you don’t have to add anything on top of your paint to get a nice slide. That along with the dust that comes out of the bag from the corn, you’ll have a great slick board!

• 30 Pam // Sep 25, 2007 at 9:43 am

  Just constructed our corn hole boards. We would like to stain them instead of painting them. Can you tell me what kind of stain, and should anything else be applied on top of the stain? We have Sikkens stain left over from doing our deck. Would it be appropriate to use that type of stain?

• 31 Eric // Sep 26, 2007 at 7:12 am

  Hi Pam,

  I’ll start by saying I’m no expert on stains. You might check with store where you bought your stain. Either way, the deck stain sounds like it will work fine. That should give you the protection you need. You shouldn’t need to apply anything else on top of the stain as long as your boards are smooth. I would stain first and just try them out. If you do not get the slide you want, you could add a clear coat. Since there are are all types of deck stains (solid, semi-transparent, etc), it’s tough to tell without trying it out.

• 32 Mark // Sep 26, 2007 at 10:04 pm

  Hello everyone…1st of all Robyn…no offense intended here…but your perfect slide might differ from other people’s perfect slide. Case and point. I painted my boards with semi-gloss paint and sprayed a can of clear coat on them. Still not enough slide!!! I used 2′ x 4′ birch wood for the decks. We played on them prior to painting them. And game play was awesome. You needed great skill to even keep the bag on the board. I want that slide back.

  Eric…I actually purchased a can a clear lacquer gloss . Now the can says no yellowing on it. But I have white on my deck and I am wary of using it because I don’t want yellowing on my board. Is there anything else that might work? Do you think the lacquer would be fine? Thanks for the reply in advance.

• 33 Eric // Sep 27, 2007 at 8:54 pm

  Hi Mark,

  I think the lacquer would get you the slide you are looking for. Not sure about the yellowing.

  Has anyone else had more experience with lacquer?

• 34 Robyn // Sep 27, 2007 at 9:54 pm

  well all I know is that Eric and every other site I’ve looked at and all the directions I’ve read say HIGH GLOSS LATEX PAINT you get the slide. I’ve never seen anyone complain of not having the right slide when using High Gloss Latex Paint. I didn’t come up with that, it’s in print everywhere. The slide is perfect and you don’t have to go looking for OTHER things to put over what you painted to try and get a good slide when you get THE slide with the high gloss latex paint. YOU said yourself Mark, you used semi gloss and STILL NOT ENOUGH SLIDE, why go through all that when just using what the experts say will do the trick.

• 35 Pat // Oct 13, 2007 at 11:07 am

  I made my own, and frankly, I wish I had just bought a set. It was fun doing the work, but it didn’t turn out as well as I hoped, and the cost in materials was almost as much as if I had bought a set.

• 36 Eric // Oct 14, 2007 at 9:13 am

  Hi Pat,

  I think most people build their own sets mostly for the satisfaction of it. It really should have been much cheaper too, if you had all of the tools. Not sure if you had plans, but they help quite a bit. Either way, sounds like you are up and running with a set. That’s all that matters. Have fun playing!!

• 37 James // Mar 31, 2008 at 7:04 pm

  I have a set of corn hole boards made from particle board…

  the top surface is pretty rough, can i sand it down and what grit of paper would you recommend?

  thanks.

• 38 Eric // Apr 5, 2008 at 10:23 am

  Hi James,
  That’s hard to answer without seeing the degree of roughness. You should start with a very coarse grade if it’s that bad. After knocking off the really rough stuff, you can then use a medium or fine grade.

• 39 Colin // Apr 20, 2008 at 9:02 pm

  I built my wood set last summer and now am ready to paint it and get it ready since the warm weather is finally here! I am looking for a nice professional paint job but im not artist…therefore, I am looking for a couple stencils (St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals). Do you have any idea where I can get a nice big one that will fill up the board? I have looked around but havent found any. Anyones help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks y’all and enjoy!

• 40 Jerry // May 4, 2008 at 8:46 am

  This site has college football stik-ables, if you look at ohio state they even show them on a cornhole board.
  http://www.teamstencils.com

• 41 Mauxe // May 7, 2008 at 9:16 pm

  I used a semi-gloss paint that I got at Lowes. I have had to go back at times and rough up the paint a bit to keep the boards from sliding TOO much. I like to work the slide on my boards but there was a time when you just had to go high arc on every throw and forego any sliding (unless a couple of bags had built a backstop) because you were definitely going to fly off the back with even a light touch.

  I had even gone back and repainted last year to try to get some of the tack back. I think the issue came from a combination of heavy play coupled with storing the boards in my hot, dry garage.

  Another thing is that playing in the sun really keeps the boards slick. Once we get the spotlights out and get a little bit of moisture in the air things get back to normal a bit.

  The point being: many factors can…. er… factor into how your set plays. Some people even have such slide issues that they go so far as to mix a little grit into their paint to provide texture.

• 42 Justin // May 17, 2008 at 10:47 pm

  What’s up everyone. I made my third set yesterday for some friends of mine, and did the same as I did in the past. Used a spay-gun to prime,paint, and then used a paver sealer to coat them. They have not chipped faded or needed any sort of matinence. You can wash them off with a hose and the are fine. This sealer is completly impenetrible. FYI I’m from michigan so just made a set with big Detroit D’s on it and the color scheme is that of the tigers.

• 43 Colin // May 18, 2008 at 1:34 pm

  Justin…how did you put the big Tigers “D” on your board? Stencil? If so, where did you get it or how did you make it? Thanks!

• 44 Robyn // May 25, 2008 at 6:22 pm

  Hey Justin!! Love your idea of the spraying the paint on, I’m sure it’s must easier and nicer than using a brush. Hey what is that Paver Sealer?

• 45 Chris // May 29, 2008 at 9:33 am

  Just thought I’d put my two cents in on materials and finishing. Birch plywood is a great material; stable flat, smooth and free of voids. A great alternative, that was 6 bucks for a 1/2″x2′x4′ pre-cut sheet, is MDF(Medium Density Fiberboard.) It is absolutely flat, the precut board is square, a flatter surface than Birch and paints really well. Pre-drilling is a MUST! Unlike plywood, you can very easily tear out and break the screw holes if you just drive the screw in. When making the six inch hole, the absolutly easiest way is a router on a compass. I digress…

  Finishing… If you want the flatest surface possible, start with a sanding sealer before your final sanding. If staining continue with a wood coditioner to keep the stain from staining more poreus parts too much and causing a blochy apperance. Or not if you don’t care. Stain per ther directions. Gel stains work really well.

  There has been disscussions about clear finishes. True lacquer will yellow in time. Though any clear, in time, will yellow some. Your best bet would be a gloss polyurethane. PolyAcrylic by Minwax is a great product for it’s ease of application. Apply several coats, lightly sanding in-between dried coats with #0000 steel wool or 220 sand paper. Wipe off any debris left by sanding with a tack cloth. Sanding helps the next coat stick better and takes out any imperfections in the previous applications. If you want a slick surface 3 or 4 coats will do it. Be warned it may be too slick! If you want to clear but don’t want as much “slickyness” try a semi-gloss. If you stain rather than paint, you will need to clear it. I haven seen or used anything that is considered a stain than left a smooth finish. Most stains will even raise the grain of wood slightly. When it’s all said and done, you can improve the slide by using carwax if it’s still not slick enough or imrove a sticky board. Paint will get stickier in humid weather so a coat of wax will keep it slick.

  A neat trick to put graphics on your board is to print out what ever you like on your injet printer on regular paper, cut them out with a craft knife or scissors, spray the back with spray adhesive, stick them where you like on the board then put a few coats of clear on. Wholla! You will need to use an oil based clear because water based products, such as the PolyAcrylic, will make the printing run. Have fun! Hope this helped!

• 46 Drew // Jun 2, 2008 at 2:14 am

  Eric, my question is that im about to paint my cornhole set and i kno to use a primer and then either a semi-gloss or high-gloss paint but i wanted to hand draw the UK wildcat in the middle of the board and then put a clear coat over it, will the paint from that cause the bags to stick to the board and if so how should i go about painting the wildcat??

• 47 Eric // Jun 3, 2008 at 8:53 pm

  Hi Drew,
  I wouldn’t worry about the bags sticking. Your hand drawn/painted parts won’t be thick enough to have a noticeable affect. The clear coat will also help blend it.

• 48 Drew // Jun 4, 2008 at 5:56 am

  thanx i appreciate it

• 49 Selina // Jun 8, 2008 at 11:23 pm

  Hey there! My husband and I just made our first set of boards. We painted them using high gloss paint. One board is white and one is a darker gray. They are going to be Cubs boards when our stickers arrive. My question is that the white one dried nicely and the bags slide great,however the gray one looks great but is sticky and the bags don’t slide so great. Any suggestions???

• 50 Robyn // Jun 9, 2008 at 12:35 am

  Hey Selina!! I want to do Cubs boards too, where are are you getting your stickers from?

  thanks!!

• 51 Selina // Jun 9, 2008 at 3:11 pm

  We are getting ours off of ebay. They have a few cubs designs. You should check them out! Not too expensive either.

• 52 Justin // Jun 9, 2008 at 9:34 pm

  Wait till you put the decals on then poly-urethene the boards. They will both be the same slickness and help to keep decals looking great.

• 53 Milky // Jun 13, 2008 at 12:00 pm

  I spent the last two weeks designing and building my boards. I used the pre-cut 2′ x 4′ panels of 1/2″ birch that they sell at Home Depot. My boards are Jimmy Buffett themed, for his concert this weekend. I’ve made them as a surprise for my friends and none of us have ever even played Cornhole. I didn’t prime. I used high gloss Rustoleum colored paints and no kind of lacquered finish or anything. My bags came in the mail yesterday and I’m filling them tonight. I am very worried that the slide won’t work and that all my hard work will be a failure. I’ve read every post here and everywhere online, and it seems like a good solution would be to use a paste wax, like a bowling alley wax or something like that. I sure could use any thoughts/help/ideas right now. Thank you in advance to anyone who can offer some help. 20 hours and counting until we throw our first bags ever, and I am worried…….

• 54 Wilbur // Jun 14, 2008 at 4:31 am

  What is the best method of applying graphics to a cornhole board. I want to print my own graphics. I have a computer and inkjet printer. Would waterslide decals work?

• 55 Eric // Jun 14, 2008 at 10:47 pm

  Hi Milky,
  Don’t know how far you got but I would skip the paste wax. Try them first. The high gloss Rustoleum should do the trick. If you don’t get the slide you want, you can add a coat of gloss polyurethane.

• 56 Milky // Jun 16, 2008 at 10:53 am

  Thanks Eric. So, to put an ending to the story: I ended up using the minwax paste wax. I put on two light coats and it took me a total of about 1/2 hour. The boards were perfect. I mean, I couldn’t have asked for better results. I do have a question though. My boards seemed to be a little “bouncy”. This is my first set and my first time playing, so I don’t know if that’s proper or not. What I mean is that many times prople would put the bag directly in front of the the hole and it would bounce over and off. Is that normal? Anyway, I had 6 people ask me for help in building a set and everyone was excited. We played for hours until the stupid rain came. I’m officially addicted. Thanks again!

• 57 James // Jun 17, 2008 at 4:52 pm

  Hi,

  Can somebody give me more info on making logos using your own printer…

  do you use regualr paper?

  just cut out put on board and paint?

  thanks in advance.

• 58 wilbur // Jun 17, 2008 at 5:16 pm

  I was having the same problem getting a graphic and putting it on my board. So I decided to practice. I printed my graphic on photo paper on high resoulution. I then took it to office max and had it enlarged in grayscale. I went to the local craft store and bought transfer paper. Put the graphic on the transfer paper and lay the two of them on your board where you want the graphic. Tape them so they don’t move. Using a ball point pen I traced the graphic onto the board. After you are done you can paint the graphic with paint from the craft store. I am not an artist but I had very good results. After painting onto the board I will spray with an acrylic clear spray to protect.

• 59 joe // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:42 pm

  I put some stickers on my boards before anything else. Can I spray on a clear coat to protect them and then go over it with lacquer or poly? Or what should I do so i don’t ruin my stickers? Thanks

• 60 Matt // Jun 22, 2008 at 3:56 pm

  I used stickables and they work great. Just paint the clear coat directly over the stickers. I’ve applied seven coats so far to even out the playing surface since the stickables will raise the surface a few millimeters.

  http://www.teamstencils.com/

• 61 matt // Jun 23, 2008 at 5:33 pm

  i have made my own boards, painted just how i want them> however they are so slick that if you was to just drop a bag standing over them the bag would slide off. Way to slick.. Anybody got an idea to fix this without messing up the paint job?? thanks

• 62 Eric // Jun 25, 2008 at 10:26 pm

  Matt,
  Without getting in to roughing up your boards and such, you might give your bags a chance to break in. Take a look at some of the slide comments above. Most of the time, when your bags get broken in, they slow down. It’s that new, stiff fabric that is so slick on the boards.

• 63 Your Best Friend // Jun 26, 2008 at 6:12 pm

  Matt,
  you could add another layer of clear coat and sprinkle on a little finely ground sand while the boards are still wet. Grip tape theory.

• 64 kyle // Jul 10, 2008 at 2:26 pm

  i was thinking bout buying some boards online that were the natural wood look with a clear coat on them but i was wondering if i would be able to paint over that?

• 65 Patrick // Jul 14, 2008 at 7:54 pm

  Im doing mine just like Matt said on 6/22. I got reusable 16″ adhesives of the CLeveland Browns at Giant Eagle for $6 each. They are a little thick but im just going to layer over with clear. Im trying Decopauge instead of polyurethane. I got it at Joann Stores. Someone I know used it and I like his boards alot. Anyone try that stuff?

• 66 Eric // Jul 15, 2008 at 7:18 am

  Kyle,
  Short answer, yes. You first have to dull, by sanding, and then prime the boards before painting. If you have plans to paint though, I would contact the seller and ask if you can buy them without anything on the boards. You might even be able to save a buck or two.

• 67 Susan // Jul 15, 2008 at 11:49 am

  Hi everyone, you have provided such valuable information as I start to paint my first board. No one has talked about how to paint two or more colors and how to keep them from running into one another. I am thinking that painters tape may let one color bled onto the other. Any suggestions? Also, should the primer be high gloss, also? If so, can I use this coat as my final white coat and not paint on an additional high gloss white? Thanks!

• 68 Robyn // Jul 15, 2008 at 2:07 pm

  Hi Susan, I have used the higher grade plywood for all the sets I have made (sanded on one side) and found that the painters tape does let the paint bleed under it because even though it is sanded it is not perfectly smooth. It’s a pain to have to touch up the paint that bled onto the color next to what you are painting. And even though it is a pain I have found it’s better than trying to free hand. However you might be better than free hand painting than I am, so you might not mind doing it that way?? Good luck!!!

• 69 Susan // Jul 15, 2008 at 4:35 pm

  Thanks Robyn! Anyone else have some pointers? I am definitely not good at free hand painting!

• 70 Eric // Jul 16, 2008 at 7:07 am

  Hi Susan,
  Painters tape is really the easiest way I think. Here are a couple of tips. Go over the tape to make sure it is pushed down very well. Use only a little paint around the seam. The more paint you use the more it will run under the seam. Brush from the tape to the wood and not the other way around. This should keep your paint form bleeding.

• 71 Ben // Jul 19, 2008 at 12:24 pm

  I built my boards with 1/2″ birch and then used high gloss spray paint. They looked great but I needed to add PolyAcrylic to get a better slide.

• 72 Mike // Jul 20, 2008 at 12:10 pm

  When painting with two different color paints or stripes you could use auto pin striping to cover the bleed over of the two colors left when taking off the tape . This will make a clean line and a custom look. After your paint colors, Decals and pinstripe are finished then clear the entire board to smooth the finish. My decks are done in flames.

• 73 Wilbur // Jul 20, 2008 at 1:00 pm

  If you want to stop bleeding when using two colors, go to home depot and buy frog tape. You will then make a perfectly straight line. No bleeding. The tape is green and costs around $11.00 a roll. It will go a long way. Good luck.

• 74 Fred // Jul 22, 2008 at 1:26 am

  For those that have used stickers, has the Poly Acrylic worked ok as a finish over the top? Im interested as I just bought a couple 11×17 stickers I’d like to use.

• 75 jim // Jul 27, 2008 at 6:49 pm

  So if I paint with semi gloss I should put a coat or two of PolyAcrylic to seal the deal? I am thinking about doing what chris said and print out my graphics and glue them on. Should I do this or stencil them on and paint them and can I cover the paper graphics with a clear coat??

• 76 Justin // Jul 28, 2008 at 9:32 am

  I think it isn’t a good idea to glue stickers on, the glue has the potential release from the board. I feel the best thing to use for a decal is some good quality vinyl. I have done both in the past and the vinyl has held the test of time.

• 77 Matt // Aug 2, 2008 at 11:39 am

  I had the same problem about having a glossy surface and bags that wouldn’t slide. I just wiped some Pledge on the surface, and it slickened them right up (maybe even a bit too much). Over time, the pledge will wear down, the bag surfaces will smooth up a bit, and the surface should be just right.

• 78 Tim // Aug 5, 2008 at 10:32 pm

  First time on this site and saw a couple of questions that I thought I might be able to help with. First is painting more than one color without any bleeding. First is to use a painters tape. To keep paint from bleeding first take a spoon and press the edge down. Second take a painters latex caulk put it on your finder and wipe it alone the tape edge(very thin). It is a lot thicker than paint and will no pull under tape. Paint and carefully remove tape while paint is still wet. This will help any peeling and keep a smoother edge. Let dry thoroughly according to paint used. Next retape for next color. At this point I use Scotts delicate surface tape to avoid any chance of pealing the paint up. Caulk, paint and peal tape. The trick is the caulk and pulling the tape while paint is still wet.
  Second is how to get stencils. One if you look in the phone book for places that do them for cars and trucks but it can be a little pricey. If you print a design in black on a inkjet printer you can put that on your board and and put heat to it and it will trasfer it to your board and you can then hand paint it on the board. I got a wood burner and a bit for it that does just that. Just have to be careful not to burn anything down. Good to practice on something else first. It takes a special touch depending on just how much ink is on the paper to be transfered. Hope this helps.

• 79 cristina // Aug 16, 2008 at 9:58 pm

  Hi Eric! I built my first set of boards and am ready to paint! I got a high gloss latex paint to paint all over and then I want to put my last name with stencils in the middle with a different color and I got a satin finish by accident. Can I still use that and spray Rustoleum crystal clear enamel all over the board and it’ll be great or should I get the paint I want to stencil with in high gloss instead? and. .when using a primer is there a certain kind that is better?

• 80 Eric // Aug 18, 2008 at 7:05 am

  Hey Cristina,
  Yeah, I’d just use what you have. Depending on the board prep, semi-gloss or even satin would even work well for the whole boards without much noticeable difference, even though high gloss is suggested. That little bit for your name won’t even be noticeable. As for primers, any brand will work fine. Because it’s not the final coat you really don’t need to be too picky.

• 81 Alison // Sep 2, 2008 at 6:05 pm

  hello – i just started painting my first cornhole set this weekend, without doing my research..b/c i used oil based paint! i read everyone’s posts and i see i should’ve used high gloss latex. have i ruined my boards? i primed them and put two coats of maroon oil-based paint. i bought a can of clear spray enamel and was going to use that as a topcoat.

  does anyone know if oil-based paint works on the boards? thanks in advance! these are a gift, so i’m hoping i haven’t messed up!

• 82 Jason Roberts // Oct 7, 2008 at 11:33 pm

  I have been making several cornhole boards. My only problem has been the paint. I first started off using oil based gloss paint. I really dont like using it because the gloss shows so many dents. I have also tried using a flat latex paint. i have been putting designs on my boards but putting a layer of tape down and appplying my design over top of it. after having my design laid out, i use a knife to cut around that needs to be painted. once i cut out what needs to be painted i will pill up the sticker and begin painting. when i am finished painting the design, the latex paint will come up when i pill up the stick. any ideas on what kind of painit i cant use that is not a glossy or latex paint?

• 83 Eric // Oct 10, 2008 at 10:36 pm

  Hello Alison & Jason,
  High gloss latex is preferred by most because it gives the ideal slide and cleans up easily. Oil based paint should work fine too. It’s all about the easy clean up. As for the stickers Jason, latex should works fine for that too. The key is just giving it enough time to fully cure. If your adhesive is pretty strong on your stickers, you’ll have to wait it out. Painters tape for instance only does its job well because the adhesive isn’t to strong. No real standard dry time because of humidity differences, but you should be able to tell just by tackiness. If you push your fingernail into it and it’s soft, give it a little more time.

• 84 Pam C. // Oct 25, 2008 at 5:09 pm

  Hubby is making game board out of 1/2 inch birch plywood. I will be finishing and want to leave the wood grain exposed but protected. My plan is to apply sanding sealer, then I will be stenciling the VT logo and name using outdoor acrylic paint, and finishing with a few coats of gloss polyurethane (minwax polyacrylic?). Am I on the right track or should I put a clear coat finish between the sanding sealer and the stencil? Cornhole rocks!!

• 85 Vickie // Nov 12, 2008 at 3:41 pm

  Eric, you seem to be the pro here and I thank you for your expertise. A quick question. We are making our first cornhole games for Christmas gifts. We are making them two color with two color stencil. If we use primer, then high gloss paint for the board and stencil, would we still need to us a polycrylic clear coat on top to finish? Please email me – thanks!

• 86 Aaron // Nov 17, 2008 at 10:33 pm

  I am a bit stumped here…. We built our first set with vinyl (it is a good strong quality vinyl) and we are using a latex paint. My question being how can we seal the sticker , I cannot find any type of clear latex paint (except a 25$ CAN of clear latex)
  To me it just seems the stickers going to lift off/ peel up…….
  Thanks for the read!

• 87 Eric // Dec 5, 2008 at 10:54 pm

  Hi Pam – Your plan sounds great. I don’t see any need for the clear between the stencil and sealer.

• 88 Eric // Dec 5, 2008 at 11:01 pm

  Hello Vickie – No you shouldn’t need the clear top finish. After two or three coats of your paints, you wouldn’t get much benefit from it.

• 89 Eric // Dec 5, 2008 at 11:07 pm

  Aaron – Depending on how your stickers were printed it would be safest to use an oil based clear coat. Many print shops use commercial ink-jet printers. Water based clear coats could cause the print to run.

• 90 Ladona // Dec 10, 2008 at 9:44 pm

  We built are first two sets for xmas gifts. Didn’t do our research well. Purchased gloosy enamel paint, by mistake they gave us semi-gloss. I did not notice until I got one coat on. Can I paint over now with high gloss either enamel or latex.

• 91 Eric // Dec 10, 2008 at 11:08 pm

  Hi Ladona – Many people use semi gloss and it generally works fine. While I would suggest high gloss latex if you are buying from scratch, you might test out what you have first with some broken in bags. If they have enough slide, just go with another coat of semi. If not you’ll want to use high gloss enamel since you already used enamel paint. Latex won’t adhere very well to enamel.

• 92 Shiloh // Mar 27, 2009 at 9:23 am

  Question- I know it’s not “regulation” but I ended up using 1/4″ thick plywood for the boards. Has anyone else used that? They bounce a bit but it makes things more interesting I think because it can either work for or against you. I used the latex paint and the bags slide great! Also, do you have any recommendations on how I can “brace” the center so that it doesn’t bounce so bad? Thanks!

• 93 Colin // Mar 29, 2009 at 5:36 pm

  I am ready to decorate my boards and want to make them St. Louis Cardinals themed. I am NOT an artist at all so I was looking for large stickers to stick the board then put a sealer over. Could someone let me know where I can get stickers of old school Cardinals logos or how I can make my own large stickers/decals? I really appreciate the help. Thanks!

• 94 Shiloh // Mar 29, 2009 at 5:49 pm

  I made boards with Va Tech and UNC logos. I went online to find the logos, then printed them out “poster” style. I cut them out then traced them onto my boards and used the latex paint to paint them. Hint: painter’s tape really helps with the straight lines!

• 95 Milky // Mar 30, 2009 at 11:32 pm

  Colin, you can find some SWEET old school and different Cardinal decals on eBay. Just type in St. Louis cornhole decal or Cardinals cornhole decal. Plus, most of these guys do custom work for the same prices you see posted for specific items. Just hit the “ask seller a question” button. You’ll see…

  Shiloh, it’s all about the blue painters tape! Just make sure you’re pressing down those edges with all your might, and you’re good to go.

• 96 Eric // Apr 4, 2009 at 8:26 am

  Hey Shiloh – I’ve never used 1/4″ but if you brace it in a couple of places you should be fine. Just run a 2×4 from side to side on the backside of your top board. Screw it from the sides since you have your on there already. You might even split the area and run two of them. Hope that helps.

• 97 John // Apr 14, 2009 at 10:20 am

  Hi all! I have just completed painting my corn hole set using the high gloss latex paint as my research showed. I have run into a little bit of a problem regarding the paint chipping/being too soft after 2 good coats. Should i apply a coat from a spray can of Polyurethane?? I have some fears that that will make the boards too slick; however i want to protect the hand-painted design that i created. i have had to touch up the paint a few times and i don’t want to keep on “babying” my boards every time i take them out. Suggestions?

• 98 Stevo // Apr 14, 2009 at 1:54 pm

  THE HOLE….
  I thought I would also add a comment. I just built 2 sets and the easiest way to cut the hole is a 6 inch holesaw. (big drill bit) Its the same way the cut the hole out of a door for a door knob. I found it at Lowe’s, but it was $39.00. So I kept my receipt and the package. Well you can guess what I did next. A friend of mine also bought the holesaw, but decided to keep it and build a few more sets to sell to make the money back for the holesaw.

• 99 Robyn // Apr 14, 2009 at 2:00 pm

  Hi John, I used a brush and painted on the poly, for an even coat. Once you get playing the game you’ll eventually like the “worn in” look of your boards. LOL, I have chips and stains on mine but they are mine and I love them…….

• 100 mILKY // Apr 14, 2009 at 3:17 pm

  Regarding the question about polying or not polying, too slick/not slick enough…. Well, since I first posted here back in June of 2008, I’ve done over 100 sets of boards. I’ve played on official ACO boards and ACA boards. They are ALL polyed. It doesn’t make them “too slick”. In fact, it gives them the slickness that they are supposed to have. An added bonus is that it does protect your artwork/decal and protects your wooden boards from the elements. In my opinion, the best results come from using Minwax Polycrylic in the light blue can. Aplly 6-9 coats using a cheapy foam brush. Allow at least 1 1/2 hours in between coats. Sand lightly with high grit sandpaper after coat number 5, brush away the dust, and re-apply the poly. Your boards will shine, have the perfect amount of slide, and will last forever. Also, be sure to use polyCRYLIC, not polyEURATHANE, and you will never have a yellowing problem, ever.

• 101 John // Apr 15, 2009 at 11:06 am

  Milky,
  That is some great advice! I will be sure to take on of my days off and do just that. Thank you very much for all your advice!

  John

• 102 Milky // Apr 15, 2009 at 11:29 am

  No problem, at all. Feel free to ask anything you want. I’ve become very good at building sets and I love helping people out.

• 103 John // Apr 17, 2009 at 12:26 pm

  Milky,

  I quickly went to the store and looked at the Polycrylics..there were about 10 different cans ranging from Semi-Gloss, to Gloss and Satin Finishes. Which particular style poly do i want to use exactly?? Let me know of the exact name.

  Thanks,
  J

• 104 John // Apr 17, 2009 at 12:31 pm

  Here are the different types:
  1. Minwax Polycrylic Finish, Semi-Gloss
  2. Minwax Polycrylic Gloss Finish, Clear Gloss
  3. Minwax Polycrylic Gloss
  4. Minwax Polycrylic Satin Finish
  5. Minwax Polycrylic Semi-Gloss Protective Finish
  …ok so there weren’t 10 but 5 was still a good variety. I’m being extra careful beacuse this is my first board and i want to keep it in good shape for a long time. Thanks for you help!

• 105 Milky // Apr 17, 2009 at 1:10 pm

  John. I always use #2. Minwax, Polycrylic, Gloss, Clear Gloss. The can is light blue. Then, go one aisle over, grab a few of the cheapy 4″ foam brushes for like 75 cents per piece. Go home, pour the crylic into a paper plate, and go from there. DO NOT SHAKE UP THE CAN OF CRYLIC. This will cause air bubbles and you don’t want that, obviously. Don’t overbrush either. My technique as desribed above will fill in the majority, if not all of the “stroke lines”(lines left in the poly by the foam brush.) Then, after the sanding at the 5th coat, be sure to wipe away all the dust before applying more crylic. Hope that clears things up! You should share pics afterwards. I’d love to see your boards.

• 106 John // Apr 17, 2009 at 2:57 pm

  That’s great Milky, i will do exactly that. i would share pictures although i have no camera at all!!

• 107 Corey // Apr 23, 2009 at 4:35 pm

  I have made several sets of boards and am excited to use some of the techniques listed on this site. Thanks for all of the input. I see people requesting to see pictures of the boards that they have made, and would like to post mine. Where can I find the picture post area?

• 108 Milky // Apr 23, 2009 at 4:50 pm

  Corey: I’d love to see some pics of the boards you’ve made, and the rest of the folks on here. I’m not sure if there is a picture posting area on here. But, you could put them up on http://www.photobucket.com, and then share the links here. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.

  http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/mmiehlke/CopyofGold_Set.jpg

• 109 Corey // Apr 27, 2009 at 9:25 am

  I don’t have a photobucket account but hope this works. These are a few of the boards I have made, they are the “baggo” size, 3′X2′.

  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=2070653&id=211701968&ref=mf

• 110 Milky // Apr 27, 2009 at 9:48 am

  That worked fine. Love the Sox set! Great job!

• 111 D_dub // May 5, 2009 at 8:42 am

  Milky,

  I am building a cornhole set and I bought Satin or flat latex paint (I can’t remember which). I am using the Glidden Team colors. Will this finish be ok if I use the Minwax Polyacrylic? Also, the Polyacrylic says on the label “Indoor use only”. Is that ok? And it also comes in spray or in the can, which one should I use and how many coats? And did I read that you said to use a foam brush? Also, do I have to sand in between each coat? Sorry for all of the questions, but thanks in advance for your reply!

• 112 Corey // May 5, 2009 at 9:13 am

  D-dub,

  I use the Gliddden Team colors on all of my boards. I do not use any Polyacrylic finishes. Paint them with at least 3 coats, play a game or two on the boards, and they will have all the necessary slide. I normally do not sand between coats of the paint.

• 113 Milky // May 5, 2009 at 9:19 am

  D_Dub:
  No problem with the questions. Ask as many as you want to. I love being able to help.

  –The paint can be any sheen you want, from flat to gloss. Once you poly over it, the sheen of the paint is a non-factor. Glossier paints will leave your boards looking more shiny, but will not affect the slide of the bags at all. So, it all comes down to personal preference as far as paint choice.

  – Be sure to use the Minwax POLYCRYLIC in the light blue can, in either clear gloss or clear semi-gloss. The spray doesn’t work. It’s goes on so thin that you’ll need 6-7 cans(not exagerrating) to make it work. Just use the stuff in the can and brush it on thin with those foam brushes. Wait until the first coat is dry, then brush the second coat in the opposite direction. this will help to fill the gaps that your foam brush isn’t getting. You do not need or want to sand in between every coat. Wait to sand until at least the 5th coat, and when you do, sand lightly, and be sure to remove all the debris from the board surface before applying another coat of crylic. Again, be sure to wait until the prior coat is dry before adding another coat. It should take about an hour, but does vary depending on where you are. If you don’t wait, you’re gonna get a white haze all over your boards.

  I personally try to do 7-9 coats every time.

  Hope this helps! Hit me back if you need anything else.

  Milky

• 114 D_Dub // May 5, 2009 at 9:59 am

  Milky,

  Thanks a lot. That really helps. One other question I have after reading your reply is you said to brush the second coat in the opposite direction. So, do you mean for example brush the first coat length wise then the next coat width wise?

  Thanks again!

• 115 Milky // May 5, 2009 at 10:12 am

  Yep. Exactly. Brush your first coat running the diretion of the 48″ part of the board. Then brush the 24″ direction.

  Milky

• 116 D_Dub // May 5, 2009 at 10:18 am

  Milky,

  I have a friend that made a cornhole set also. He used some sort of clear coat on it, but I’m not sure which kind. At any rate, the finish has yellowed over time. Do I have to worry about this with the Minwax Polycrylic? Because that is something I was trying to be able to avoid, and I also wanted something very durable.

• 117 Milky // May 5, 2009 at 11:18 am

  If you don’t ruch it, you’ll be fine. Your friend used polyEURATHANE, not polyCRYLIC. The difference is that the crylic is water based and the eurathane is oil based. The CRYLIC will go on a little white or milky looking, but then dry clear as glass. The EURATHANE will go on amber looking, and dry yellow, especially over light colors. Recently there has been a new product added to the market: Water based polyerathane. That’s exciting, but I haven’t used it yet.

  As far as durability: Put 7-9 coats of poly on there, and your boards are good for years and years. Don’t rush it. The biggest mistake that folks make is being so anxious that they rush the project. If you want to have these boards for the next ten years, playing all the time, and keeping them in great shape, why not take the extra 3-4 days of production time to do them right? You know what I’m sayin’?

  Milky

• 118 D_Dub // May 5, 2009 at 11:55 am

  Milky,

  Sounds good. Thanks again for all of your advice!

• 119 Ted // May 15, 2009 at 3:55 pm

  Hello! I am a friend of Milky’s and trust me…he knows what he’s talking about!

  I did use the polyurethane on 12 boards recently. My partner decided to start polying them before I got there. The ones he did are yellowed bad! The ones I did, didn’t yellow because I took my time and put the coats on thin! That’s the secret to all this. Take your time, do it right the first time! I would not reccommend polyurethane on light colors though. I bought a can of polycrylic semi-gloss today for another set of boards and so far so good after 1 coat.

  If any of you want to test your cornhole skills, then come to Parkersburg, Wv June 13th! We are having a cornhole tournament to benefit the Auguste’s Memory Care Center at Eagle Pointe nursing home. Follow the link to my website for more information.

• 120 Milky // May 15, 2009 at 4:55 pm

  Ted, look at you popping up this site! Haha! Over here I’m like a genius. Where we come from, I’m a small fry…LOL

  Guys and gals: Listen to Ted. He knows what he’s talking about with the poly. With what he just went through, he’s basically a poly expert at this point!

  Milky

• 121 Milky // May 15, 2009 at 5:59 pm

  Me too, buddy. I came here, the other place,and a few other places while I was trying to figure everything out.

  Anyway, your website will not show up until it is approved by the moderator of this site. I don’t think they want to approve posting of anyone else’s website though.

  Of course, you can always just do this:
  http://www.Phillycornhole(dot)webs(dot)com

  It’s sneaky, but it works.

• 122 Brian // May 18, 2009 at 9:35 pm

  I am finishing up my first set of boards. They are turning out really nice, I sanded and choose to stain them rather than paint. I am going to apply plenty of sand and seal, then a couple coats of poly. My concern is after I stained them I noticed the grain of the plywood was running from side to side of the platform other than from front to back. Is this going to affect my gameplay much of does it not make much differance. Worst case senario I can make new deck, but hope I dont have to. Any input would be appreciated, thanks. Brian

• 123 Milky // May 18, 2009 at 9:44 pm

  Brian, you’ll be just fine. Have you already started staining yet? If not, I would highly recommend using a product called sanding sealer. It is used before and during the sanding process, and help “seal” in the grain that is raised while sanding, and more importantly, while staining. Stain seeps into the wood, and raises the fibers of the grain up. The sealer keeps those fibers in. Then you stain, and then you poly, and then you’re good-to-go! Trust me, it’ll work! Be sure to share your pics when you’re done!

  Milky

• 124 Brian // May 18, 2009 at 9:47 pm

  Me again, g-ma in law is kind enough to help me sew my bags. I am using 12 oz duckcloth from my carhartt workpants that i’ve outgrown the waist. One sets gonna be light tan, the other hunter green. A penny saved is a penny earned. Anyway, i have seen conflicting info on bags. I know 6×6 when completed weighing right at a pound. My guestion is what size do I cut my fabric squares, and what size seam? I’m thinking is I go 6.5×6.5 squares, sew a half inch triple seam turn inside out fill with corn(whole corn feed I think) sew remaining side. Does this sound right? Once again thanks for any info. I know if i get something wrong my friends will call me out first time we throw on these boards, I just wanna make sure there correct as possible. Thanks again. Brian

• 125 Brian // May 18, 2009 at 9:52 pm

  oops, first coat of stains on but it was applyed very light so i could alternate between stain and sand and seal. Hopefully I havent messed up to bad, I’ll put a good coat of sand and seal on in the morning. I’ll post some pics tomarrow night. It’s no frills, but I’m proud of em so far. thanks for the info. Brian

• 126 Milky // May 18, 2009 at 11:07 pm

  6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ should be fine, but a triple stitch is overkill, except for the final stitching. Sew the bags at 6.5 x 6.5, and leave a 2″ space in the middle of one side open. That’s where you’re gonna fill the corn. If you have any doubts, sew one bag first, fill it, and then see.

  Here’s the BIG thing about Cornhole boards and bags. You can’t rush it, man. Take your time, do it right, and before you know it, you’ll be a pro. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with.

  P.S. I find it fabulous that you’re using an old pair of Carhartts to make bags from. That’s funny as hell, man.

  Milky

• 127 Eric // May 19, 2009 at 6:38 am

  Hey Brian – 7″ x 7″ fabric with a 1/4″ seam works best. This give you a final, filled bag size of 6 x 6. The extra room is for the thickness of the bags.

  Milky – Thanks for all of your contribution! You’ve given everyone a ton of great info!

• 128 Milky // May 19, 2009 at 2:00 pm

  No problem. I love helping!

• 129 Brian // May 19, 2009 at 10:06 pm

  havent forgot about you guys, still working on the boards and have 4 bags made as of tonight. I cut the fabric 7×7 as per eric, and when filled with 160z. of corn I have a prefect 6×6 bag. I got 3 coats of sand and seal on today and am going to apply 2 coats of polycrylic a day until friday morning. I like a SLICK SLICK board. That way the boards should be ready to use by saturday. i will post pics soon as they are done, thanks for all the help guys.

• 130 David // May 21, 2009 at 1:36 am

  Looking to make my first cornhole set. What is the best material and what sizes? I want to do a Milwaukee Brewers theme and want to paint it on? What kind of paint do I use? What is the best way to seal them so they are completely water proof?

  Thanks
  DAve

• 131 Corey // May 21, 2009 at 8:46 am

  David,

  If you go to Home Depot, they have a sports team color match system. I have used this for all of the boards I have made and they turn out great. Where are you located? I’d be happy to show you pics of the my Brewers set. Go Crew!

• 132 Milky // May 21, 2009 at 9:34 am

  Dave:
  Use 1/2″ plywood at the minimum. Paint with semi-gloss or gloss. Seal with Minwax polyCRYLIC.

• 133 Pam C // May 21, 2009 at 9:51 am

  I would like to send you a photo of the cornhole boards my husband and I made with the Virginia Tech logo…for first timers, they turned out pretty darn good. What address can I use to send you the photos? Thanks

• 134 Corey // May 21, 2009 at 9:56 am

  Pam,

  Who is your message directed at?

• 135 Corey // May 21, 2009 at 10:37 am

  I am trying to think of new ways to paint custom design on the boards I have been making. Has anyone used contact paper on boards that have already been painted with the base color? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

• 136 Milky // May 21, 2009 at 11:32 am

  Corey: here’s the technique I use, and it works flawlessly.
  –Paint your background color and wait for it to dry completely.
  –Blue tape off the entire section where your design will be.
  –Find the image you want online, or draw it in and art program of your choice.(I use regular old Microsoft Paint. Every computer has it pre-installed).
  –Open your image with paint and go to edit–>stretch/skew, and blow up the image to a few 100 times it’s regular size.
  –Print out the image. It should print on several pieces of paper, with a piece of the design on each sheet of paper. You need to put these papers together like a puzzle, taping them together where the design matches up.
  –Get some cardboard and securely tape your assembled paper design to the cardboard.
  –Carefully cut out the design with a razor blade. You know have a cardboard template.
  –Tape the template to your board in the blue-taped off area. Trace the design with a pencil and then remove the template.
  –Using a paint-by-numbers technique, code all of the sections that are now drawn on your board. For example, B for blue, R for red, X for areas that are going to stay covered and end up being your base color.
  –Paint one color group at a time, and then remove all the tape.
  –Voila, you’re done.

  A few notes:
  1st: Some areas mays be very close to each other, and you don’t want to risk getting one paint color in another paint color’s area, obviously. Wait until that first color is 100% dry, the re-tape over that area, and paint the second color.
  2nd and most important: Make sure your blue tape is pressed down very firmly! If not, you will experience bleeding and running and ruin your colors for sure. Press that tape doen until your fingers hurt!

  This should do the trick for you.

  Milky

• 137 Dave // May 21, 2009 at 11:58 pm

  Located in greenfield right off of west beloit. If you could I would like to see pictures.

  Thanks
  Dave

• 138 Peter // Jun 3, 2009 at 7:58 am

  I painted some boards, but now I need to know the best material for a clear coat? I bought some polyurethane and realized it says “indoor use only” AND “all paint must be removed.” Any suggestions on a clear coat?

• 139 Milky // Jun 3, 2009 at 9:23 am

  Peter:
  Use Minwax polyCRYLIC protective finish, clear gloss or clear semi-gloss. It is in the light blue can. It can be found in the paint department, right next to the stuff you got. It will work on any paint or stain, and will not yellow, because it is water based, not oil based like the polyURETHANE.

  Milky

• 140 Aaron // Jun 5, 2009 at 9:29 am

  I just built my boards. I have aplan for the paint scheme, nothing to outrageous. After I got the paint down, is there any reason to not protect it with polyurethane?

• 141 Milky // Jun 5, 2009 at 9:47 am

  I always recommend polycrylicing. Always. There are several reasons:

  –It helps acheive and maintain the proper slide
  –It protects your boards from the elements
  –It protects your boards from scratches and scrapes that may occur during transportation
  –It helps to shield your board from damage from any debris the bags may pick up in their travels (rocks, sticks, sand, etc etc)
  –Most of all, it protects your precious paint job. Without that coating, your paint will wear off. It’s not a question of if, it’s only a matter of when.

  Even if you don’t want to go through all of the proper steps to seal your boards, at least put a layer or two of poly on them. It’s worth it.

  Good luck.

  Milky

• 142 Aaron // Jun 5, 2009 at 10:09 am

  Thanks man, I was looking for reassurance that using the poly was the way to go.

• 143 Colin // Jun 8, 2009 at 10:18 pm

  So has anyone purchased and installed the LED lights that go around the hole? I was wondering if it really works or if anyone had any other lighting ideas to be able to play at night. Let me know! Thanks!

• 144 Milky // Jun 8, 2009 at 10:51 pm

  I bought two sets. They work fine. A little on the pricy side, but they get the job done.

• 145 MSW // Jun 13, 2009 at 6:04 pm

  Milky,
  Should you use the same process (Polycrylic) if your using a decal on the board? I bought some decals for my boards. Im going to paint the boards, then put the decals on them then finish it up with the minwax polycrylic 7 to 9 coats..Sanding it after the 5th coat. Is this correct? Thank you for all the info!

• 146 Milky // Jun 13, 2009 at 11:01 pm

  Yes, absolutely use the same techinque and the same product. I would be a little more careful about the sanding around the decals, but other than that, what you described is dead on! Please post pictures when you’re done!

  Milky

• 147 MSW // Jun 13, 2009 at 11:08 pm

  You got it ! Thanks again for the info!

• 148 paul // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:14 pm

  i just made a set of boards and used polypropolene for the finish. my boards are so slick the bags will not stay on. can i go over them with some polycrylic and take care of this?

• 149 T.Warren // Jun 18, 2009 at 8:43 pm

  Several sites claim that a person can make their own boards much cheaper than buying them, even as low as $25/set. This is not the case for me, as I have spent well in excess of $200 to make 2 sets. This includes all lumber, hardware, primer, 3 quarts of different colored paints, sandpaper, urethane finish, and several sets of stickers/decals. However, I should have a very awesome University of Illinois set when I am through. I plan to break my set in at my family reunion, which will be held at a area campground.

• 150 Milky // Jun 19, 2009 at 1:37 pm

  Well, there’s a difference between building sets and building then finishing two sets. I don’t want you to scare people away from building their own boards. Here’s the facts:

  1–4 x 8 sheet of 1/2″ birch/maple plywood———–$44
  8–2 x 4 x 8 “two-by-fours”——————-$1.89 x 8 = $15.12
  Box of 3″ exterier decking screws———————– $7.99
  Tube of Gorilla Glue——————————————-$5
  8 3/8″ x 4″ carriage bolts———————$1.10 x 8 = $8.80
  16 zinc washers to fit carriage bolts——-.61 x 16 = $9.76
  8 3/8″ wing nuts, sold in bags of three for $1.17—–$3.51
  Small container of Elmer’s wood putty—————–$2.99
  1 gallon of interior/exterior primer————————$14.99
  8 quarts of paint, 4 colors per set————————-$127.92
  2 quarts of poly———————————$16.95 x 2 = $33.90
  2 packs of roller covers(5 in each pk)—$7.99 x 2 = $15.98
  4 black foam brushes(4″ wide)—————-.41 x 4 = $1.64
  1 roll of 1 1/2″ blue tape—————————————$5.97
  1 set of decals—————————————————-$30.00
  Total—————————————————————–$326.57
  This makes you two sets of boards, completely decorated and finished. This breaks down to $163.29, per set. You need to keep something in mind here, too. For this model, I went on the high side with everything listed. For example, you don’t need the birch/maple plywood. Regular 1/2″ ACX will be fine. Also, your probably will not need 8 different colors of paint. That’s just in case your design calls for that much. I also estimated high on all the prices.

  Realistically, doing your own boards would breakdown like this.

  1–4 x 4 sheet of 1/2″ plywood—————————–$12
  4–2 x 4 x 8 “two-by-fours”——————-$1.89 x 4 = $7.56
  Box of 3″ exterier decking screws———————– $7.99
  Tube of Gorilla Glue——————————————-$5
  4 3/8″ x 4″ carriage bolts———————$1.10 x 4 = $4.40
  8 zinc washers to fit carriage bolts———–.61 x 8 = $4.88
  4 3/8″ wing nuts, sold in bags of three for $1.17—–$2.34
  Small container of Elmer’s wood putty—————–$2.99
  1 quart of interior/exterior primer————————–$8
  3 quarts of paint, ————————————————$47.97
  1 quart of poly————————————————— $16.95
  1 pack of roller covers(5 in each pk)——————–$7.99
  2 black foam brushes(4″ wide)—————-.41 x 2 = $.81
  1 roll of 1 1/2″ blue tape—————————————$5.97
  1 set of decals—————————————————-$30.00
  Total—————————————————————–$164.85

  Now, if you’re just talking about building the boards themselves, and filling in the screw holes, you can get away with:

  1–4 x 4 sheet of 1/2″ plywood—————————–$12
  4–2 x 4 x 8 “two-by-fours”——————-$1.89 x 4 = $7.56
  Box of 3″ exterier decking screws———————– $7.99
  Tube of Gorilla Glue——————————————-$5
  4 3/8″ x 4″ carriage bolts———————$1.10 x 4 = $4.40
  8 zinc washers to fit carriage bolts———–.61 x 8 = $4.88
  4 3/8″ wing nuts, sold in bags of three for $1.17—–$2.34
  Small container of Elmer’s wood putty—————–$2.99
  Total—————————————————————-$47.16

  Now, to continue: If you’re not a builder, and you just want a nice set of boards for yourself, you can do a ton of things to save you money.
  –Go to the post office in your town. They will have a “change of address” packet, and inside of there is a 10% off coupon for Lowe’s, that you can even use at Home Depot if you want.
  –Look at the “oops” paint section at the hardware store. Lots of people get paint mixed, then return it, and it sells for $1, rather than $17.
  –Buy your blue painters tape at the dollar store.
  –Consider stain as an alternative. This saves you at least one quart of paint, and looks amazing when it’s one. Stained middles with painted borders are really sharp looking.

  Basically, yes, you can build a set of boards very inexpensively, but you have to shop smart, and be smart while you’re building.

  Milky

• 151 Bobby // Jun 24, 2009 at 4:23 pm

  I built my boards, painted, polycrylic, and put on a decal, no problems up until now…. I purchased a decal from a corn hole dealer on the web, the directions say to to put the decal on and put a thick layer of poly on the edges on the decal and feather it out about 6″, I did this, and now I have an edge of poly at the 6″, should I sand this edge or just wait to sand it just before the last coat? what grit sand paper should I us? The boards looked perfect until the decal problem popped up! thanks

• 152 T.Warren // Jun 24, 2009 at 6:03 pm

  Milky, you’re cost estimates were spot-on! Counting buying my bags, all my materials (I spent a LOT on decals!) and buying a cheap sander when mine quit on me before I could finish sanding the second set of boards, I spent about $320-$340 to make 2 sets of boards (University of Illinois theme, with alternating orange and blue triangles, and the Illin Block-I). I used Varathane’s spar urethane ( water-based) for my finish coats. I was afraid that a gloss finish might mnake my boards too slick, so I went wth a semi-gloss. I ended up not having enough slide, so I put a coat of Maguire’s auto wax on the boards. It’s a bit slick now, but after a few games (and after my bags get broken in), it ought to be perfect! The boards will have their inaugural run this weekend at my family reunion. I can’t wait!

• 153 Milky // Jun 24, 2009 at 9:36 pm

  T-Warren: Thanks.

  Bobby, as long as you have at least three coats down, you should be able to lightly sand that poly edge you’re describing. Use high grit, at least 400. LIGHTLY is the key. You may want to even add a little bit of water to the boards before sanding the area down. I don’t know where you bought your vinyl, but for the record, that person is wrong. In the future, and for other’s reference:

  Apply your vinyl decal. Brush your poly right over it. Don’t worry about feathering or edging or anything like that. After 3 coats of poly, properly applied, you won’t be able to lift the edge of the decal, even with a razor blade. Look at it this way, most vinyl cornhole decals are made from exterior vinyl with a 7 year warranty. This material is at the most 2 millimeters thick, we’re talking like the thickness of 3 sheets of paper. After polying over that, or for this example, even without polying over it at all, do you think a 1 pound bag of corn, thrown from 27 feet away, is going to be affected by the lip this vinyl creats? No. So, just poly as usual and you’re good-to-go.

  Milky

• 154 Bobby // Jun 25, 2009 at 4:15 pm

  Thanks Milky, I put a coat on today and it seems that the “poly edges” are disappearing slowly after each coat, I think I’m going to put one more coat on and call it a day! and I think I’ll be ready to play this weekend!!! thanks again.

• 155 matt // Jun 30, 2009 at 12:25 pm

  Milky,
  Got my boards done! I want to send you a pic. Email me @ matt@simihillsgolf.com I will send it to you. Anyone on this blog reading this…Milky knows what he’s talking about. My boards came out SWEEEEET!

• 156 Milky // Jun 30, 2009 at 1:37 pm

  For the record, I just saw Matt’s boards, and they are DOPE!!!!! He really did a great job. Thanks for the compliment, also, Matt.

  Milky

• 157 Milky // Jun 30, 2009 at 3:05 pm

  Here are the links to Matt’s boards that he is talking about above.

  http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/mmiehlke/Matts_Boards_1.jpg

  http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/mmiehlke/Matts_Boards_2.jpg

  Great job Matt!

• 158 Matt // Jun 30, 2009 at 4:44 pm

  Thanks for putting them up Milky

• 159 mcfads // Jul 9, 2009 at 9:51 pm

  thanks for all the comments. I’m nearly finished with my first set of boards. Applying the poly finish now. Can’t wait to post the pictures.

• 160 T.Warren // Jul 9, 2009 at 10:23 pm

  My “Fighting Illini” boards were a hit at the family reunion. (They actually got a brief workout with my summer school students a couple of days before the reunion.) My son asked if I had any paint left over, as he wanted me to build him a set of Chicago Bears boards for his BD on the 13th. I just completed them today. I’d like to send Milky pics of my boards. My email is warrent@teacher.com.

• 161 Milky // Jul 9, 2009 at 10:59 pm

  I LOVE seeing pics of the boards you guys make. Please, feel free to send them to me. My email address is mmiehlke@comcast.net

  You guys are building some really bad-ass boards lately! Great job!

  Milky

• 162 Warpig6 // Jul 27, 2009 at 12:58 pm

  Milky/All,

  Built my first set of Cornhole Boards before seeing this site…actually I built two. Thought I was done but was looking for something else to “seal” my paint job. Saw your advice on PolyCrylic and will be getting some at Lowe’s in a few. Will let all know how it turns out….thx for the advice!

  Also, for those that have questions about keeping paint from bleeding through onto another color, here is another option I have not read in this chain….in my “previous” life I was a painter and this worked perfectly:

  ***My board is Navy Blue w/ a Crimson Red 3.5″ stripe running right down the middle. This is how I did it:
  -Painted board w/ primer
  -Painted my boards w/ 3 coats of navy blue semi-gloss interior/exterior paint (Lowes could not mix my color in a high gloss).
  -Placed two strips of 3″ painters tape (wide tape allows for better overpainting mistakes…don’t want the secondary paint to go onto the already painted sections) all the way down the board (each about 3.5″ apart). Make sure you FIRMLY PRESS the tape onto the board to ensure as tight a seal as possible.
  -THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP…I took a brush and painted a light coat of the same NAVY BLUE paint over the the edges of the painter’s tape (this will seal BLUE paint to Blue paint…and if any bleeding occurs, it won’t be seen because it is the same color). Let dry.
  -Once my “sealing” coat of navy blue paint was dry on the painter’s tape, I then applied 3 coats of Crimson Red paint in between the 3.5″ area I taped off. As soon as it was dry…maybe even a bit tacky still (DO NOT WAIT TOO LONG), I peeled off the tape, and BOOM, a perfect 3.5″ crimson red stripe down the middle of my board w/ NO BLEEDING. I also did this w/ a Duke set. Painted the edges white, then put painters tape on the edges, then painted (sealed) the top of the tape white, then painted the board blue, then pulled off the tape….result….nice clean white boarder w/ no bleeding.

  Bottom line, if you are painting over a painted area of different color, just make sure you seal your tape job w/ the same color that is UNDERNEATH. Once that is dry, then apply the new color you want, let dry, then peel off tape…no “special tape” or special tools needed…nice, cheap, and absolutely effective! Good luck.

  Here is a link to what I have already done:
  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2014747&id=1105037625&saved#/album.php?aid=2014747&id=1105037625

• 163 BigJuicy // Aug 3, 2009 at 9:48 pm

  WOW!
  Great info here.
  I have made a set for my kids school for their fairs and game days. I am inthe process of making 3 sets for the family Christmas gifts. I have one thing to note about cost. If you plan on making more than one set then buying larger containers of paint will make the per unit cost go down. Also, once the screws, sander and paper are purchased they will last for a few sets and the cost is divided. I figure I am saving approx $60 by building these myself and also having a lot of fun doing it.
  My 10 year old daughter can give most of the local college kids a run for their money…it’s great.

• 164 Rick // Aug 3, 2009 at 10:28 pm

  Milky,

  Check your e-mail and give me your opinion please.

  Rick

• 165 Milky // Aug 5, 2009 at 11:20 pm

  Rick, they are simply beautiful! You should share pics of them on here, bro, seriously.

• 166 Milky // Aug 7, 2009 at 11:45 am

  Hey everybody! T.Warren from a few posts up wanted me to share his pics with the group here. So, here they are:
  http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/mmiehlke/Bears.jpg
  http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/mmiehlke/Illinois_2.jpg

  Great job on these! Keep those pics coming folks!

  Milky
  wwwdotPHILLYCORNHOLEdotWEBSdotCOM

• 167 T.Warren // Aug 10, 2009 at 9:30 pm

  Thanks for posting pics of my boards, Milky. If anyone checks out the Illini boards, I made the set with alternating triangles; that is, one orange board with a blue interior triangle and one blue board with an orange triangle.

  A bit of advice – if you can’t find a large enough decal for your boards, consider cutting out images from posters and decoupaging them onto the boards, then apply your varnish coats. That’s what I did to make the Chicago Bears boards that Milky posted a pic of. I made the Bears boards for my son’s birthday – now his father-in-law wants me to make him a set, too!

  I hope other people decide to post pics of the boards the have made. Thanks to everyone who has shared comments, problems, solutions, and ideas.

• 168 gr8tful1 // Aug 30, 2009 at 2:23 pm

  Eric or Milky,

  First I built a set of boards for myself and followed the ACA specs. They came out so well and being from the north where cornhole is everywhere I decided that these southeners needed CORNHOLE!!! So I am almost finished with about 10 sets (black and red for all the Falcon and Bulldawg fans) and I have a few questions. I am looking to make a little money selling sets so any advice would be appreciated. Second if I put a Georia Bulldawg or Falcon sticker on my boards before the acrylic will I be in copyright infringement? Third any advice on how to market and sell my boards?

• 169 Milky // Aug 30, 2009 at 9:45 pm

  Gr8ful:
  Get a website, but the best way is word of mouth. Donate a set to a local Fire Department, or YMCA. Make sure you do a nice job on those sets, and your phone will be ringing off the hook with orders. Spread the word. Get business cards and hand them out. Put an add in the paper.

  Make sure you price your boards right, too. That might be the most important part. You might want to start out with lower prices, and then gradually raise them when business starts coming in.

  The trademark question is a sticky one. Technically, unless you pay licensing fees, you can not sell anything with a trademarked logo on it. Not a sticker, not a t shirt, and not a set of cornhole boards. If you look around the internet though, and on eBay, there are a million people doing it. I am not advising you to break any laws. I personally contacted the MLB, NFL, and the NCAA about licensing fees. They are suprisingly reasonable.

  Good luck!

  Milky

• 170 gr8tful1 // Aug 31, 2009 at 3:52 pm

  Milky,

  Any ideas on where to get some nice decals cheap? I have been looking locally lately and not having great success.

• 171 Milky // Aug 31, 2009 at 5:00 pm

  Gr8ful:
  I have just the guy you want to talk to. Go to wwwDOTcornolinaDOTcom Sorry I have to write it out that way, but this site doesn’t allow you to list links to other sites for whatever reason. It has to be approved by Eric, the admin. I’ve actually chatted with Eric, and he’s a really cool guy, so I don’t know why we can’t link back to other sites.

  Whatever. Point is, go to the site I just gave you. Shoot the owner a message, and tell him “Milky” sent you. He does amazing work, and has the best prices around, period. Even less expensive than those cheap pieces of crapola you find on eBay.

  Let me know how it works out. This goes for the rest of you, too. If you need great decals at a great price, go to the above listed site and tell him Milky sent you. You will NOT be dissappointed.

  Milky

• 172 Chad // Sep 5, 2009 at 6:00 pm

  What about using a semigloss latex paint

• 173 gr8tful1 // Sep 5, 2009 at 8:14 pm

  That is what I use

• 174 Eric // Sep 18, 2009 at 6:59 pm

  I just put on 6 coats of Minwax Polycrylic on my boards. yea i know that’s a lot but hey can never be too much when you wanna protect your new boards. i used a foam brush but can still see the streaks in the direction i “painted” the clearcoat on. should i sand or wet sand this at all? feedback would be awesome, thanks.

• 175 scott // Sep 18, 2009 at 7:07 pm

  sand it lightly with 320 or 400 grit and make sure you wipe of all the dust and put one more coat on and you should be good

• 176 Eric // Sep 18, 2009 at 7:11 pm

  thanks, Scott. that seems to be what everyone is saying.

• 177 Kelli // Oct 3, 2009 at 10:43 pm

  We just finished “custom painting” our board designs and realized we did not do due dilegence in research and failed to use the recommended “high gloss latex paint” – what can we do as far as a clear coat finish to help seal our painted design work, but more importantly, get the proper “slide” back to our boards? Will the PolyAcrylic by Miniwax so many write about help us out? We put in a lot of time and work and don’t want to ditch our boards!

• 178 Scott // Oct 3, 2009 at 11:03 pm

  first of all I always use a semi gloss paint on all my boards. but yes use the polyacrylic. put on 6 coats lightly sanding with 320 or 400 grit sand paper on the 5th coat and your set will be perfect.

• 179 Milky // Oct 4, 2009 at 4:07 pm

  Yep, poly those boards, and they’ll be at the right speed, PLUS, you’ll protect all the har work you put into your artwork.

  Milky

• 180 Carolina Girl 04 // Oct 14, 2009 at 3:07 pm

  Hi, question for Milky – I am planning on putting 2 coats of primer and then semi-gloss exterior paint on my new boards. I was going to use a small fathead decal (self-adhesive vinyl that is inkjet printed) that I already have and then put poly over that. I have heard that if I put polycrylic over inkjet printed decals that the ink may run. Is this true? Is there a different type of topcoat I should use? Should I not use the decals I already got?

  Also – how weatherproofed will these be by the time I’m done – could they be left outside, or is that a bad idea?

  Thanks!!

• 181 mILKY // Oct 14, 2009 at 3:56 pm

  Carolina Girl 04:

  From my experience, you can put polycrylic over a Fathead® decal. They are sealed and scrubbable and essentially self contained. However, if it is not an actual “Fathead®” decal, and it is one of those generic removable/reusable vinyl cling things, it may indeed run.

  If that is the case, and you can financially handle it, I would recommend buying a small, inexpensive decal from the same company, applying it to scrap wood, polying over that, and seeing what happens. That way, there is no doubt how your decal will react to the poly coat.

  About the weatherproofing: Never leave your boards out overnight, or in rain, or in high moisture areas. Heck, try not to leave them on the back porch overnight even. While your poly will provide a very firm protective layer, if it’s one thing the history of the universe has taught us, “Water will find a way.” Constant or excessive exposure to moisture will, not maybe, WILL, ruin your boards, no matter how much poly you slap on them.

  Now, say you’re outside playing some cornhole, and it starts to rain. Ni big deal. Grab your boards and bring them in out of the rain, and wipe the water off as best as possible. They’ll be fine. Just make sure that before you go running for cover yourself, you grab your boards, AND your bags. Bags will swell up like fat little pillows when they get wet, and they’ll never be the same.

  Let me know if this answered all of your questions.

  Milky

  wwwDOTPhillyCornholeDOTwebsDOTcom

• 182 Carolina Girl 04 // Oct 14, 2009 at 4:13 pm

  Hi Milky,

  Thanks so much! Your info really helped. It is a real Fathead decal I will be using, so glad to know you’ve tried it with polycrylic and had it work out ok, I was a little nervous about that.

  As for the weatherproofing – per your advice I will store them inside, but I live by the beach and it gets really humid here, even indoors. Would it help to poly the entire set (underside too) or is it ok to just do the top and sides?

  Thanks again!

• 183 Charley // Oct 17, 2009 at 12:53 am

  Hello! First of all, let me say the above info has been WONDERFUL! Just threw a coat of primer on my boards, and taking them out for their initial tailgate party tomorrow. My plans are to use vinyl decals to decorate, then clearcoat them. This is no problem for one board, since that’s going to be college related (Georgia Southern Eagles). However, the remaining board is going to have my fraternity as a theme (Phi Mu Alpha). I’m running into dead end after dead end with that! Any ideas on where to find something for that board? Keep in mind that I’ve googled until I can’t stand it. So, if anyone has some experience with the hard-to-get decals, please fill me in! I promise pics when the set is finished. The set I have pictured in my mind is awesome and can’t wait to see (and play on) the finished product! Thanks!

• 184 Milky // Oct 17, 2009 at 10:40 am

  Charley:
  Very simple. Go to www . cornolina . com and talk to Bill, the owner. He can make you any decal you can imagine, and Greek letters are nothing new to him. Tell him Milky sent you.

• 185 Edluv // Oct 25, 2009 at 8:40 pm

  I have read ALL of the posts and have really learned a lot about making cornhole boards. I plan on painting my board white and trimming in blue (UNC Tarheel Fan) and then putting on a sticker or decal. My question is that everyone reccomends using polycrylic so that the board doesn’t yellow, BUT they also say DO NOT use polycrylic on inkjet prints, use oil based clear. My board is going to mainly have light colors so what is the best thing to do? I was thinking that maybe I could paint, then apply one coat of polycrylic, let it dry, apply the sticker, then apply a coat of polyurethane to the sticker, then finish out the board with 5 coats of polycrylic? Is this what I should do to be on the safe side, or does someone have a better solution?

  Also, I know everyone says to use vinyl, but will any kind of sticker work?

• 186 Ted // Oct 25, 2009 at 9:19 pm

  Edluv,

  I would reccommend using Minwax Polycrylic over anything that is going to have light colors in it. If not, you’re running a chance of yellowing your boards.

  My 2 cents worth!

  Ted

  mountainstatecornhole DOT com

• 187 Ted // Oct 25, 2009 at 9:27 pm

  Like Milky said…..

  For all your decal needs go to www . cornolina . com

  You will not be disappointed!

  mountainstatecornholeDOTcom

• 188 Edluv // Oct 28, 2009 at 10:03 pm

  I have seen cornhole boards that look like basketball courts, and that are stained and have the free throw and three point lines. I have done numerous searched for these decals. Does anyone know where I can get those from?

• 189 Scott // Oct 28, 2009 at 10:14 pm

  www dot carolina dot com

• 190 Ted // Oct 28, 2009 at 10:47 pm

  Edluv,

  Go to cornolina DOT com and tell him Milky and Ted sent you.

  You will get exactly what you want!

• 191 Scott // Oct 28, 2009 at 10:53 pm

  sorry I meant cornolina

• 192 Edluv // Nov 2, 2009 at 6:28 pm

  I got Bill from cornolina working on my decals for my basketball court cornhole board. There is going to be some painting on the board also.

  Now, I built my boards yesterday…. Based on the UNC Tarheels basketball court tint, do you know what kind of stain I need to use? They have so many different kinds… (honey comb, natural, oak, clear, etc.)

  Also after I finish staining the boards, do I put some kind of seal on it before I start painting?

  Then, after I paint, do I seal it before I put the decals on? This way, I can go ahead and purchase everything I need at one time.

• 193 Ted // Nov 2, 2009 at 6:43 pm

  Edluv,

  Most Lowes and Home Depot’s have got a swatch for the Minwax stains on display by their Minwax products. Go in, look at them and decide what shade you want for your court.

  I’m building a set right now that I stained. I started painting over the stain today and I did NOT use any sealer. So far, so good!

  Apply your decals right over the stain. You do not have to put a sealer on before applying your decals.

  Basically…..stain, paint,decals and then several coats of poly. I prefer 7 coats of poly myself.

  Hope this helps!

  Ted

  mountainstatecornholeDOTcom

• 194 Edluv // Nov 5, 2009 at 10:27 pm

  Ted or Milky,

  I now have my basketball court cornhole board stained and painted and it looks really good. I just finished giving Bill my final measurements for a few decals I need. But I was looking at my board and thought that it would be pretty neat if I could draw lines on the stained part of the court to make it look like a real hardwood gym floor!! If I do the lines with a pencil, will it hold up after I apply the polycrylic or will this not be such a good idea? Or can I do the lines with something else pesides paint. I would hate to use some kind of pen or marker cause this may be too dark and over power the look of the board. Thanks Again.

• 195 Milky // Nov 6, 2009 at 12:48 am

  Edluv (awesome name by the way!):

  I do not think that graphite or lead from a pencil will hold up. However, I have learned that a Sharpie will hold up after applying poly. They do make a fine point Sharpie marker, too.

  Personally, I think you may be trying to do too much with it. No offense meant by that, and just my opinion. I’ve seen folks who have done basketball court boards and just used he grain of the wood to represent the court, and I think they look awesome. I’d love to see you go through with it because that would be a truly original and unique set of boards, but I don’t think you have to do all that much to attain the look you’re going for. Here’s a set that will show you what I’m talking about.

  http://www.cornholeplayers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3325&p=16879&hilit=basketball#p16879

  Also, if you just go to cornholeplayer dot net and search for “basketball”. you’ll find many other examples. Whatever you choose, please let us know, ok?

  Milky

• 196 Ted // Nov 6, 2009 at 2:41 am

  Personally, I have not tried using a pencil then applying poly over that. I can’t give you an accurate answer. However, I can give you an accurate answer on using a Sharpie and applying poly over that. Sharpies work fine with polycrylic. I havent had anything go wrong….yet. Maybe Milky can help you with the pencil. I’d say get you a scrap piece of wood, draw some pencil lines on it and put a little poly on it to see how it will react. That will give you your answer real quick and you can see with your own eyes.

  Please let us know how it works out in case we want to try it sometime.

• 197 Edluv // Nov 6, 2009 at 8:31 pm

  Thanks for both of yals input. I will let you know what I end up doing.

  Milky, Those Kansas boards really LOOK GREAT. I ended up painting my out-of-bounds, 3 point lines and my half court line. This was a real pain in the butt trying to get that 3 point line done, with sharp edges. Does anyone have a simpler solution or the actual mearsurements to get these markings made as a decal?

• 198 Milky // Nov 7, 2009 at 1:30 am

  Getting them made as a decal would NOT be a problem. Go talk to Bill at cornolina . com and tell him Ted and Milky sent you. Your decals will blow you away.

  Another option that you might consider, that I personally have just started playing around with is automotive pin-striping. I did a football fiedl set the other day and used white pin-striping for the line marks and such. Straight as an arrow, easy to use, and cheap as dirt. They also come in several colors and widths.

  Like Ted said, please let us all know how it works out. Part of the beauty of this thing is that people try new things, then share the results, and we all learn together. Thanks.

  Milky

• 199 JeffM // Nov 9, 2009 at 12:28 pm

  automotive pinstriping over paint, then do your poly coats? sound right?

• 200 Milky // Nov 9, 2009 at 2:36 pm

  Absolutely right. You can poly right over pinstriping. Auto pinstriping is about the same thickness as vinyl decals are, a little less thick if you ask me. After 5 coats of poly you’ll barely be able to tell it’s there. After 8 coats, it’s GONE! lol.

  Good luck, and please share the pictures.

  Milky

  www dot phillycornhole dot webs dot com

• 201 Ken Jury // Nov 10, 2009 at 3:07 am

  Milky, Do you apply finish to the underside on the board? Thank you, Ken

• 202 Ken Jury // Nov 10, 2009 at 3:08 am

  Milky, Do you apply finish to the underside of the board? Thank you, Ken

• 203 Ted // Nov 10, 2009 at 7:06 am

  Ken,

  I am Milky’s friend and I’m sure he does the same as I do and only apply a finish to the underside IF the customer asks for it.

  Cornhole boards aren’t meant to be left outside all the time and that’s why I don’t apply a finish or poly the underside unless the customer asks for it.

  Hope this helps!

  Ted

  www dot mountainstatecornhole dot com

• 204 JeffM // Nov 10, 2009 at 10:42 am

  Milky, thx for pin striping idea…..wood filling and priming boards today…but have a decal question.
  I like the idea of printing my own and then getting them laminated..seems like a good idea. But, when you print a nice color pic on white paper and then cut out design to get laminated you still have the white background where there is no color in your pic. would love to print on a transparency like surface. Do they do that at a Staples like place? Any ideas? Would love to get some decals through Jim at cornolina but trying to save some cash….have about $80 in this one set so far

• 205 Milky // Nov 10, 2009 at 11:24 am

  Ken: Ted got it right. You can tust anything he shares on this board, except when he starts talking about Ohio State having a good football team. BURN!!!!! I don’t seal the underside of the boards unless the customer wants it done. I am very responsible when it comes to NOT leaving my boards outside overnight and such. You should do the same. The fact is, even boards that are sealed underneath should not be left outside. If it’s one thing that history has prooved, it’s that water will find a way through anything.

  JeffM: Yes, they sell transparencies at Staples and Office Max. HOWEVER, those tranparencies are often very high gloss, and I would be very worried about the ink running off when you poly. I do know that many people have used a technique involving making their own “water slide” decals. Honestly, I have no clue what that means. lol. You can get further info on that technique from the
  www . cornholeplayers . net website if you do a search for “water slide”.

  Sorry that’s not the best help. Let me know if there’s anything else.

  Milky

• 206 JeffM // Nov 10, 2009 at 2:12 pm

  how about laminating the transparency….or would that get too thick? will check on the water slide thingamajig….thx

• 207 Milky // Nov 10, 2009 at 4:25 pm

  You could definitely laminate it. If you laminated it, and made sure the ends were really sealed properly after you trimmed it down, then applied some adhesive to it, I imagine you would not have any problem. The only issue may be, like you said, the thickness. Enough coats of poly and that lip won’t be any issue at all.

  Milky

• 208 Ted // Nov 22, 2009 at 11:30 am

  I’m sorry to see you have been living under a rock for many years. Or is it a jail cell? LOL!

  Anyway. The sex act you are talking about is spelled CORN HOLE. Notice the space between CORN and HOLE. The game we play on this forum is spelled CORNHOLE with no space. It is so simple that a kindergartner could figure it out. You take a bag of corn and throw in a hole. Hence the name CORNHOLE.

  Thats lesson 1.

• 209 Edluv // Nov 24, 2009 at 9:44 pm

  Ted / Milky

  Just wanted you guys to know that I got my boards done (Basketball Court with the lines drawn to get the look of a hardwood floor). I did end up drawing these with the fine point Sharpie that yal mentioned. I wanted to post some pics for you to look at, but I’m not sure how. AND both of you were right!!!!! Bill is the man when it comes to decals. He did my center court symbol, and I was amazed. Thanks Again for yals help.

• 210 Ted // Nov 25, 2009 at 12:00 am

  Just send them to my email. wvcornhole @ suddenlink DOT net

  I love looking at other peoples boards! I’m glad they turned out great for you! It’s kind of addicting now isn’t it? LOL!

  Thanks!

• 211 Milky // Nov 25, 2009 at 9:48 am

  Ted, if he sends you those pictures, post them on photobucket and then share the link here. I’d love to see them too.

  EdLuv, glad they came out good. Can’t wait to see them. You could also upload the pictures to photobucket and then share the link here for us to see.

  Milky

• 212 JeffM // Dec 2, 2009 at 3:14 pm

  Finally get them done!!! Thanks to Milky and others commenting on the board, they came out perfect, at least to my standards. 9 coats of Poly on each, poly on legs too. Thanks again for all the help!!

  http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t65/fishingrockspics/Cornhole%20boards/cornholeboards001.jpg

  http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t65/fishingrockspics/Cornhole%20boards/cornholeboards002.jpg

• 213 Milky // Dec 2, 2009 at 4:30 pm

  Jeff, seriously, they look awesome. Great, great job. You should be very proud.

  Milky

• 214 JeffM // Dec 5, 2009 at 7:07 pm

  Thanks again Milky…take care

• 215 Anatnerce // Dec 6, 2009 at 5:34 pm

  Hello,
  Please, give me some info about actual now dating sites.Thanks,
  Anatnerce

• 216 Ben // Dec 6, 2009 at 11:56 pm

  Hi Everyone,
  Looking for some advice. I’ve made a set already, and was fairly pleased with the results. I painted the boards complete w/ no sealer of any sort. I have been asked to make a set and will be making another set as a gift. One will be the Tennessee “power T” and the other the main Ohio State logo. I am really anxious about the Ohio State one.

  I would like to use a contact paper method for the ohio state logo, but am concerned about the intricacy of the boards. Any advice? What should I even use as a base color? I was thinking red on one and white on the other.

  Final question. Since I am completely painting both of these sets, should I use a sealer on the paint. Most advice seems to be that I use a High Glass Latex. Most sealer advice I’ve seen calls for a polyacrylic. Is this the route I should take. I plan to start priming in two days. Thanks!

• 217 T.Warren // Dec 7, 2009 at 6:47 pm

  Ben,
  Sorry to notice that you feel compelled to make an Ohio State Buckeye set. lol. I think that if you have a good primer coat, you could go ahead and use contact paper over your paint coats. BTW, both Home Depot and Menards can mix paint that are the exact university colors, as I did this with my Fighting Illini set.
  I would definitely finish it off with several coats of polyacrylic, as several others have stated in their posts above. I used Varathane’s spar urethane ( water-based) for my finish coats, but other brands, such as Minmax, will work fine, also. I used a water-based finish, as I figured that an oil-based top coat would give an amber or yellowish cast to any white paint.
  Good luck!

• 218 Joe // Dec 8, 2009 at 4:54 pm

  Hey there,

  I have a major project underway.

  I am about to start making 10 sets of boxes that I am going to give to my groomsmen for my wedding as groomsmen gifts. I have the materials and measurements and I still had a couple questions. I understand that this will probably answered somewhere above but being at work, I cannot read everything…lol…

  What would be the best primer to use before painting the boxes, and I understand to use the polycrylic sealant thereafter. I also want to purchase decals for all the boxes as I dont think I will be good trying to stencil anything. Where would be a great place to puchase a bunch of decals in bulk, as every decal will be different and some customized as I am making them personized to each person. Also at what level do I sand the boxes?

  Thanks so much for all your help!

• 219 Ted // Dec 9, 2009 at 1:01 am

  Hi Joe! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

  I don’t think there is such a thing as “best primer”. It’s all preferences from one person to the next. I always use the Zinser 1-2-3 primer. That stuff covers everything! There is another option you have. Instead of 2 coats of primer and 2 – 3 coats of paint, why don’t you just do 4-5 coats of paint and NO primer? I started doing that recently with my boards and it works fine.

  Decals. I can point you in the right direction with that for sure! Go to wwwDOTcornolinaDOTcom and tell Bill that Ted sent you. He will work with you on whatever decals you need. The more you order the more you save since he combines shipping. He only uses the 6 year UV rated vinyl for his decals. Once you cover the decal in 4-6 coats of poly, they will last you a life time!

  Sanding. I sand after the last coat of primer and after the 4th coat of poly. Both times I use a 320 grit and sand REAAAALLLL light. Just enough to take the burrs off and smooth things up.

  I hope this helps out some. You gotta post pictures when youre done!

  Ted

  wwwDOTmountainstatecornholeDOTcom

• 220 JeffM // Dec 9, 2009 at 1:03 am

  Hey Joe,
  Hope your wedding is a month or so down the road. Doing 10 sets is gonna take some time. I just finished my first set but I learned alot and got alot of advice. I used Zissner primer…I think any primer will do…but there is white and gray primers…so use each according to your top coats. Home depot has Gripper primer for Glidden paints that seems to be good.
  I did two primer coats and sanded with 220 grit after each coat. Painted with Glidden team color paints using latex high gloss. I didn’t sand my paint but you might need multiple coats as you need to cover the primer and any other colors if you are taping, etc. Used 9, count ‘em, 9 coats of Polycrylic by minwax, the high gloss in blue can. Sanded with 220 grit after coat 5 and coat 7. You will need two coats after you sand irregardless of how many coats as you can still see light scratches after only one coat of poly. Use the cheap 4″ foam brushes to apply poly…do not shake the can. Box fan will decrease dry time….I waited at least 1 1/2 hours between coats. Also, if you screw up any lines you’ve taped, you can get auto pin striping to cover the whole line. Poly over it and you are good to go.
  Decals…friend made mine. Go to ‘Cornolina dot com’ and you can email Bill who does decals and boards, just click the about us section on left to get his email…he will set you up..tell him Jeff ‘dog ate my cornhole bag’ sent you over. Whatever decals you get, make sure they are good quality and laminated if possible so the ink won’t run during poly coats. I got the vinyl decals on 3mm and then 1mm polyester laminate over the top. You will need the multiple poly coats just to lessen the lip on the decal. After my 9 coats, there is a slight rise from paint to decal but not enough to affect game play at all. I am pretty picky and they are fine. Good luck. Here are some pics of my boards.
  http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t65/fishingrockspics/Cornhole%20boards/cornholeboards001.jpg
  http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t65/fishingrockspics/Cornhole%20boards/cornholeboards002.jpg

• 221 JeffM // Dec 9, 2009 at 1:08 am

  Ted,
  That was weird….posted like two minutes after you did. I think I repeated almost everything you said. I was just in a typing mood…lol. Good advice for sure……Bill is the bomb!!

• 222 Joe // Dec 9, 2009 at 10:35 am

  Ted and Jeff,

  Thank you so much for all your tips! I know that these boxes are going to take a while so this is my winter project. The wedding isnt until July of next year and I dont want to rush the boxes at all so thats why I’m starting now. I will contact Bill to find out about the decals. That was both great advice from both of you guys! One more question, what type of gloss finish should I use for the paint? Some say semi gloss, some gloss, and some say high gloss…what would be the best to maintain the slide but nothing too crazy where everything is flying off? haha

  I will definately post ALL the pics of ALL the boxes together when completed. btw, nice boxes jeff!

  Thanks again guys!

• 223 JeffM // Dec 9, 2009 at 11:53 am

  Joe,
  As far as I know it is really your preference. I like the shine. Once you do the poly coats the slickness of the paint is irrelevant. I’ve read that if the boards are not slick enough people have used wax, corn starch, etc. I threw brand new bags on my boards and they slid just right. The corn dust helped them too. Good luck!!

• 224 JimmyCliff // Dec 26, 2009 at 6:03 pm

  I have a set of boards… they are red and white… with a Clifford the Big Red dog decal on them…

  not sure what type of paint was used on them but i know there is not a sealant…

  just curious what would be the best that would seal it and keep them from weathering.

  Also, i was told the decal had a sealant on it but not the paint. when sealing should i go ahead and go over the decal as well?

  Thanks!

• 225 BobyElMan // Dec 26, 2009 at 9:55 pm

  sorry, wrong category
  delete it
  2A33B4628B2A788BC43DC896EA1

• 226 T.Warren // Dec 27, 2009 at 1:08 am

  JimmyCliff,
  I definitely would use a sealant over the decals as well. This will avoid a “lip” from the decal. I used Varathane’s spar urethane ( water-based) for my finish coats. Especially if you have white or light colors on your board, avoid oil-based cover coats, as that may cause an amber or yellow cast.

• 227 Jan // Mar 7, 2010 at 12:44 pm

  I want to know if covering the boards in fabric with a lacquer or clear coat over that is possible.

• 228 Russ // Apr 8, 2010 at 7:13 pm

  I built a really nice set of corn hole boards, the only problem is, they are too slippery. The bag will actually slide down the board with the slightest vibration of another bag hitting the board (that’s if you can get one to stay on). I used about 8 coats Minwax Polyacrylic. I even tried to put a coat of Polyacrylic on, leaving brush strokes to try and slow the bags down.
  Is there some way to dull this finish without ruining it? I have 2 sets of different style bags that both do the same thing.

• 229 Ted // Apr 9, 2010 at 6:04 am

  Russ,

  Are your boards 12″ from ground to the top on the back of your boards? It sounds like your slope may be to high. If it’s more than 12″ off the ground in the back, then that’s probably why your bags are sliding back down? Just guessing. I use Gloss Polycrylic on all my boards and have never had a problem of the bags sliding back down.

  Another thing you may want to try, go buy a spray can of Minwax Satin Polyurethane. About $7 at Lowes and Home Depot. Stand back about 10″ – 12″ from the boards and spray several coats on the boards. Kinda like a mist coat. Let each coat dry first of course. I did this on a slick set of boards and worked like a charm! It’s going to dull your finish just a little if you used a gloss polycrylic before but, it’s better than the bags not staying on the boards.

  Ted

  www DOT mountainstatecornhole DOT com

• 230 Russ // Apr 9, 2010 at 7:39 am

  Thanks for the info. The boards were built to specs, the problem is, the finish is like glass. That is a good idea and I will try the Polyurethane spray.

• 231 Bob // Apr 9, 2010 at 9:06 am

  I had the same problem Russ, I just took a 400 grit sand paper to “scratch” the surface, it worked great… just go very lite, and one pass… you will not notice the slight scratches after one game… just a suggestion, hope it helps.

• 232 Russ // Apr 11, 2010 at 10:46 am

  Hey Ted
  I picked up a can of Minwax Satin Polyurethane, I’m am a little concerned it says interior use only. I don’t leave these boards out in the weather, but living in Florida we do catch those unexpected afternoon showers now & then. The Polyacrylic will withstand outdoor elements. Your thoughts on this ???
  Thanks
  Russ

• 233 Ted // Apr 11, 2010 at 2:30 pm

  I’m sure there is nothing that’s meant to be put on cornhole boards. You know what I mean? I would say the polycrylic would be the worse to put on boards if I were to guess without experience. Polycrylic is water based. Polyurethane is oil based. I have used both on cornhole boards. If you want your light colored boards to stay light after poly, use polyCRYLIC. If you have dark colored boards, you have the option of using polycrylic or polyURETHANE. Urethane will leave a yellow tint to your boards but if they are dark anyway, it won’t matter.

  I could go on and on. Bottom line is, you want to slow your boards down. I recommended the poly satin to SPRAY on your boards to slow them down only. I don’t care what your poly’d your boards with, I would not recommend leaving them outside no matter what. Avoid as much rain as possible. When it rains, bring them under a roof. The satin poly will be fine. Promise!

  Send me an email if you want. wvcornhole @ suddenlink DOT net

• 234 Russ // Apr 11, 2010 at 4:53 pm

  I’m sold, I will give it a shot (no pun intended).
  Thanks
  Russ

• 235 D_Loomis // May 1, 2010 at 9:30 pm

  I made some boards out of 1/2″ dry erase boards . they are awesome…

• 236 T.Warren // May 2, 2010 at 1:46 pm

  Would like D_Loomis to post pictures of his dry erase boards and maybe talk about the slide, especially after he has played 30 or 40 games on them.

• 237 Andy // May 8, 2010 at 1:56 pm

  I’m hoping to cover my cornhole boards with photos or printed photos on paper. What would be the best thing to cover the board with?

• 238 Nick // Jun 2, 2010 at 1:29 pm

  I can’t thank you guys enough. I have recently started building my first set of cornhole boards, and this website has helped immensely. There is so much valuable information on here as long as you take your time to read it.

  I cannot put into words how much this website helped. Thank you!

• 239 Ted // Jun 2, 2010 at 4:14 pm

  I hope I helped out in some way for you Nick.

  Any more questions….ask away!

  If you made a custom set of boards, you gotta show us the pictures!

  Ted

• 240 Nick // Jun 2, 2010 at 5:38 pm

  Im still working on the paint. There not going to turn out too great, I messed up the striping. Its my first time though, I anticipate giving it another go sometime and seeing how they come out.

• 241 Kirk // Jun 3, 2010 at 9:48 am

  The Pledge works to make them slicker, but tends to wear off quickly. I used carnaruba car wax, and it works great. Just put it on, so I’ll update later with how long it lasts.

• 242 Jon // Jun 8, 2010 at 12:29 am

  I am not wanting to paint my entire board. My plan is to paint the end of a runway, with the number and centerlines on the board. I can just use painters tape for the straight lines. Whatever is not painted will be stained. How do you go about working with both stain and paint when it comes to not getting stain on the paint? Should I stain or paint first? And what about the sealing process?

  Thanks!

• 243 T.Warren // Jun 8, 2010 at 2:27 pm

  Jon, I would stain first, then paint; but I am by no means an expert. You might want to read other suggestions, if there are nay more forthcoming. Different people have different preferences for sealing their boards. I use Varathane’s spar urethane ( water-based) for my finish coats. Especially if you have white or light colors on your board, avoid oil-based cover coats, as that may cause an amber or yellow cast. You may wish to read the other comments about seal coats. I would certainly pay attention to anything Ted or Milky have to say.

• 244 Ted // Jun 8, 2010 at 8:33 pm

  Jon,

  Definately STAIN first then paint. Stain the entire board, tape off what you want painted, stain over the edge of the tape to seal the tape from paint bleeding through (we call that the “shaggy method”), paint. Then….use Minwax Polycrylic to “seal” everything. NOT polyURETHANE. Polyurethane is oil based and will cause your boards to get a yellowish tint to them. Polycrylic is water based and will never yellow. I always give my boards 6-7 coats. They will last you a life time!

  Keep us posted on the progress!

  Ted

  www dot mountainstatecornhole dot com

• 245 Jon // Jun 9, 2010 at 12:37 am

  Ted, can you write more about “staining over the edge of the tape to seal the tape from paint bleeding through?” My thought is that there would then be a strip around all of the things I paint of not as stained wood.

  I’ve got everything, taking care to get polycrylic. I went through all of the messages so that was ingrained in my head.

  The other question was how many times do I need to stain and what’s that process? Stain, sand/wipe with cloth (?), stain, repeat…how many times?

  Thanks for the help, I’m taking my time on this so they’ll look great.

• 246 Ted // Jun 9, 2010 at 9:10 pm

  Paint or stain the boards the base color that you want.

  Then tape out the design/pattern that you want.

  Next, with the tape still in place, add one more coat of your base color over the edge of the tape to “seal” the tape.

  Finally, still leaving the tape in place, paint over with your next color going over the tape and all.

  Now you can remove your tape and have super crisp lines. What happens is, any bleed through you get will be with the base color and not show. That bleed through also clogs any areas to prevent any future bleed through with the next color.

  THATS WHAT WE CALL THE “SHAGGY METHOD”.

  Now, back to your staining question. I only put 1 coat of stain on. Max 2 coats. I apply a coat of stain to each board and then wipe them down with the same rag. Let it dry. (read instructions on your can) Apply 2nd coat. Let that dry at least 24 hours before painting over the stain. I have never sanded down between coats of stain. I make sure my boards are sanded smooth before I start staining. If I do get any rough spots after first coat of stain, then I will lightly sand that area.

  Let me know if you have any more questions.

  Ted

• 247 Jon // Jun 10, 2010 at 1:04 am

  “Next, with the tape still in place, add one more coat of your base color over the edge of the tape to “seal” the tape. ”

  Am I right when I assume you mean to seal the side where I’ll be painting? And then I assume I need to let that dry for ___ hours?

  This is hard to understand…bear with me. I appreciate it.

  Another question, I’m doing a runway on my boards and everything but the numbers are white rectangles. Each number will be about 4 inches high and 2 inches wide. My brother’s idea was to use wide painters tape and then use an exacto knife to cut out each number.

• 248 Ted // Jun 10, 2010 at 4:41 am

  Yes….you assumed right. Send me an email soI can send you a few links to pictures. I can’t do that on here.

  wvcornhole at suddenlink dot net

  Ill be at work all day but I will help you later tonight.

  Ted

• 249 michelle // Jul 7, 2010 at 10:18 am

  does anyone know how to make a JR. cornhole set? everywhere I look they say they are the exactly half the size of regular cornhole sets even the bags are half the size so what would the size be for the sides and length?

  Thank you in advace.

• 250 Ted // Jul 7, 2010 at 6:18 pm

  A regular cornhole set is 2ft wide x 4ft long. So, a junior set would be 1ft wide x 2ft long.

  I started making these myself. Not sure what kind of price to put on them yet. I made the hole bigger though. It’s 5 inches. Gotta keep in mind…these are for kids. You dont want to make the hole small and the bags small and the kids not get the bags in the hole. Wouldnt be any fun for them.

  Ted

• 251 Randy // Jul 13, 2010 at 7:47 pm

  Ted,

  Should i use a sealer on my baords before painting. I made one set and the grain of the wood seemed to bubble up.

• 252 Ted // Jul 15, 2010 at 12:31 am

  Randy,

  If I am leaving the wood grain showing, I seal it with a Sanding Sealer. Either Minwax or Cabot brand. Sand boards completely smooth. Apply 1 coat….let dry. Sand wood again because the sealer will raise the grain. Apply 2nd coat of sealer. This should be plenty. If there is any wood grain still coming up, repeat steps.

  I have never had a problem with painting over a sealer. The paint always sticks.

  Let me know if you have any more questions.

  Ted

• 253 Randy // Jul 15, 2010 at 4:37 pm

  what do you recommend if i am painting them and you are not going to see the grain, mine are red and blue and you can barely see the grain but you can see some raised spots

• 254 Ted // Jul 16, 2010 at 12:35 am

  I always prime my boards before painting. If the grain raises during the priming stage, you can sand it down and apply another coat of primer.

  If you haven’t painted your logo’s or applied decals yet, go ahead and sand your boards LIGHTLY with a 220 grit or higher to knock down the rough spots. Then, paint another coat or two.

  Let me know if this works!

• 255 Thel // Aug 10, 2010 at 9:25 pm

  I just finished my first set of boards. I thought I had used the right Polycrylic but my boards have no slide. Then I discovered that I had picked up Satin finish in the poly….I did the 8 coats like Milky said. Should I sand them some and put on a few coats of the Poly Gloss…..I am so tired of painting and polying but I want them to play right since they are a gift. Thanks!

  Thelma

• 256 Ted // Aug 11, 2010 at 12:36 am

  Thelma,

  How many bags did you throw on them before you said to yourself, ‘They won’t slide!”? If you were throwing corn bags, keep on throwing them. The corn will start breaking down and putting a fine layer of dust on your boards which will let the bags slide. Trust me…I have played on boards with NO POLY and the bags were sliding.

  If you want them to slide right away, maybe do a real light sanding with a 220 and wipe all the dust and debris off really good. The apply a coat or two of semi gloss or gloss.

  I really believe your bags will slide if you continue throwing on them the way they are now.

  Let us know how it goes.

  Ted

• 257 DB // Aug 17, 2010 at 11:39 pm

  I just got done building and painting my set…I added an ohio state decal onto the dried painted and then painted a clear coat over the decals. Everything seemed fine, but after a couple hours i went to check on it and the decal had bubbles and looked like someone was cooking it…it almost looked like the plastic on the decal was melting. Any ideas?

• 258 Ted // Aug 18, 2010 at 1:20 am

  DB,

  I may be able to help you better if you give me full details about the decal. Name brand of decal?

  Ted

• 259 Bob // Aug 25, 2010 at 11:45 pm

  Great posts here! Read the whole thing. I have built about 7 sets now and always hand paint the logo. It’s a pain, because I have to print out the logo, trace it on the painted surface with carbon copy paper, buy the paint and put on at least 2 coats of each color, sometimes retrace, and outline with black if necessary.

  My first set was a Minnesota Wild set with team colors and logo(enlarged to fill an 8×11 sheet of paper). Then a Golden Gopher hockey set for brother-in-law with team colors and Goldy the Gopher in hockey gear. Then a plain set for my Mom. Then a set for my brother with his favorite establishment’s logo and colors. The last two I finished were both Minnesota Vikings boards(one for me, one for brother-in-law), all hand painted logos….ugh, but am very proud of them as I’ve been told people thought they were stickers.

  Now I am in the process of finishing a set of Minnesota Twins boards(for brother-in-law’s friend), …but this time….we are going to put fathead vinyl stickers on and will be using clearcoat for the first time. I was researching what to use and that is how I ended up here. My wife just purchased the spar clear coat. I know minwax polycrylic seems to be the way to go, but I need to finish these by Friday and would like to be reassured the spar urethane will work just as well.

  I am conflicted on whether I should now clear coat over my existing boards to protect the logos. I’ve had to touch them up a time or two, but I really don’t want to risk changing the slide of the boards. I have to vouch for plain high gloss interior/exterior acrylic paint. Your slide will vary by environment. Dry hot sunny weather, fast boards. At dark when the humidity starts to roll in, slow and sticky boards. That’s part of the game! Makes it challenging and makes you make adjustments in your throw.

  Also, we make our boards a little different in Minnesota. The hole is centered 12″ down from top of board rather than 9″. I use 1×2′s for the board frame and legs and half inch plywood. Very portable and easy to move around. Also use brad nailer and ‘construction adheisive’ to attach plywood to frame. I always paint a 2″ border around the board rather than the runway stripes and usually a 3/4″ border of another color inside of that and so far have always had a white center with the logo about 6 to 9″ below the hole. I will come back and post pics sometime. Sorry to ramble on, but love this game and love making new sets of boards and am always looking for a better way.

• 260 Robyn // Aug 26, 2010 at 11:44 am

  Sounds Awesome Bob…. tell us why you decided to move your hole down 3″. I might try that sometime. I am finishing up a set for someone in Colt’s Colors. I just do the painting and let the person that is buying them from me get their stickers/decals or whatever they want to put on them. I am not an artist and would suck painting any kind of logo. I do enjoy making them though. I’ve had one lady buy 3 sets of boards and 5 sets of bags off me. She likes how sturdy they are compared to getting them at a sporting goods store. Can’t wait to see your pictures!!!

• 261 Chris // Aug 26, 2010 at 1:59 pm

  Hello All!

  I have just started on my first set and want to let you all know, this place is awesome for information! I do have a question though, I have some Alabama Crimson Tide window clings I would like to use and am wondering if these will hold up under a spray on Clear Coat?

  When you google “cornhole decals” most of what I found were things like window clings or sticker sheets, even on ebay. Are these going to work?

  Any input would be greatly appreciated!
  Chris

  PS: Even though I’ve just started them, I have a drawing of what they are going to look like and would love to post them!

• 262 Chris // Aug 26, 2010 at 2:02 pm

  Hello All!

  I have just started on my first set and want to let you all know, this place is awesome for information! I do have a question though, I have some Alabama Crimson Tide window clings I would like to use and am wondering if these will hold up under a spray on Clear Coat? The set I have are Wincraft Sports Ultra Decals, removable/reusable.

  When you google “cornhole decals” most of what I found were things like window clings or sticker sheets, even on ebay. Are these going to work?

  Any input would be greatly appreciated!
  Chris

  PS: Even though I’ve just started them, I have a drawing of what they are going to look like and would love to post them!

• 263 Chris // Aug 26, 2010 at 2:04 pm

  Sorry for the double post! : (

• 264 Ted // Aug 27, 2010 at 9:16 pm

  Chris,

  Window clings are not meant to be used on cornhole boards. They are suppose to be put on something smooth…like glass. They are meant to peal off later.

  I have heard of people having these window clings start shrinking or doing other crazy stuff after putting them on their cornhole boards and coating them with poly. I would just stay clear of window clings on cornhole boards. Just not worth the worry of them coming back up and ruining your boards.

  I get all my decals from Bill at cornolina DOT com. He can make any decal you want! Tell him Ted sent you!

  Ted

  mountainstatecornhole DOT com

• 265 Chris // Sep 1, 2010 at 8:47 am

  Thanks Ted!

  I have one other question, what would you use to put a picture on the cornhole board to hold it in place? Or will just enough coats of the clear coat do it? Any help would be appreciated!

  Chris

• 266 Ted // Sep 1, 2010 at 10:46 pm

  Chris,

  What kind of picture? Like a photograph? I havent done that but sounds like a disaster to me!

• 267 Chris // Sep 2, 2010 at 7:25 am

  Ted,

  It’s not a photograph, but a pic that was printed from a print shop. They just didn’t have the capabilities to print to an adhesive backing but it’s printed on photo paper.

  Chris

• 268 TWarr // Sep 2, 2010 at 9:16 pm

  I agree with Ted. Photo pic sounds like it could be problematic. I have, however, cut images from commercial posters and successfully applied them to my boards.

Leave a Comment