The Ultimate Guide: How to Build "Long Board" Regulation Cornhole Boards & Bags in Germany
German Regulation Cornhole Board Requirements:
Top View of Cornhole Boards Built in Germany
They must be constructed from wood.The cornhole board will measure 48 inches by 24 inches.The cornhole will be six inches in diameter.The cornhole will be centered 9 inches from the top of the board and 12 inches from both sides.
Side View of Cornhole Boards, German Ones Tend to be 3" high in front due to Metric.
The surface of the cornhole board must be free of blemishes that could possibly impede play.From top to bottom, the front edge of the cornhole board will measure 2.5–4 inches.The back edge of the cornhole board will be 12 inches from the ground.
Use duckcloth to make bags so they don’t rip as much
Cornhole bags are at least 7 inches by 7 inches prior to sewing.A durable fabric like duckcloth is preferred to avoid stretching.Fill with feed corn kernels: find this at a feed store.Fill with 14–16 oz, DO NOT OVERFILL! They should weigh 1 lb.The color of bags should be bold and contrasting so it’s easy to tell the difference between teams playing at the same time. One team has 4 bags of one color and the other team 4 bags of a single different color.
What to do in Germany with the Metric System?
Wouldn’t it be amazing if we just had a global measurement system that divided by 10? Alas, there needs to be a little conversion. Most local home improvement stores in Germany and around Europe sell a variety of wood that is somewhat difficult to understand. Typically someone in the store will speak English, but hopefully this guide will help.
In the USA we would use 2"x 4" lumber for the frame and 1/2 inch plywood or MDF (medium density fiberboard).
In metric the closest thing available easily and cheaply is 7cm x 4.5cm lumber for the frame and 15mm plywood/mdf.
This results in 3 inches high on front vs 4 inches high on front of the cornhole board. That is the only major difference due to the metric system unless you want to glue 1 inch strips of wood on the front to create a small lift to get to 4" high on the front end.
12 inches high on the back of the board is easily adjustable by the height of your posterior or back legs. Not much of a problem. Wing nuts and bolts attach the posterior legs to the back of the board for ease of folding when not in use.
Typical home improvement stores around Germany that sell this wood include: Hornbach, Globus, OBI and others. Of course, small local markets may also have lumber but it’s going to be a bit more expensive than we are used to in the States typically. Also the cost of paint is a bit higher as well. The big chains have frequent discounts and flash sales which are great to take advantage of and save some money.
Let's Throw Some Bags!
Let’s have some fun and get to know your neighbors and explore some “craftsmanship”. It’s something anyone can do and everyone has fun. If you are interested in some step-by-step video instructions that take into account the expats’ unique challenges please head over to cornholeeuropa.com and stream the online video class called “Cornhole School — Make Your Own Boards”.
Let’s throw some bags,
-Cornhole Europa
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