What to buy (and what to skip)
Lumber-yard pine beats waiting on random Amazon panels. Links below are soft affiliate picks—use them when they help, ignore them when your shop already has scraps.
Lumber
Often cheaper / straighter at Menards or the local yard.
48" × 24" Pine Panels (pair)
Two regulation-size tops. Menards / lumber yard finger-jointed pine panels work great if Amazon stock is weird.
1×2 Quality Pine Board (Menards)
Grab these at Menards—about three 8-footers cover frames and folding legs. Buy the straight ones; warp is not a feature.
Hardware
Flat-tip hex bolts + wing nuts make the folding legs work.
3/8" × 4" Hex Bolts (flat tip)
Get flat-tip hex bolts—not pointed lag screws. Four of them go through a drilled hole, take wing nuts, and let the legs fold for the trunk.
3/8" Wing Nuts
Wing nuts stay put without tools when you’re setting up at the tailgate—snug the legs, play, fold, go.
Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive
Bonds the top to the frame. Screws help; adhesive makes it feel like one piece of wood.
Wood Glue
Glue the frame joints in addition to screws. Longevity beats “it held for one cookout.”
Finish
Seal the wood. Satin for structure; gloss optional over painted art.
Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane Satin (11.5 oz)
Clear satin Helmsman spar urethane spray—built for outdoor abuse. Thin coats seal the boards without skating-rink polish. Don’t sand the top glass-smooth; bags need a little grip.
Clear Gloss Polyurethane
Optional finish over painted art when you want a smoother bag slide than satin. Thin coats only.
Minwax Wood Finish Penetrating Stain
Popular alternative to paint for the dress-up step. Hit sides and legs too—not just the top.
Painter's Tape
Tape around the hole circle before you cut. Cheap insurance against pine chip-out.
Paint & design
Primer, acrylics, and vinyl gear for the Dress ’Em Up step—where most of the fun lives.
Wood / Craft Primer
Two coats under a painted design, light sand between. Skipping primer is how paint peels mid-season.
Acrylic Craft Paint Set
The workhorse for painted boards. High-contrast colors pop at dusk; muddy pastels disappear.
Vinyl Transfer Tape
Moves cut vinyl from the backing to the board without chaos. Hinge big sheets from one edge.
Bags
Regulation boards deserve bags that actually score.
Regulation Cornhole Bags
Build the boards, then grab a solid set of bags—or sew your own if you’re that kind of overachiever.
Quick checklist (pair of boards)
- 2 × 48" × 24" pine panels
- 3 × 1" × 2" × 8' pine boards
- 4 × 3/8" × 4" flat-tip hex bolts (not pointed lag screws)
- 4 × 3/8" urethane / nylon wing nuts
- Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane Satin (spray)
- Liquid Nails or similar adhesive
- Wood glue + Liquid Nails
- Optional: primer, acrylic paint, vinyl / transfer tape
- Optional: gloss poly over painted designs
- Optional: regulation bag set