Cornhole distance and board dimensions

Official cornhole board dimensions

These are the measurements used by the American Cornhole Association (ACA) and the American Cornhole League (ACL). The two organizations agree on the main numbers; a few smaller details, such as the exact front-edge height range and bag approval, are worded differently in each rule book, so check the one your league plays under.

The surface should be smooth enough that bags slide a little but not so slick that every bag runs off. Make both boards of a pair the same, so neither end plays faster than the other.

Regulation cornhole distance

The regulation cornhole distance is 27 feet, measured from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other. Measure along the center line of the boards so they face each other squarely. Since each board is about 4 feet long, the back edges end up about 35 feet apart.

For kids and casual games most people move the boards closer. About 21 feet front to front is a common backyard and youth distance, but it is a convenience, not an official adult rule. Use whatever distance lets your players reach the board.

The pitcher’s box and foul line

Players throw from the pitcher’s box, the area right beside each board. The ACA describes it as 4 feet long (the length of the board) and 3 feet wide on each side. The foul line is the front edge of the board, extended across both pitcher’s boxes: your foot may not go past it while you throw. That is why a court is 8 feet wide even though a board is only 2 feet wide: 3 feet of box, 2 feet of board, 3 feet of box.

How to use the layout planner

1. Choose feet or meters and enter the length and width of your space.
2. Add extra room on each side if you want space to walk around the boards and keep throws away from walls or cars. This is our suggestion, not a rule; 2 feet is the default. Set it to 0 to see the bare minimum.
3. Pick regulation (27 ft), casual (21 ft) or a custom distance. The planner shows whether it fits, how much space is spare or missing, and the longest distance your length allows.
4. The drawing is to scale: the dashed line is your space, the orange rectangles are the boards with their holes, the shaded areas are the pitcher’s boxes and the solid lines are the foul lines.

Worked example: a 30 by 12 ft garage

A regulation court needs 27 + 4 + 4 = 35 feet of length before any extra room, so a 30-foot garage is 5 feet short. Taking away the two boards leaves 22 feet for the gap, so the longest distance you can set up is 22 feet. A 21-foot casual court fits with a foot to spare, and the 12-foot width leaves 2 feet beside each pitcher’s box. Outdoors, a 40 by 12 ft patch of lawn takes a regulation court with 2 feet of room all around.

Building your own boards

To build a pair to the cornhole board dimensions above, the cut list in the tool gives the parts for a simple frame: a plywood top 24 × 48 inches, two 48-inch sides and two 21-inch ends from 2×4 (the ends fit between the sides, so 24 minus two 1.5-inch boards), and two legs. Mark the hole center 9 inches from the top edge and 12 inches from each side, then cut a 6-inch circle with a jigsaw or hole saw.

• Check the front height. A 2×4 on edge is 3.5 inches; with a 1/2-inch top the front edge is 4 inches. A 3/4-inch top makes it 4.25 inches, a little above the usual 3 to 4. The tool flags this.
• Fit the legs last. Cut them a bit long, bolt them at the back corners, and trim the bottom until the back top edge sits 12 inches above the floor.
• Sand and seal. Round the hole edge and finish the top so bags slide evenly on both boards.

How we tested

We ran automated Node tests on the planner’s maths; all 27 cornhole checks passed (they include the scoreboard tests too). For the layout: a 27-foot court with no extra room needs 35 × 8 feet; a 21-foot court with 2 feet of room needs 33 × 12 feet; a 40 × 10 ft space with 2 feet of room is too narrow, while 40 × 12 ft fits with 1 foot spare; a 30-foot length cannot fit 27 feet and allows at most 22 feet; and a 12 × 3 m space fits a regulation court. For the cut list: a 2×4 frame with a 1/2-inch top gives a 4-inch front edge and 21-inch end pieces, and a 3/4-inch top gives 4.25 inches.