QUALITY
Quality is king when it comes to stuff you use all the time and want to keep for a long time. There are SO MANY people and stores that sell cornhole boards and it can be really hard to figure out what sets are quality and what ones are made of cheap junk–especially if you’re shopping online and can’t see and touch the boards in person before buying.Official cornhole boards should be made to be 4’ x 2’ and use at least ½” plywood for the top. Typically you’ll see entire wood construction for the boards. There are some cheaper options that use plastic or PVC, but these are typically lower quality when compared to official boards.
Craftsmanship is also an important factor. Are your boards being slapped together with plastic across an ocean? Are they being hand-made in the USA? You can get good sets either way, but it is something to consider!
COST
Cost is probably the next most important thing people consider. Sure, you want the best cornhole set you can get, but what if that’s $12,000 because it’s gold-plated? Probably unnecessary. And sure, spending $50 feels better than spending $300, but you boards won’t last very long if they only cost $50. Only you can weigh the cost vs quality, but consider what you’re buying and what you’re using it for. You want the boards to be regulation. You want them to hold up to gameplay. You’d like them to not fall apart during transport, or require assembly, or weigh 100 pounds, or weigh 1 pound so they move every time a bag lands on them.Typically speaking for a quality set of boards you’ll be looking in the $200-$300 range. You might be able to find some sets cheaper than that, especially if they’re smaller than the regulation 4’x2’ (like a tailgate size for easier travel), but if you’re adding weatherproof materials, or custom designs, you could be looking closer to $400 pretty quickly.
There are also accessories you can purchase for your cornhole set, like lights for the holes or edges of the board so you can keep playing when the sun starts to go down, or just to add some flare to your boards. You may want a carry or storage case to make transporting the boards a bit easier. They even make these things called “pitch pads” to put under the boards for a flat, consistent surface for the boards and the players, too! All of these things can cost extra, but they can be well worth it if you’re playing a lot.
SIZE
We already talked about regulation boards being 4’x2’ and that’s typically what most boards are these days. There are high quality travel, or tailgating sets, that are a little shorter, usually measuring 3’x2’. These can be great if you move around a lot, take them to the beach, or if you tailgate sporting events. And there are SUPER cheap and small sets you can get at chain stores that are event smaller. These usually come with a small bag for the boards, the boards tend to fold in half, the bags are quite small, etc. They’re really a children’s game, and they can be great for indoor play if you’ve got kids. But these wouldn’t be satisfying when playing at a party for adults, or outside where there can be wind.If the boards are staying at your house and you plan to use them primarily in one location, the regulation 4’x2’ size is definitely the way go.
SHIPPING
If you can find a local person or store that you can buy from directly, that’s great! It’s always nice to support local sellers. But if you’re like many folks who don’t personally know someone who makes high quality cornhole boards, you’ll be buying your set online, which means they need to be shipped.It’s a crazy world today with shipping and cornhole boards can be quite expensive to ship. They’re large, and can be quite heavy, which normally means it costs more than your average item to ship. We suggest finding a shop that includes shipping in its pricing, so you know what you’re paying as you place your order. Just keep in mind, depending on where your boards are made and shipping from, and where you live, shipping could be as low as $20 or as much as $70 for a single set of boards. But cornhole is awesome, and it will be worth it!
CUSTOMIZATION
With so many options to customize things in life, it’s no wonder you can do a TON of stuff to make your cornhole boards unique. There are plenty of premade designs out there that are awesome, and if you find one you love, good on you! But if you’re out to get a unique set, or you want to customize something for a gift or an event, typically that can be done with any reputable cornhole maker. They will usually work with you and your design to get exactly what you want on your boards.Keep in mind, even if your boards will only be for private use, copyright laws still apply for the shop selling YOU the boards, so you must own the rights to any images you use during the customization process.