How to Make a DIY Chess Board

Challenge your friends on this awesome DIY chess board.

Need to make pieces too? Here’s how to make an awesome hardware chess set.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• Ruler
• Pencil
• Utility knife
• One 1⁄4″ x 12″ x 12″ sheet of cork
• One 1⁄4″ x 12″ x 12″ piece of plywood
• Fine-toothed saw
• Four 1″ x 2″ x 3″ pine blocks
• Two 1″ x 2″ x 12″ pine boards
• Two 1″ x 2″ x 13 1⁄2″ pine boards
• 16 1 1⁄4″ wood screws
• Eight 3⁄4″ wood screws
• 3⁄32” drill bit and countersink bit
• Drill
• Wood putty
• Wood glue
• Paint or stain and brush

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

1. Cut the sheet of cork into 64 1 1⁄2″ squares.

2. Paint or stain 32 squares, so they are a different color than the remaining 32 squares.

3. Cut out the 12″ x 12″ piece of plywood and glue on the cork squares in alternating order.

4. Cut the four frame boards and the four blocks to size. Screw and glue the blocks onto the bottom of the plywood. Screw and glue the wood frame in place. To keep the wood from splitting, drill and countersink all the screw holes before screwing the frame together. Fill the recessed screw holes with wood putty.

5. Paint or stain the frame.

Your chess board is complete! Need to make pieces too? Here’s how to make an awesome hardware chess set.