Steady Aim – An Outdoor DIY Ring Toss Game

First aim, then toss. But who will score the most points? We’ll show you how to build a cool ring toss game in just a few simple steps. It’s quick and easy to build and guarantees all sorts of fun for the whole family.

Let’s start building your ring toss game. To build this cool outdoor DIY classic, you’ll first need to measure out the lengths of the squared timbers. Since the timbers are going to be laid on top of one another to form a cross later, you need to saw out a piece in the centre of each of them. Mark this central gap, also known as a cross lap joint, using an angle measurer, a pocket rule and a pencil. To do this, first measure out the centre of the squared timber and then add half the width of the wooden timber both to the left and the right. By adding a little bit of buffer on both sides, you’ll prevent the two squared timbers from tilting when they’re assembled. Now, measure out the thickness of the wood. Half of the thickness then defines the depth for your gap. Repeat this process on the other squared timber. The two timbers should now fit neatly together. The final thing you need to do in this step is to measure the wooden poles.

Here is an overview of the parts to be sawn:

• Two squared timbers with the dimensions: 80 x 7.8 x 4.4 cm
• Five wooden poles with the dimensions: 1.9 cm diameter, 34 cm length

Next, saw the squared timbers and wooden poles for the ring toss game to the right length. Fasten them in place with G-clamps before you start so that they can’t slip. If the surface of the wood is rough where you’ve sawn it, carefully sand it until it’s smooth and free of splinters. Wear protective goggles and ear defenders while doing so.

Make a plunge cut to create the lap joint. Do this by using either a jigsaw or NanoBlade saw. Alternatively, you can also achieve this by using a multi-tool with an HCS plunge cut saw blade for wood. Add work gloves, ear protection and protective goggles to the mix and you’re good to go. Start by sawing into the lines that you’ve marked out. Then, saw out the recess bit by bit. Repeat the process for the second squared timber.

Now, insert the timbers into each other at the lap joint. Measure where the wooden poles will go later at the four corners and in the middle. Leave a gap of approximately 3.5 cm to the outer edges as a guide. Securely fasten the timbers with G-clamps and drill deep into the wood at the points you’ve marked using a Brad point drill bit. This will make sure that the wooden poles are stable when they are inserted later. The hole in the middle will hold the two squared timbers together.

Each wooden pole will later be given a number, indicating the points given for the pole. You can either paint these numbers next to the wooden poles or use number stickers as templates. Unleash your creative streak when choosing your colours and design your ring toss game to look just the way you want. First, apply masking tape and stretch film that you can find in the moving/storage aisle at a DIY store to create a smooth, uniform surface. Then, spray the marked surface evenly with the colour(s) of your choice.

Use spray paint that is also weather-resistant.

It’s nearly time to play outside. While the paint dries, make the quoits. To do this, cut the jute rope into equal lengths of approximately 50 cm using a Stanley knife. Wear work gloves while doing so. Then, fold the pieces of rope to create rings and tape the ends together. Tip: DIY stores sell a huge variety of colour adhesive tapes. Your first garden game is ready! It’s time to play – ready, aim, throw!