DIY Network

Giant Chess/Checker Board You’ll never be bored with this mighty board. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-604

Play hard with this glass-look game board.

What’s more fun than building a project? Building a project you can play with. Michele Beschen loves to B. Original with toys and games, and this giant chess and checker board is a great addition to your family fun nights. Simple cut-and-glue construction with foamcore board makes it easy to make and store, while a poured-on finish gives it the glossy look of tile and glass.

Of course, a great game board needs great game pieces to get the fun started. Trick out your board by making Michele Beschen’s giant chess pieces.

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Giant Chess/Checker Board

Materials:

(4) 3" furring strips, 30" long
30" by 30" masonite or hardboard
1/2" thick foamcore. 30" by 30"
large T-square
fine-grit sandpaper
glue gun and hot glue
sharp craft knife
floral spray paints (2 colors)
(2) 32-ounce packages of two-part, pour-on high-gloss resin
2 small, clean buckets
rubber stamps and ink, paint or wood-burning tool
paintbrushes
wood stain (optional)
shellac or polyurethane

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Note: The chess board is designed to have a ceramic tile look with a 1/8" space between all of the tiles. If you want to butt the tiles flush together, cut the frame and backing to 29" square instead of 30" square.

• Cut four of the 3" furring strips to 30" long, with the ends mitered at a 45 degree angle. The longer side of the mitered boards will measure 30" long.

• Cut a piece of masonite or hardboard to 30" square for the backing.

• Dry-fit the frame pieces on the work surface (figure A).

• Apply a bead of wood glue to the back of one frame piece and slide the backing board in place.

• Line up the edges and corners and use an air stapler or brad nails to secure the backing to the frame (figure B).

• Work around the edges of the backing, gluing and stapling the frame pieces to the backing.

• Flip the piece right-side up and let the glue dry completely.

• While the glue is drying, create the checkerboard game tiles. Carefully measure, mark and cut 64 pieces of 1/2" foamcore, each measuring 3" square (figure C). Use a sharp craft knife and keep the blade as straight as possible while cutting.

• Clean up the cut edges with fine-grit sandpaper.

• Use floral spray paint (figure D) to paint the foamcore squares, painting 32 of them a light color and 32 of them a dark color. Michele Beschen used floral spray paint because it works well on foamcore.

• Once the paint is dry, start in one corner of the frame and dry fit the foamcore pieces, alternatig dark and light squares in a checkerboard pattern. Evenly space the squares 1/8" apart.

• Secure the squares to the frame backing with hot glue (figure E).
  

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

  Figure G

• Position the board so a dark tile is in the lower left corner. Use rubber stamps, paint, a wood-burning tool or other means to add numbers and letters to the frame to identify the tiles (figure F). Across the bottom, apply the numbers 1 through 8, starting at the left, with one number under each tile. Up the left-hand side, apply the letters A through H, starting at the bottom with A.

• To seal the tiles and give the board a shiny, glass-like look, apply two coats of pour-on, high-gloss resin (figure G). Read and follow all instructions for the resin, and make sure to mix the two parts of the material thoroughly.

• Finish off the wooden frame with stain or varnish.

Now it’s time to break in the new board. To really get your game on, make Michele Beschen’s giant chess pieces and get ready to rumble.