Lawn games

Rose Hughes builds a quoits set and outdoor noughts and crosses for outdoor family fun.

You will need:

Vertical noughts & crosses: 6m of 90mm x 20mm (dressed size) pine, one 1.5m of 94 x 94mm post, three 100mm galvanised steel 6mm rods, 1m 8mm clear vinyl tube, drill, countersink & 6mm drill bit, 4 x 40mm bolts and nuts, screwdriver, 32mm x 8g screws, filler, super glue, sandpaper, drop saw, clamps, undercoat, paint & brushes.

Cutting list: 2 x 500mm & 2 x 537mm for frame, 2 x 1200mm for legs, 2 x 400mm for feet, one 537mm x 60mm for base board.

Quoits: 1200mm of 65mm x 35mm dressed pine, 1.5m of 22mm dowel, skilsaw, or hand saw, drill and 22mm drill bit, sandpaper, chisel, 4m of 12mm sisal rope, 2 colours of electrical tape, undercoat and paint and brushes and self-adhesive numbers.

Cost for each game: approx $65.

Noughts and crosses

Step 1
Noughts and crosses: Join pine to create a 500mm x 500mm frame, with the shorter pieces at the top and bottom.

Step 2 how to make an outdoor noughts and crosses lawn game

Step 2
Mark and drill three 6mm holes in the bottom of the frame and about 10mm deep into the inside face of the top to hold the steel rods. Paint undercoat and topcoat - I used Resene Gypsy Queen.

Step 3 how to make an outdoor noughts and crosses lawn game

Step 3
Cut the galvanised steel rods to length with a hacksaw.

Step 4 how to make an outdoor noughts and crosses lawn game

Step 4
Cut the post into 9 x 90mm cubes, drill a 6mm hole through the centre (a drill press would be helpful here), sand well and undercoat. Topcoat with white paint, then make a stencil and paint the X and 0 on two opposite faces, then paint the other two in your chosen colours.

Step 5 how to make an outdoor noughts and crosses lawn game

Step 5
Make the legs. Cut a 25° mitre to the top of each. Shape the two feet, undercoat everything then bolt the feet to the base of the legs. Topcoat.

Step 6 how to make an outdoor noughts and crosses lawn game

Step 6
Attach the legs by clamping each to the side of the frame, matching the upper top edges. Drill and countersink four evenly spaced holes and screw to the frame. Fill the holes and touch up with topcoat.

Step 7 how to make an outdoor noughts and crosses lawn game

Step 7
Turn the set upside down and insert the first steel rod through the hole in the base. Starting with a 60mm piece of clear tubing, thread one cube onto the rod, followed by 50mm tubing, another cube, then 50mm tubing, the final cube and a 60mm tubing. Before inserting the rod into the top (partial hole) apply a drop or two of Super Glue. Repeat with the other two rods. Allow to dry.

Step 8 how to make an outdoor noughts and crosses lawn game

Step 8
Undercoat and topcoat the base board. Attach this so that it is vertical and centred over the steel rods. Drill through the legs into the base board, countersink holes, attach with screws. Fill screw holes and touch up with paint.

To make the quoits:

Step 1
To make the quoits: Cut two lengths of pine at 600mm. Mark the centre and place these across one another to create a cross shape. Mark the place where the timber intersects.

Step 2
Measure half the depth of the timber and mark this line on the side of each piece. Set the depth on the skilsaw to 17mm (or you can use a handsaw), then make a series of close-together cuts within the marked areas on each piece.

Step 3
Using a chisel, remove the cut timber. Ensure the crossed pieces sit flush on the top and bottom. Tidy with the chisel and sand. Apply wood glue and clamp the crossed pieces until dry.

Step 4
Mark the centre of the cross 35mm in from each of the four ends and drill a hole about 15mm deep with the 20mm bit. Cut the dowel to length, about 265mm.

Step 5
Undercoat the base and dowels with Resene Quick Dry Primer and top coat with Resene Lumbersider. I used Resene Gypsy Queen for the base and Resene Red Hot, Resene Limerick, Resene Spotlight, Resene Hyperactive and Resene St Tropaz for the dowels. When dry add score numbers - I used self-adhesive numbers from a craft store. Glue the dowels in place.

Step 6
Make the rings, 2 sets of 4, by cutting the sisal rope into 500mm lengths, apply Super Glue and butt the joints together. Wrap the joins with different coloured electrical tape.

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