Steady aim – an outdoor DIY ring toss game

A ring toss game painted in blue and yellow is sitting on a lawn. Individual rope rings hang around the towering poles.
Lots of fun in little time: the DIY ring toss game for outdoors.

  • Difficulty
    easy
  • Cost
    < 50 £
  • Duration
    1-3 h

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.

You need
  • pocket rule
  • safety glasses
  • pencil
  • triangle
  • ear protectors
  • g-clamps
  • face mask
  • craft knife
  • work gloves
  • 1x squared timber made from pine or spruce: 200 x 7.8 x 5.8 cm (LxWxH)
  • 1x wooden pole made from beechwood: 1.9 cm diameter, 240 cm (L)
  • Masking tape
  • Stretch film
  • Number stickers
  • 2-in-1 spray paint
  • Gaffer tape in a colour of your choice
  • Jute rope: 40 mm diameter, 1.5 m (L)
L: Length, W: Width, H: Height, D: Diameter
Step 1 6

Measure out the length of the squared timbers for your outdoor game

A hand is holding a red pencil that is positioned on a light wooden slat. A pocket rule is resting on the wooden slat, which itself is resting on a workbench.
Let’s get started: first, measure out the wooden slats.

You need: pocket rule, pencil, Squared timbers, Wooden poles

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
Step 2 6

Saw and sand the squared timbers and wooden poles for your outdoor game

A hand is guiding a NanoBlade saw along a line drawn on a squared timber.
Now, saw the squared timbers to length
One hand is stabilising a wooden pole, while the other is holding a NanoBlade saw. This is positioned in the centre of the wooden pole.
Then, cut the wooden poles to length.
A multi-sander is being used to sand the end of a wooden pole.
Take your time: sand the rough surfaces you’ve sawn until they’re smooth.

You need: Advanced Cut 50, Multi-sander, Sanding sheet for multi-sander G120, g-clamps, safety glasses, face mask

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.

Step 3 6

Saw out the gap in the squared timbers

A multi-tool with a plunge cut saw blade is sawing a squared timber.
It’s now time to create the gap in the central part of the squared timbers.
A multi-tool is being held in two hands. The person is wearing work gloves.
This ensures that the squared timbers can be interlocked.

You need: NanoBlade saw, Jigsaws, Multifunction tool, safety glasses, ear protectors, work gloves

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.

Step 4 6

Assemble the timbers for your outdoor game

Two loose squared timbers are being joined together via a gap in the centre.
Joining the two squared timbers together creates a cross.
Two hands of a person are holding an angle measurer. This is resting in the centre of two squared timbers that are inserted into one another.
Mark the centre of the newly formed wooden cross.
A wooden pole is being inserted into a hole in the centre of two squared timbers.
The wooden pole in the centre of the two squared timbers will hold them together.

You need: Cordless drill/driver, 18 mm Brad point drill bit, triangle, pencil, g-clamps, Squared timbers, Wooden poles

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.

Tip
HOW DO I DRILL ESPECIALLY NEAT HOLES?
It’s easy: put a piece of scrap wood underneath where you want to drill the hole. This will ensure that the hole doesn’t split when you pull the drill bit out. 
Step 5 6

Mark the numbers and paint your DIY ring toss game

A finger is pressing a number sticker onto a squared timber.
Who will be crowned the winner? The person who scores the most points, of course!
A hand is wrapping stretch film around a squared timber.
Simply wrap stretch film around the timber at the points where it should keep its natural look.
A hand is spraying a squared timber yellow. The timber is resting on a sheet of plastic in the garden.
If you want to add a splash of colour to your ring toss game, you can spray it in the colours of your choice.

You need: adhesive tape, Stretch film, Number stickers, 2-in-1 spray paint

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.

Step 6 6

Make the quoits for your outdoor game

A rope is being measured out on a table with a pocket rule.
The rope for a quoit needs to be around 50 cm long.
A man is using tape to join the two ends of a rope together.
The quoit is now finished and so is your whole ring toss game!

You need: pocket rule, craft knife, work gloves, tape measure, Jute rope

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!