Cornhole is one of the most enjoyable lawn games/ tailgating activities and even has become a competitive event on the national level with professional level competitions and tournaments that even broadcast on ESPN. But you can’t just go around throwing any ole bean bags when playing cornhole. Here’s the answer to your question of how big are cornhole bags and what are they made of?
What is cornhole?
First, just in case you stumbled upon this website without much exposure to the wonderful world of cornhole, it’s a game where one tosses (or at least tries to toss) beanbags through a hole cut into a platform located approximately 10 meters away.
Each player gets four cornhole bags and then is allowed four attempts to throw their bags through the cornhole. If their bag makes it through the hole they end up with 3 points and if the bag merely ends up resting on the platform, they are only given one point. Bags which end up on the ground do not allow the player to earn any points.
There are a lot of other specific gameplay details and there’s even an official cornhole court but I’ll save those for another article. You just need to know that’s it’s a very fun law game that’s perfect for tailgating, birthdays, holidays, and pretty much any social gathering especially when it’s nice and warm outside during the summer.
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How big are cornhole bags?
According to the American Cornhole Organization (ACO), they state :
- Each bag is made from two fabric squares with double-stitched seaming.
- The bags should be made from a durable fabric like canvas, twill, or synthetic suede.
- Each bag measures roughly 6” by 6” and weighs 15 to 16 ounces
*The final weight of the bag may vary depending on the specific material used to create the bag.
So how big are cornhole bags?
So the official regulation size cornhole bag size is roughly 6 inches by 6 inches and around 15 to 16 ounces but given the nature of these bags, there can be small variations.
If you’re trying to get official with your cornhole bags size then you can look into getting ACO-PRO 450 Bags, which are the ACO certified bags.
Photo by Steven Pickles
What fabric is used for cornhole bags?
As you can tell from the above guidelines you really just need a good durable fabric. Because of this, many in the industry recommend duck fabric which is heavy, plain woven cotton fabric commonly used by many.
What is the right color for cornhole bags?
The bags can be any color but it’s recommended that you pick out colors that are easy to spot and that the the two sides have different colored bags. So for example, many choose to purchase a total of 8 bean bags (with 4 of each color).
As an aide, note that if you’re playing a tournament, the higher rated seed should have preference to choose the color of their bags.
Different sized cornhole bags?
If you’ve played a lot of cornhole at different parties and events you’ve probably come across different sized cornhole bags.
Large-sized cornhole bags
Some people don’t care about the official ACO guidelines and like to play with cornhole bags of various sizes. For example, I’ve seen jumbo-sized cornhole bags up to 12″ by 12″. That’s insanely huge to me but if you think you’d have fun with those or are just looking to try something different then that can be a good option.
Small-sized cornhole bags
On the other side, some people even go with smaller cornhole bags. Some of these mini bags are designed for mini cornhole boards so they might not be what you want to use on a full size regulation platform. However, they might be a good option for small children learning how to play.
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Cornhole bag quality
The object is to buy or make bean bags that are going to be durable, especially since this is primarily an outdoor game. Remember, these cornhole bags are constantly taking a pounding and getting thrown around so they could be prone to getting tore up. If you go for a cheap material when buying or making your own bean bags, that could end up costing you more money in the long-term.
Try to look for weather resistant cornhole bags and then take a look at the reviews to make sure that they are legitimate. But keep in mind that even weather resistant bags will eventually meet their demise. So if you’re playing a lot of cornhole over the course of the summer, your bags may not remain in good shape come the end of the tailgating season.
Clean your cornhole bags
Believe it not, there are actually different ways to clean your cornhole bags. You can check out one of those methods here.
Store your cornhole bags
Obviously, you’ll also want to store your bean bags indoors to preserve their quality. Some kits even have cases to store your bags in which might be a good idea if you’re constantly transporting your board and bags to parties and events.
What are cornhole bags filled with?
Official cornhole bags are filled with whole kernel corn. This is the traditional material used for these bags. Each bag will typically be filled with about two cups of corn. Note that corn feed pieces will likely break down over time so the bags will lose a little bit of weight.
Many people prefer to get bags filled with resin pellets. This is because they will typically last longer and you don’t have to worry about them degrading due to weather or animals getting a hold of your tasty kernel corns. There also has been shortages of corn which has made resin pellets a more attractive option.
You can buy resin pellets by the bulk for cornhole bags from places like Amazon. The pellets are small plastic granules and can be harmful to the environment, so do your best to make sure that you don’t accidentally release any of these into the soil or wherever you’re playing. You should be able to find recycled resin pellets if you shop around long enough.
You can read my article here comparing resin pellets vs corn feed for filling bean bags.
How big are the cornhole holes?
The official guidelines for the cornhole holes cut into the boards should be 6” in diameter and centered 9” from the top of the board and centered from each side edge.
Final word on cornhole bags size
I recommend going with the standard 6″ by 6″ size for cornhole bags size since that is the official size and that’s the size that most of the cornhole boards are designed to fit best. Also, make sure that regardless of which type of material you use for your bags, that you’re buying something that’s durable and that can survive a bit of wear and tear.
Cover photo by Michael Patterson