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How to Manufacture a Chess Board

Chess boards are one of the easiest game boards to manufacture and can be made of woods, cardboard, metal or cloth. The design can be incorporated into a game table or etched into glass. It can be permanent or portable. The 18-inch square is divided into 64 2-inch by 2-inch squares painted in two alternating colors. Once complete, the board can be used for both chess and checkers.

Things You'll Need

18" square, 1/2 inch deep illustration board
T-square ruler
6-inch Ruler
Pencil
Black permanent marker
Black marker with a fine point
White liquid paper
Clear contact paper

Instructions

- 1
  Set the illustration board on a table or desk, leaving plenty of room to measure out lines with the T-square ruler.
- 2
  Begin by marking off one inch from all four edges with a pencil, and then draw a 1-inch border.
- 3
  
  Use a pencil to mark along the border every 2 inches.
  
  Make a mark along the border every 2 inches on all four lines with a pencil. Don't press hard since you'll be erasing these lines when you're done. This is the beginning of the grid.
- 4
  
  Use a black marker to draw lines.
  
  Place the T-square ruler against the board so the the T is pressed against the edge. Use the black marker with the fine tip to carefully draw from the marks on the left border to the marks on the right border until you've drawn seven lines.
- 5
  Turn the board around and repeat the same process using the T-square ruler and the marker, connecting the marks on the remaining borders until you have drawn seven lines.
- 6
  Place the T of the T-square ruler against any of the four edges of the board and bring the ruler to the point where it is flush with a border. Draw a line along the length of that border with the marker and then repeat the process until all four borders are complete.
- 7
  
  The checker board pattern is easy to lay out, but must be painted carefully.
  
  Using the black broad nib marker, fill in every other square of the first row, beginning with the first square. Take care not to draw inside a neighboring square. Continue onto the next row and begin filling in the alternate square in black, beginning with the second square. Repeat this process until you've completed filled in 32 of the 64 squares. This will create a checker board pattern.
- 8
  Cut the clear contact paper so that it's 20 inches square. Place the board on the table face up and peel back the corner of the contact paper. Bring the corner of the paper to any corner of the board and, allowing a 1-inch overhand on both sides, gently apply it to the chess board. Pull the wax paper lining away from the adhesive of the contact paper. Using the 6-inch ruler's edge, smooth out the contact paper as you apply it. Take your time and try to move the ruler across the board as you pull back the wax lining.
- 9
  Smooth out the contact paper from the edge where you began to the other two sides. There will be a 1-inch overhang of contact paper on the edges of the board. Using the scissors, cut away a square of the adhesive from each of the four corners and discard them. Turn the board over and fold the excess contact paper over the edges and press it against the back of the board.
- 10
  Cut a second piece of contact paper, 17 1/2 inches square. Using the same method to apply the contact paper as you did for the front of the board, apply it to the back, leaving a 1/2 inch of board along the edges. Your chess board is now complete and ready for use.

Chess & Checkers