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How to Build a Lawn Chess Set

Building an outdoor chess set requires the use of power tools and a large workspace. You can purchase lawn chess sets for approximately $400, but building your own set costs only a fraction of the commercial price. Chessboards can be made of wood or created on a painter's canvas.

Things You'll Need

20-by-20 foot piece of painter's canvas or wood board
Hammer
Paneling nails
Paint and paintbrushes
Clear coat weatherproof spray
2 3-inch wood knobs
20 2-inch wood balls
16 2-inch candle cups
10 1-inch candle cups
4 2-inch wood cubes
16 1-inch wood cubes
4 1-inch wood barrels or spools
20 3-inch doll pin stands
4 4-inch candlesticks
22 2 1/2-inch wood head beads
28 2 5/9-inch candle cups
12 4 1/2-by-3 1/4 inch milk cans
8 3- to 4-inch milk cans with lids
Hot glue gun
Yardstick
Permanent marker

Instructions

- 1
  Paint the parts to make the chess pieces in desired colors--half of the set one color, the second half another color. Allow to dry before assembling.
- 2
  Lay painter's canvas on a flat surface. Use yardstick to measure 18 rows of squares onto canvas or board.
- 3
  Paint squares in two separate colors in chessboard fashion.
- 4
  Dry the lawn chessboard overnight. Apply clear coat of polyurethane to chessboard; let dry overnight. Apply two coats on each side if using painter's canvas.
- 5
  Create 16 chess pawns. Attach 1-inch candle cups to doll pin stand with nails or hot glue. Attach 1-inch cube and wood head bead to pawn with hot glue or nails.
- 6
  Make four rooks. Attach the 4 1/2-inch milk cans to a 2-inch candle cup. Attach a wood head bead and upside-down 4 1/2-inch candle cup to chess piece base. Add an additional 41/2-inch right-side-up candle cup and wood ball with hot glue or nails.
- 7
  Build four chess castle pieces. Attach a 3-inch milk can with lid to 2-inch wood cube with hot glue or nails. Add 1-inch cube to each side of the attached 2-inch wood cube. Attach wood ball to the top of the chess pieces with hot glue or nails.
- 8
  Create four chess knight pieces. Connect 2-inch candle cups to the candlesticks with hot glue or nail. Attach a 2-inch candle cup and upside-down 1-inch candle cup to knight base with hot glue or nails. Attach a wood ball to the top of the piece with glue or nails.
- 9
  Build two chess king pieces. Attach a 2-inch candle cup to a spool with glue or nails. Add a wood knob and an upside-down 1-inch candle cup with glue or nails. Add a wood bead head, then another 1-inch candle cup, and a wood ball with glue or nails.
- 10
  Make two chess queen pieces. Attach a 2-inch candle cup to a wooden spool or barrel piece with hot glue or nails. Add a wooden bead head, doll pin stand, another bead head, 1-inch candle cup and a wood ball with hot glue or nails.
- 11
  Spray or paint on clear coat. Let chess pieces dry overnight.

Chess & Checkers