Building a Tic-Tac-Throw Board

Hey there! I'm Red, and this one is a little different from my usual posts. This Tic-Tac-Throw board is not something you'll find in my shop. It was a one-of-a-kind build I created for an elementary school carnival. But after getting so many questions about how I actually pulled it off, I figured the best answer was a full step-by-step guide right here on the blog. So grab your tools and let's get into it!

This step-by-step guide will walk you through building a custom, splatter-painted Tic-Tac-Throw yard game using a plywood base and modified Velcro paddles.

Materials and Tools Needed

Game Board Materials

• 1 Plywood Board (4 ft. x 8 ft., 1/2" thick)
• White Paint (Primer or Base Coat)
• Black Paint
• Acrylic Paint (Assorted bright colors for splattering)
• Oracle 651 Adhesive Vinyl
• 1-Inch Painter's Tape

Paddles and Hardware

• 9 Velcro Toss Game Paddles
• 18 Short Wood Screws (e.g., 1/2" length to prevent poking through the back)
• Cement Glue (or heavy-duty contact cement)

Required Tools

• Power Drill / Driver with an extended bit
• Cricut Machine and Weeding Tool
• Clear Acrylic Quilting Ruler (or standard T-square)
• Paint Roller and Brushes
• Heat Gun
• Drop Cloths or Protective Plastic

Step-by-Step Instructions

Phase 1: Preparing the Board Base

1. Sand the Edges: Smooth down all outer edges of the 4 ft. x 8 ft. plywood board to remove splinters.
2. Apply Base Coat: Coat the entire front surface and all four side edges with white paint.
3. Let Dry: Allow the white paint to dry completely before moving to the layout phase.

Phase 2: Measuring and Masking

4. Layout Spacing: Lay out your 9 Velcro paddles onto the dry board. Measure the exact spacing needed between them to ensure an even grid, leaving enough room at the top and bottom for text.
5. Cut Vinyl Stencils: Use your Cricut machine to cut out the phrases "TIC-TAC-THROW" and "3 IN A ROW WINS!" in Oracle 651 adhesive vinyl.
6. Apply Stencils and Grid: Transfer and stick the vinyl letters onto the designated top and bottom sections of the white board. Lay down the 1-inch painter's tape across the middle section to form the classic 9-square tic-tac-toe grid.

Phase 3: Painting and Splattering

7. Apply Top Coat: Roll black paint evenly over the entire board, including the sides. Avoid overloaded rollers to prevent heavy clumping over your stencils.
8. Reveal Design: While the black paint is still slightly tacky, carefully peel away the vinyl lettering and painter's tape. This will reveal the crisp white text and grid lines beneath.
9. Dry Overnight: Allow the black and white base layer to cure overnight.
10. Add Paint Splatters: Lay down protective cloths under and widely around the board workspace. Dip a paintbrush into your bright accent colors. Use sharp wrist-flicking motions to splatter the paint across the board in multiple directions.
11. Final Board Cure: Let the splattered paint dry completely overnight before attaching hardware.

Paddle Deconstruction and Attachment

To ensure the plastic paddles sit perfectly flush and secure against the wood, deconstruct and mount them using the method below.

[Plastic Outer Ring] ---> [Velcro Fabric Sheet] ---> [Plastic Backing Base (Screwed to Wood)]

Step 1: Disassembly and Peeling

• Use a fine-tipped tool (like a Cricut weeding tool) to carefully pry and pop the front plastic ring off the outer rim of the paddle.
• Apply heat to the outer edges using a heat gun to soften the factory adhesive.
• Carefully peel the flexible green and red Velcro fabric sheet away from the hard black plastic base, setting the fabric and outer rings aside.

Step 2: Aligning and Securing the Bases

• Lay the bare black plastic paddle bases onto their designated painted grid squares.
• Use a clear acrylic ruler stretched across the grid lines to ensure all paddle bases align perfectly straight and level with one another.
• Using a power drill equipped with an extended driver bit, drive 2 wood screws horizontally across the flat center area of the black plastic backing.
• Note: Ensure your screws are flush so they do not create lumps under the Velcro fabric later.

Step 3: Reassembly and Finishing

• Apply a fresh layer of cement glue along the outer rim trench where the factory glue was located.
• Press the red and green Velcro fabric sheet firmly back over the plastic base, aligning it evenly over the screw heads.
• Snap the black plastic outer ring back over the edges to lock the fabric down and completely conceal the mounting perimeter.
• Repeat this process for all 9 grid squares.