Jenga is a super fun game suitable for all ages. While the traditional Jenga game only requires a small space in your living room, there are also some other Jenga variations.
Giant Jenga is slowly becoming more popular. The game blocks are bigger and it’s a lot more exciting to see the large tower move with each piece.
You don’t even have to buy a giant Jenga game, instead you can simply make it yourself with some basic tools.
In this tutorial, I’ll take you through each step of how to make your own giant Jenga.
Materials You’ll Need To Build A Giant Jenga
It’s surprisingly easy to build your own unique giant Jenga game. Here are all the essential materials you’ll need.
3/4″ thick plywood 18″x18″
Six 2″x4″ pine boards to make 54 pieces sized 10 1/2″
One 2″x4” pine board to make the sides for 18″x18″ plywood base
Sandpaper (120 to 180 grit)
Optional paint or stain of your choice
Paint brush if you want to paint or stain your Jenga pieces
Threaded Feet for base
15 Kreg Screws
Orbital sander
Drill
Circular saw
Pencil
Tape measure
Eye protection
Ear protection
How To Make Your Own Giant Jenga Game
Making a giant Jenga game is surprisingly good fun. If you have all your tools and materials ready, here is a step-by-step guide on how to build a giant Jenga.
Step 1: Prepare Yourself And Your Workspace
Before you start cutting your pieces and preparing the Jenga platform, you need to make sure that you wear all your protective gear.
This is essential to protect your eyes, ears and hands.
Step 2: Build The Jenga Platform
The first essential building step for your Jenga game is to create a platform where it can stand on.
You will need to take your ¾” plywood and cut it to a square piece of 18”x18”. You can use a table saw or circular saw for this.
Then, cut out a frame with 2”x4” boards. Next, you will need to cut two boards to 18” and two boards to 15”. All this can be easily done with a circular saw.
Now, take your screws and attach the small 2”x4” boards to each other and each cut plywood piece.
If you like, you can now screw on the threaded self-levelling feet but that’s an optional if you regularly play on uneven ground.
This should give you a solid platform that ‘s stable enough to keep your Jenga tower steady.
Step 3: Cut Your 54 Jenga Blocks
Now it’s time to start cutting your Jenga blocks. There are 54 pieces in a traditional Jenga game but you can vary this as you like. Just make sure to reduce or increase the number by 3.
Get your 2”x4” boards and then cut 54 pieces with a 10.5” length. It’s a good idea to use the stop setting on your miter saw to get the same length.
Step 4: Sand Your Jenga Pieces
Once you have your platform and all your Jenga blocks cut to size, you will need to sand the wood.
You can do this either with an orbital sander which makes it much quicker, or you can simply use sandpaper.
If you get all the family involved to help you with sanding, then it’s a fast job.
The sanding allows you to remove any sharp edges from the wood. It also prepares the timber pieces for the staining or painting step later.
If you want to make your Jenga pieces look more professional, then you can also sand the edges and corners, so they get a round shape.
Step 5: Apply Boiled Linseed Oil
While you can already play with your Jenga pieces after they have been sanded, it’s a good idea to apply some linseed oil to protect the wood.
When applying the linseed oil, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions and allow plenty of time for the oil to dry.
Step 6: Paint The Jenga Pieces
If you like the traditional plain-wood look of your Jenga, then you can skip this part. However, it’s worth considering applying a good sealant to your blocks.
A wood sealant or wax would ensure that the Jenga pieces last longer, especially when you plan to use them outside.
Alternatively, you can also apply some simple wood stain which protects the blocks and keeps the nice wooden appearance of a classic Jenga.
But you can also apply different color wood paints to your Jenga pieces to make the game look more fun.
Just paint each block with the same color, or mix them up with your favorite colors. That’ll make your giant Jenga more entertaining for kids.
Step 7: Play Giant Jenga
Once your giant Jenga pieces are all ready, you can set up your platform in the yard and start stacking up your Jenga pieces on top.
Make sure that you create rows of three pieces, alternating the stacking direction of each layer.
You can also use different color blocks to create a pretty pattern or simply stack them all randomly.
Then you are ready to start playing. Allow each player to take out a piece of the stack without toppling over the tower.
Step 8: Store Your Giant Jenga Pieces
When you are done with playing giant Jenga, you can store the wood pieces and your base in a storage container or plastic tote bag.
Make sure that you store everything in a dry place, so the wooden pieces aren’t exposed to moisture and rot.
If you love DIY, then you can also build your own storage crate, box or container for your giant Jenga game.
Final Thoughts
Giant Jenga is a really fun game to play with your partner, friends and family. Plus, you don’t have to play it inside your living room.
Thanks to its larger size pieces, giant Jenga is ideal as a backyard game to entertain kids of all ages.
Hi, my name is Jenna King and I used to be so bored with my life - waking up, working, watching TV, and going to bed.
I made one major change in my life - I started saying yes to everything. My friend wanted to take a cooking class with me, which I would never normally do, but I said yes.
I created this website as an inspiration to you, no matter where you are in life, to get out there and try something new.
Right now - pick something from my site, whether it be a recipe, DIY, or activity - and have fun!
