--- title: "How to Build a Horseshoe Pit" description: "You don't need special skills to play horseshoes or construct a horseshoe pit. With lumber and play sand, you can DIY a pit in plenty of time for summer." date: "2013-06-18" modified: "2025-01-28" authors: - name: "Jennifer Noonan" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/jennifer-noonan/" url: "https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-build-a-horseshoe-pit/" categories: - "DIY" - "Lawn & Garden" - "Outdoor Living" - "Skills & Techniques" tags: - "How To" --- # How to Build a Horseshoe Pit ![Closeup of a horseshoe around a horseshoe stake and rust-colored sand.]() *Photo: Brad Calkins / Depositphotos* If you're looking for ways to make your backyard more fun, why not build a horseshoe pit? There’s more than one way to approach this easy, inexpensive project, but the basics hold true no matter your approach. Read on for a full tutorial on how to build a horseshoe pit for entertainment for all ages, all season long. ### Tools & Materials Bobvila.com may earn a commission from purchases made through these links. - [Circular saw]() - [Stakes]() - [Sledgehammer]() - [Shovel]() - [Pressure-treated lumber ]() - [Fasteners]() - [Play sand]() - [Landscaping fabric]() ### Step 1: Measure your space. In a "regulation" pit, horseshoe pit dimensions require that stakes be exactly 40 feet apart. Those stakes should sit within a box that, while at least 31 by 43 inches, measures no larger than 36 by 72 inches. Common horseshoe pit dimensions for backyard play is 36 by 48 inches. You can make only one box, but horseshoes technically involves two boxes: one for stakes and one for pitching. So in all, a 48-by-6-foot rectangular area must be set aside for the game. **Note:** Orient your pits in a north/south direction so that you can play comfortably, without your face in direct sunlight. ### Step 2: Build the horseshoe boxes. Assuming a pair of 36 by 48-inch horseshoe pits, you will need to cut eight pieces of lumber—that is, four pieces measuring 36 inches and four pieces measuring 48 inches. Using fasteners appropriate for the lumber you've chosen, assemble the wood pieces into two identical rectangular boxes. ### Step 3: Set the boxes. You can get away with simply setting your boxes on the ground, but it's a better idea to dig trenches so that each box can sit flush to the ground. If you want, line the bottom of each horseshoe pit with [landscape fabric]() to suppress weed growth and keep sand from sinking into the dirt. ### Step 4: Set the stakes. Set the stakes a minimum of 21 inches from the front of the box. Be sure the stakes are sticking up about 14 or 15 inches from the ground. Drive the stakes on a bias, so they lean toward the other pit at a slight angle of about 3 inches. ### Step 5: Fill the pits with sand. Fill both pits with sand. The type used for sandboxes is the best and most accessible in stores. Depending on the exact dimensions of the boxes you've built, expect to use five or six bags of sand to fill each pit. If you want to invest more real estate and effort, you can upgrade your pit with backboards and pitching platforms. Most of the time, however, a no-frills design is more than enough to enthrall players of all ages and skill levels. If only "scoring a ringer" were as easy as it is to build a horseshoe pit! ## Author A confessed DIY junkie, Jennifer Noonan writes about home improvement, gardening, and all things do-it-yourself. The recipient of degrees in International Relations and Library & Information Science from Syracuse University, Noonan has worked in media and related fields for over 15 years, including her time at [MTV Networks](), where she served as Manager of Digital Programming at [Nickelodeon](). Today, Noonan lives in Delaware with her husband and daughters, where she is ardently teaching the next generation how to use power tools. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]()