Cribbage boards are a beautiful thing.
It’s the mark of a good woodworker to make your own cribbage boards at some point.
While I do dabble in woodworking projects on the side, I’m nowhere near this level of mastery.
Here are a few of my favorite Cribbage board design ideas to log away for later projects (or just to order!).
Want to take your Cribbage game to the next level? Check out this massive list of strategies for improving your game!
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Wine Barrel Cribbage Board
With a wife who loves wine and raw wood, this one, I think, would be a huge hit with her.
It looks rustic yet classic. I imagine this one isn’t too hard to make, but it still gives you a lot of bang for your buck.
Not that you have a lot of wine barrels around, but a lot of local wineries will sell them or even give them away if you only ask.
Lake Cribbage Boards
As a native Michigander, I can’t help but have a natural attraction to lakes and bodies of water.
I grew up on Lake Huron, vacationed on Mullet Lake (yes, that’s a real lake name), and literally worked in a city called Lake City.
To integrate my love (and I bet a lot of others too) of lakes and Cribbage in one beautiful board is a dream come true.
Simple And Extra Large
Not every board has to be fancy to be beautiful.
This one is simple yet great to look at.
And best of all, it’s extra-large.
This is great for helping with little hands (like those kids whose fine motor skills aren’t quite great at grabbing the tiny pegs) and with older hands who don’t have as much facility as they used to.
Plus, it looks sweet.
No Cribbage board collection is complete without a large board to play with.
Customized Name
Family heirlooms are important to a lot of people and to me.
Why not take pride in your family name?
A board like this, made out of quality wood and customized with the name of your choice, is a perfect gift or DIY goal.
Just watch out if you’ve got a long last name like mine! It may raise the price a bit.
Compass Cribbage Board
For those who love navigation, such as sailors or explorers, there’s something instinctively attractive about the compass directions.
This board is wonderfully made around the compass and looks great.
There’s a lot of intricate work on it, so it might not be a good DIY Cribbage design goal, but it’s certainly something to look at buying or handing off to a solid woodworker you know.
Compact Travel Cribbage Board
While you certainly can play Cribbage without a board (check out our advice on that front in the other article), it’s worthwhile to check out small travel cribbage boards.
I’ll be honest, most of them look cheap and feel cheap.
But this one looks classy and is made well.
It’s on my birthday list (let’s see if my wife gets the hint!).
Board With Hidden Peg Slot
Most boards only use a simple slot on the bottom to keep the pegs in, so when you see a unique idea for storing pegs like this one, it catches a Cribbage enthusiast’s attention.
It looks great on its own, but the storage space in the bottom like this is a real talking point.
Fishy Pine Board
I enjoy fishing, but my Grandpa loves it!
Sure, while he has a lot of Cribbage boards, I know this one will be a huge hit with him.
The Pine has a unique look, and not everyone likes it on their boards. It’s not hard to use this design with other woods and finishes, though, for a different style.
Maple Cribbage Board With Drawers For Cards And Pegs
Maple has got to be one of the most beautiful woods out there.
It looks great, and it’s pretty hard too.
It’ll last you a while.
But the thing that catches my eye the most is the drawers. Now, you have a place to store your pegs and your deck of cards. Awesome!
Star Wars Cribbage Board
Yes, I love Star Wars.
Yes, I want this board more than anything else in the world.
There’s no way I could make this work as a DIY design, but it’s something to aspire to, I guess.
The good thing about this design is that most Star Wars fans also usually enjoy “nerdy” things like playing cards, so you may have a double-whammy gift on your hands here.
Live Edge Board
A lot of folks are obsessed with live edge wood projects from table to floating shelves and, yes, Cribbage boards.
This one looks great, but yours won’t look exactly the same.
That’s the beauty of live edge wood!
Every one is a unique work of art, and it’s a great thing to show off when people come over.
Cribbage Table
If you’re into Cribbage so much you want to dedicate a whole piece of furniture to the game (and if you’re reading this article, you probably do!), check out the classic Cribbage table.
Some are simple conversions of already existing tables like this one, while there are some are ground-up new pieces made specifically for Cribbage.
This design idea is next on my list of wood projects to tackle. I already have a second-hand table I picked up to refinish and drill holes in.
Ocean Cribbage Board
Not a ton of designs go into the 3D world, but this Ocean-themed option is truly an eye-catcher.
Whether you play on it a ton or use it only occasionally and display it the rest of the time, it’s certainly something to look into.
Bear Cribbage Board
When I was looking through my many (many) saved Pins for boards to include on this list, one of my songs was helping me.
When he saw this bear one, he told me it had to make it on the list.
It was “too cute” in his words to leave off.
Golf-Theme Board
I enjoy golf but not as much as a lot of people.
To be sure, this golf board looks pretty sweet.
Don’t confuse it with the rare game, Cribbage Golf, which is a different type of Cribbage.
For more types, click the link above.
Paddle Board
My mom is a huge fan of paddleboarding, and she also enjoys playing the card game, though not as much as me.
Her birthday is in October, so I still have a while to make this one as a gift.
If you like paddleboarding too, this is a great design for you.
Natural Branch
There are a whole host of board styles like this one: all-natural.
Branches are a common option, but anything that’ll last a while when finished and can fit 121 or 61 holes will be a cool idea to try out.
My grandfather-in-law has one made out of deer antler. I’ll take a picture and add it to this list at some point.
You might also want to check out our article on cribbage cut rules.
