DIY Indo Board/Balance Board: With Pictures

Looking for a simple way to spics up your home workouts? Well look no further! Here's a simple build to help keep you and your family entertained and fit all at the same time. Here's my super simple build for my own Indo / balance board with some scraps I found in my shed.

Supplies

1 x Plywood board (20mm or more thick)

1 x PVC pipe (110mm or less to make the balancing easier)

1 x Wood plank (32mm or more thick)

9 x Wood screws

Spray paint

Wood varnish

Step 1: Gather Your Tools

In terms of tools what you will need is:

A saw

Sand paper

Drill

screw driver

Circular saw

Of course there are other tools which will make a lot of things a lot easier but I managed to complete this build myself using only what is listed above

Step 2: Cut the PVC

Take your 110mm PVC and cut it to approximately 400mm in length with a hacksaw. Then level the ends with a sander.

If you don't have one, try cut as straight as you can with the saw by eye-balling it, it's not essential for the ends to be perfect.

Step 3: Size and Cut the Wooden Supports

Choose a plank that is 32mm or more in thickness. Pine is a great option but really any material will do. I used a 44mm thick piece.

Using the PVC trace the size of the plugs you will need, then cut them out with a saw and sand the edges till they sit in the pipe with a snug fit.

You can use as many plugs as you like, for myself I used one for each end and one in the middle for structural support of the pipe. You could use two inside for extra support also.

Step 4: Treat the Plugs (optional)

I used a wood stainer and some linseed oil to give the plugs on the outside of the pipe some aesthetics. This is completely optional but may just help the plugs last a little longer too.

Step 5: Drill and Screw in the Plugs

Starting with the inside plug, place it in the middle of the pipe. The easiest way to do this is first eye-ball its position then use any rigid object to measure how far in the plug is from one side and mark it with your thumb. Then place the same object into the other side and make sure your thumb lines up exactly with the edge again.

Using a drill press or a regular drill, make a hole exactly in the middle of the pipe big enough to fit your screws. This will ensure that the hole aligns with the enter of your plug too.

Drill another 2 holes totaling in three holes each a third of the way around the pipe circumference. You can also make 4 holes per plug if need be, this will again just add some extra stability.

Place the end plugs and drill the holes for them too. Use a cut off of the plank you used as a reference for how deep the plug sits and make your hole marker halfway down the height of your cutoff piece.

Step 6: Paint the Roller

You can spray your roller any colour you like. I used an all purpose matte black and just one coat. If you have kids or are a beginner you can also cover the roller in some shelf lining or grip tape to slow the rolling down during use later on.

Step 7: Measure, Cut and Sand Your Board

There are loads of balance board designs out there but I decided to go with a rounded rectangle about 760mm x 400mm. This is a little wide for me (5ft7) but ideal for anyone taller than I am.

Use minimum 20mm thick plywood and cut the shape out with a circular saw then sand the edges and surfaces by hand. I found the hand sanding gave the best finish without pulling apart the plywood layers on the edges.

(Optional) For added safety you can nail two stop blocks at the ends of the board on the underside to stop the roller from slipping out during use.

Step 8: Decorate and Varnish the Board

For some added flavour you can decorate the board before you varnish it. I burnt two stripes into the topside by painting the lines with petrol and lighting it with a blow torch.

I then varnished the board on both sides with one coat of a basic all weather coloured wood varnish. This is optional but will protect the board from bumps and scratches later on while giving a treatment to the wood.

Step 9: Enjoy!

My first attempt at one of these boards and there are a few things I'd maybe change next time I did it. But for some fun during the COVID-19 lockdown it was great and provided a new activity to keep us sane from the comforts of our home.

Leave some tips or share your own take on this in the comments too!