What Is Needed to Make a Flannel Board?

A flannel board is a story telling devise that consist of flat surface covered with flannel. The board is used to attached flannel backed pictures or shapes to tell a story or teach a lesson. The flannel pieces stay in place on the board but are easily changed as the story or lesson progresses. A flannel board is a tool to help keep children focused on what is being taught. Flannel boards are used by Sunday school, preschool and early-childhood educators.
Any type of wood can be used for the backing of the board. For this project we are going to use plywood.

Gather Your Materials

The materials are for a classroom sized 4-foot by 4-foot board. Modify these measurements to suit your needs.
To make a flannel board you need a piece of plywood. Plywood comes in standard 4-foot-wide by 8 foot wide by 1/4-inch thick sheets from the hardware store. That is bigger than we need for this project. Most major hardware stores will cut it to size for a small extra charge.
You also need a piece of flannel wide enough so that you can have an 2-inch fold over for each side of the plywood. For this project the flannel piece needs to be a 52-inch by 52-inch piece of fabric.
You will also need a staple gun or 2-inch-wide duct tape and sandpaper.
To finish the back of the board you will need a second piece of 47-inch by 47-inch flannel. You'll also need a hot glue gun.

Preparing the Plywood

Sand the plywood until it is smooth. This is an optional step. Sanding helps prevent splinters when using the board.

Assembling The Board

Lay the flannel piece on a flat surface. Center the plywood on top the the flannel. Starting from one side fold the fabric over the board and tape in place.
tape all four side. Turn the board over to what is now the front of the flannel board. Make sure the front side of the board is smooth with no bumps or wrinkles. Adjust the fabric as needed until it is smooth. Staple the fabric to the plywood or add extra duct tape to secure.

Covering The Back of the Board

This step will not improve the functionality of your board but it is a nice final touch and will help protect from the possibility of getting splinters when moving the board.
Lay the board backside up on a flat surface. Center the second piece of flannel over the back of the board so all the tape and/or staples are hidden. Hot glue the second piece of fabric in place for a finished look to your board.

Other Uses for A Flannel Board

Quilters use flannel boards to lay out the pieces of their quilt blocks. You can quickly change out colors and shapes, trying different patterns before deciding the final look of a quilt block and the fabric pieces won't move around while you are making adjustments. Small boards, 1-inch by 1-inch squares are a nice size for use as a child's toy.