How to build your own football goal

• 1 crossbar: 2400 x 70 x 45 mm 
• 2 posts: 1600 x 70 x 45 mm
• 2 side sections/top struts: 600 x 45 x 45 mm
• 2 side sections/bottom struts: 1000 x 45 x 45 mm
• 2 rear support posts: 1700 x 45 x 45 mm
• 1 base strut: 2310 x 54 x 34 mm
• 4 wood screws for the frame: 6 x 100 mm
• 8 wood screws for the side sections: 6 x 100 mm
• 52 wood screws for fastening the brackets, hinges and floor anchors: 4 x 35 mm
• 2 metal brackets (stainless steel or galvanised steel) for frame stabilisation: 140 x 140 x 20 mm (3 or 5 mm thick)
• 4 folding hinges (stainless steel or galvanised steel): 60 x 60 mm
• 2 wooden dowels: 10 x 40 mm
• 60-65 screw hooks: 3.3 x 50 mm (16 mm width)
• 1 football net: for 160 x 240 cm goal size, preferably in white
• 4 angle connectors/metal brackets (bracket for floor anchors): 90 x 90 x 65 mm
• 4 floor anchors (pegs): 30 cm long
• Wood glue
• Wood protection oil

• A chainsaw, such as the STIHL MSA 70
• Cordless screwdriver and bits to fit the screws
  
• Cordless drill and wood drill, 5 and 10 mm diameter
• Multi-grinder, 150 grit sandpaper
• Hook screwdriver
• Rubber mallet
• Workbench
• Trestle
• Tape measure
• Set square / carpenter’s square 
• Pencil
• Paint brush
• A lawn mower, such as the STIHL RMA 448 RV
• ECO marker, white

Don't forget that you should always wear personal protective equipment when working with power tools. This includes, for example, safety glasses, gloves and more. The required PPE will be listed in the instruction manual for your product and you should read it fully before use. Familiarise yourself with your tool before using it for the first time, and check it before every use for any damage.

On request, your STIHL dealer will be happy to prepare your power tool for its first job, and will also advise you on models and sizes of protective clothing that you can try on at your leisure. Please remember that personal protective equipment is no substitute for safe working.

First, use a chainsaw, such as the STIHL MSA 70, to cut the crossbar for the goal and the two posts to fit. Then saw the upper and lower side struts to size. The next step is to adjust the rear support posts and the bottom strut to the correct length.

Now cut the top and bottom side struts at the ends so they have a 15-degree angle. Do the same with the top and bottom of the rear support posts.

Sand all wooden parts thoroughly with the multi-grinder so that the goal does not have any sharp edges or splinters. Then treat all the wooden parts individually with wood protection oil and allow them to dry according to the instructions on the packaging.

Pre-drill the holes first to avoid splinters. Now screw the slats to the two posts from above with two wood screws each. To secure the posts, they are also screwed in place diagonally from bottom to top with a long wood screw.

The posts should then be stabilised with metal brackets. Screw the metal bracket to the inside of the goal frame with 4 wood screws. Then screw the upper and lower side struts to the rear support posts with two wood screws each. All parts should be flush with each other and form an open trapeze.

Now attach the hinges for the side sections to the bottom ends of the inside of the goal posts and screw the side sections to them tight.

Now you can open both side sections and set up the DIY football goal. Place the floor strut flush with the rear of the side wall.

Draw the outline of the bottom strut on the inside of the support post. Use the 10 mm drill bit to drill a hole in the middle of the outline (around half the thickness of the support post) to accommodate a wooden dowel. Repeat on the other side of the bottom strut.

Now clamp the floor strut into the workbench so that one end overhangs slightly. Draw 2 intersecting lines onto the cut end using a set square and a pencil. At the intersection of the lines, use a 10 mm drill bit to drill a hole for the free (not glued) side of the wooden dowel; this hold should be slightly more than half the length of the dowel.

Now glue wooden dowels to the two ends of the floor strut. You have already drilled the appropriate holes for this in step 7.

Fit the floor anchor brackets (angled connectors) on the outside at the bottom of the front posts and the rear support posts. Then attach the floor strut to the right and left of the rear support posts with the wooden dowels to build your own football goal.

Hang the net loosely over the goal. Insert the screw hooks at a spacing of approx. 20 cm on all the struts of the goal, and loop the net on to the hooks to complete your DIY football goal.

Before the football goal is put into use, you should prepare the lawn and mow it to a height of approx. 3 cm. For particularly precise mowing results, the fully automatic iMOW® robotic lawnmower takes care of mowing for you and leaves more time to play football instead! Place the goal in its final position and secure it to the floor with the floor anchors or pegs.

Now all you need to do is mark the goal line with ECO marker and start playing!

An official football goal, like the one used in professional sports, is 2.44 metres high and 7.32 metres wide.

The children’s football goal in our example is 1.6 metres high and 2.4 metres wide. But you can adjust the size to whatever suits you and your family.