Hanging up your dartboard
It is a bit harder than you think it is…
When learning how to play darts, many people overlook the importance of how their dartboard will be hung. When I originally got a dartboard, I imagined I'd hang it up somewhere and start playing right away. And I'm here to tell you that I was completely wrong.
The way you hang your dartboard has a significant impact on your aim, throwing action, and throwing distance. Making an error in any of those areas could send your game into shambles.
As a result, I always advise sticking to the broadly agreed best practices when it comes to hanging a dartboard. To make it as straightforward as possible, I've listed the steps below.
Location
According to dart guidelines, you'll need an 11-foot by 5-foot space to put up your dartboard.
In order to avoid having to constantly interrupt the game while you're playing to allow others pass, or worse, take a steel dart out of your friend's eye, make sure that this area is distant from pathways, bathrooms, or doorways. You don't want any accidents happening!
Please move anything delicate like windows or vases out of the way because your dart can bounce up to 8 feet (2.44 m) away from the board.
To eliminate distractions and make it easier to collect your darts, make sure your environment is free of furniture and barriers. Include a space for viewers as well.
Be sure to keep your wall safe.
The best way to protect your walls is with a surround. Sorry to break it to you, but no matter how skilled you are, you will throw the occasional stray dart! And unless you have something to protect it, it will leave an ugly hole in the wall. These holes are unsightly, difficult to repair, and can make everyone else in the home resentful of your dart obsession — thus they should be avoided!
Surrounds also aid in the protection of the darts itself. When your darts land in a soft foam surround rather than a hard wall composed of brick, plaster, or wood, they are considerably less likely to be damaged or blunted.
Top tip: While it is more vital to protect your walls when using steel tip darts, soft tip darts can also leave scratches, thus we recommend a surround for all types of boards!
Darts are less likely to ricochet off the surroundings than they would if they hit a wall. This prevents darts from flying around and possibly striking someone close.
Keep your floor looking nice.
A 3-foot wide carpet or rubber mat that extends two feet 6 inches (15.24 cm) beyond your throw line should help keep your floor or carpets safe.
What is the best way to hang your dartboard?
Your dart board should hang 5 feet and 8 inches (173 cm) from the floor to the bull's eye, according to dart rules.
1. For dart boards hanging from the centre, measure 68 inches (1.73 m) up the wall with your tape measure, draw a mark, and this should be your bull's eye.
2. Screw your bracket to the wall with a screwdriver. The use of a U-shaped wall bracket is ideal. Screw the bracket in with toggle bolts instead of screws if you want it to be more secure.
3. Put a short broad head screw at the precise middle of the dartboard’s back, leaving it at least a quarter inch out. This is the piece that will go into the wall bracket you've installed.
4. If your dartboard is hanging from the top, measure the distance between the bulls-eye and the hanger and multiply by 5 feet 8 inches to obtain the correct height. To hang it, place your bracket or screw on the wall.
5. Attach the rubber feet or metal strips given by the manufacturer to the rear of the board to ensure that the surface is level.
6. Make sure your dartboard is flat against the wall and not tilted.
It's also worth noting that some dartboards come with everything you'll need to get started. Many others, however, do not.
How do you figure out your throw line?
The throwing or toe line in darts is 3 feet (ca. 91 cm) broad and 7 feet and 9.25 inches (2.37 m) for steel tips, and 8 feet (2.44 metres) from the face of the board for soft tips.
This measurement should be taken from the board's face, omitting the little gap between the board and the wall.
That's all there is to it! You're all set to have some fun with your buddies and toss some darts.
