How to Set Up a Dart Board Correctly
Setting up a dart board at home is a fantastic idea for those who have the space to do so.
Dartboards aren’t as expensive as you might think. Even the best dartboards only cost around $50.
That’s a very small investment for something that brings so many hours of enjoyment, and it’s all you need to get started with learning how to play darts and practicing at home.
So let’s get started.
What You Need to Set Up a Dart Board
To set up a dart board at home, you’ll need:
- A good dart board
- A wall that is at least 6 feet 8 inches high and away from any windows
- A minimum of 9 feet of space back from the wall to throw
- A drill to create a screw hole
- A screw if attaching to a wall stud, or a wall-anchor otherwise
Hanging the Dart Board
You should hang a dart board so that the center of the inner bullseye is 5 feet 8 inches from the floor.
Before you go measuring up and drilling a hole right there, check the back of your dart board for the location of the mounting bracket.
Not all dartboards have their mounting brackets dead center where you’d expect. This is especially true of electronic dart boards.
If your dart board has a mounting bracket that is 2 inches above the center of the board, then you’ll need to measure 5 feet 10 inches from the floor before drilling.
Attaching the dart board to a wall stud is the best option since it will ensure the dartboard is sturdy. Wall studs are solid pieces of wood inside the wall. If you can’t hang the dart board on a wall stud, then be sure to use an appropriate wall anchor to support the dart board’s weight.
Once you’ve drilled your hole in a position that will allow the dartboard to hang with the bullseye 5 feet 8 inches from the floor, then screw in a screw to hang the dart board on.
Top tip: You should make sure the screw is as far in as it can go while still allowing the dart board mount to slot in between the screw and the wall. Dart boards should be hung flush to the wall, not hanging forwards at an angle.
Hang the dartboard on your screw with the 20 segment at the very top. Measure to double-check that the bullseye is 5 feet 8 inches from the floor.
Measure a Throwing Line
A lot of people make a mistake when measuring their throwing line (or oche).
They make this mistake because they read online that the throwing distance is 7 feet 9¼ inches. They then measure from the wall back 7 feet 9¼ inches and think yep, that’s great.
This is wrong:
Notice how the distance when measuring from the wall doesn’t meet where the back of the oche should be?
This is because the distance a throwing line should be is 7 feet 9¼ inches but from the dart board, not the wall.
Dart boards are an inch or two thick, and an inch or two makes a lot of difference when you need to be accurate within a few centimeters.
To avoid making this mistake, and providing you have even floors (you really should!), then it’s best to measure diagonally from the bullseye to the floor.
Place a measuring tape on the bullseye, measure 9 feet 7 inches½ back, then lower until the other end of the measuring tape touches the floor. That’s your throwing line.
As this diagram shows, you now have a correct throwing distance of 7 feet 9¼ inches from the dartboard:
Congratulations, you’re done!
There you have it, you’ve successfully set up your first dart board, and have hours of fun ahead of you.
Here’s a diagram showing all of the dart board measurements together for reference:
