Setting Up Your Dartboard
A properly set up dartboard transforms your darts experience. The correct height and distance aren't just rules — they're calibrated so the game works. Get the setup right and your practice translates to pub, league, and tournament play.
The Regulation Measurements
Board Height
The centre of the bullseye must be 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 metres) from the floor. This is non-negotiable in competitive play and should be standard for any home setup.
Throwing Distance (Oche)
Steel-tip: The front of the throwing line (oche) must be 7 feet 9.25 inches (2.37 metres) from the face of the board.
Soft-tip: Many electronic board leagues use 8 feet (2.44 metres), though this varies.
The Diagonal Check
To verify your setup, measure diagonally from the bullseye to the oche. The diagonal distance should be 9 feet 7.5 inches (2.93 metres) for steel-tip. This is a quick way to confirm both height and distance are correct.
Choosing Your Location
Space Requirements
You need more space than you might think:
- Behind the board: At least 60cm clearance each side for stray darts
- Throwing area: 2.5m from board to oche, plus at least 1m behind the oche for the thrower
- Width: At least 1.5m wide to stand comfortably and for darts to land either side
- Total room: Ideally 4m deep by 2m wide minimum
Ideal Locations
- Garage — The classic home darts location. Concrete or masonry walls handle stray darts without damage
- Spare room — With proper wall protection (see below)
- Shed — Works well in warmer months. Insulate for year-round use
- Basement — Excellent if you have one. Good acoustics too
- Garden (covered) — Under a veranda or substantial awning. Protect the board from moisture
Locations to Avoid
- Shared walls — The thud of darts can annoy neighbours in flats or semi-detached houses
- Near windows — Stray darts and glass don't mix
- High-traffic areas — Never behind a door or in a hallway where people walk
- Damp areas — Moisture destroys sisal boards rapidly
Mounting the Board
Wall Fixing
Most quality bristle boards come with a wall bracket. The standard method:
- Fix the bracket to the wall at the correct height (measure to where the bullseye centre will sit)
- Use appropriate wall fixings for your wall type (rawl plugs for masonry, toggle bolts for plasterboard)
- Hang the board on the bracket
- Rotate the board so that the 20 segment is at the top, the black section of the 20 is on the right
- Use a spirit level to ensure the board is straight
Standalone Stands
If you can't (or don't want to) drill into walls, dartboard stands are available:
- Floor stands — Freestanding metal frames, some with a surround. Portable and stable
- Door-hanging stands — Hook over a door. Less stable but zero installation
- Wheeled cabinets — Premium option with built-in surround and storage
Wall Protection
Unless you're playing on a concrete garage wall, you need wall protection. Even good players miss occasionally, and beginners will hit the wall regularly.
Dart Surrounds
A foam or rubber ring that sits around the board, catching stray darts. The standard protection method:
- Fits around the board's circumference
- Absorbs impact from steel-tip darts
- Available in various colours (black is standard)
- Cost: 10-25
Backing Boards
A larger flat board mounted behind the dartboard:
- Cork sheets (cheap, effective, but crumbles over time)
- MDF or plywood with dense fabric covering
- Commercial dartboard cabinets (include backboard and doors)
DIY Solutions
- A large piece of cork tile (available from DIY stores)
- Dense foam exercise mats attached to the wall
- An old carpet offcut hung behind the board
Lighting
Good lighting is essential. You need to see the board clearly without shadows obscuring the numbers.
Dedicated Dartboard Lights
Purpose-built lights that attach above the board and angle downward, illuminating the entire surface evenly:
- Ring lights — LED rings that surround the board. Excellent, even illumination
- Overhead strip lights — Mount above the board, angled down
- LED spotlights — Simple and effective
DIY Lighting
- A desk lamp positioned above and behind the oche works surprisingly well
- LED strip lighting attached to the wall above the board
- Avoid lights that are directly behind the player (creates a shadow on the board)
Key Principles
- Even illumination — No shadows on the board face
- No glare — The light shouldn't shine into the thrower's eyes
- Consistent — The board should look the same every time you play
The Oche
The oche (rhymes with "hockey") is the throwing line. In a pub, it's usually a raised strip of wood on the floor or a line on the carpet. At home:
- Tape — Simplest option. Electrical tape or gaffer tape on the floor
- Adhesive oche strips — Purpose-made, with measuring guide
- Raised oche — A strip of wood (minimum 38mm high) fixed to the floor. The regulation option
- Mat — A rubber throwing mat with the oche line printed on it. Also protects the floor from dropped darts
The oche must be at least 610mm (2 feet) long.
Accessories Worth Having
Scoreboard
Essential unless you have an electronic board. Options:
- Chalk scoreboard — Traditional, cheap, requires chalk and mental arithmetic
- Dry-wipe scoreboard — Clean and easy to see
- Electronic scoreboard — Does the maths for you, but adds cost
- App — Many free darts scoring apps for your phone (prop it up near the board)
Dart Mat
Protects your floor from dropped darts and provides a consistent surface to stand on. Many include printed oche lines and distances.
Dart Sharpener
Steel-tip darts need occasional sharpening. A cylindrical stone or fine-grit sharpener keeps points in shape. Over-sharpened needles actually bounce out more — you want a slightly rounded point.
Spare Flights and Shafts
Flights wear out and shafts break. Buy spares from the start. They're cheap and you'll use them.
Electronic Board Setup
Electronic (soft-tip) boards have their own considerations:
- Power source — Most need mains power or batteries. Plan access
- Sound — Electronic boards are louder than bristle. Consider location
- Clearance — The board itself is thicker than a bristle board. Ensure clearance for wall mounting
- Volume settings — Many boards have adjustable volume for voice scoring
The Perfect Home Setup Checklist
- Board at 5'8" (centre of bullseye from floor)
- Oche at 7'9.25" from board face (steel-tip)
- Wall protection in place (surround minimum)
- Even, shadow-free lighting
- Scoreboard visible from the oche
- Clear floor area (no trip hazards)
- Adequate ventilation (important in enclosed spaces with multiple players)
- A spot for your drink (obviously)
Measurements provided follow World Darts Federation and Darts Regulation Authority standards. Always check with your local league for any specific requirements.