Those that are new to darts often stumble upon the same problem in the beginning, and that’s trying to determine the best place to hang a dartboard. Even with the best electronic dartboard, the board must be hung in a certain way, so that the walls in the home and any surrounding furniture or décor are not susceptible to damage. So, let’s go over the different options of dartboard placement and learn about safe alternatives and the proper pro setup.
Where Not to Hang Your Dartboard
Darts is a popular game that you can find in bars, family game centers, arcades, pizza places, and many other types of family-oriented businesses. It’s a fun game that requires patience and skill, but it’s also very affordable to purchase your own setup and enjoy a round of darts with the family, in the comfort of your own home.
Dartboards are hung on a wall or placed in a dartboard cabinet. In most cases, the best place to put a dartboard is in an area of the home that features the type of clearance that’s needed to throw darts, safely. The board should never be placed in a high traffic area, or in a room that has very little space to work with. So, before you even think about putting your new board up, make sure you have the necessary space to play the game. You’ll need some clearance on each side of the board. You must also avoid hanging it by objects that can get damaged by stray darts, such as outlets, electrical boxes, or near windows. A good dart backboard can also help save your walls from taking unnecessary damage.
Choosing the Right Space
There are several areas and plenty of rooms in the home where you can hang up your new board. If you don’t have much space to work within your home, then a dartboard may not be the right choice for you. You don’t want to purchase a pro-quality setup and not have enough room in the home to comfortably throw a dart. Compromising your throw can result in a low score and missed shots, which can be very frustrating for most players. Fortunately, while you do need a dedicated setup in the home, darts won’t take up nearly as much space as say a pool table or foosball table, but you will need to set aside some room to give players the space they need to throw, without putting them in the middle of heavy foot traffic in the home.
Garage
Many dart enthusiasts will set up their board in the garage, which can be a great open space where you can freely throw your darts, without worrying about wall damage.
Bedroom
A bedroom can also be a good place for your new bristle dartboard setup, and one where you won’t have to worry about a stray dart hitting someone walking by or damaging wall hangings, the TV, or other objects.
The important thing is to have room for a throw line which is usually placed at around 8 feet from the darts, depending on the regulations you’re following. Most good dart mats have various throw lines on them that can help you train for different local tournaments!
Living Room
The family living room is the main room in the home where family and friends gather and hang out. While it can be a bad choice to place the board, since there’s the risk of damaging your furniture or other objects, and it’s a relatively busy space, if you have a larger living room, then you can set aside a good chunk of it for your board. I would recommend purchasing a dartboard cabinet for this hanging option.
Basement
Aside from the garage, the basement is one of the most popular places for darts. A basement can easily be converted into a rec room or man cave. Just like the garage, you also won’t have to worry too much about damaging the walls or being interrupted by family members or friends walking through the space as you’re about to throw. However, if you are planning on setting up your board here, make sure you address any lighting issues since basements are often poorly lit.
Other Placement Options
Basically, the best room in the home to hang your board will be one that’s not too cluttered, a spacious place that gives you plenty of room to throw, without interference, and a set up that includes wall protection, so stray darts won’t cause any damage.
Hanging Your Board
Most people will hang their dartboard on the back of a door or on a wall, which is fine if you’re playing with soft tip darts. But if you’re using steel tip darts, then you’ll need to purchase a dartboard cabinet or wall protectors to prevent stray darts from damaging your walls or hitting any surrounding objects.
The board should be placed in an area that will allow for four feet of clearance on each side. This will give the player plenty of space to throw comfortably.
The next step is marking the throw line, also known as the oche. This is the line a player will stand at when throwing a dart. The distance from the throwing line to the dartboard will depend on the type of darts used. There are different distance requirements for steel tip darts and soft tip darts. To learn more, click here to read my guide on dart rules.
Final Thoughts
The best place to hang a dartboard is a low traffic area in your home that offers plenty of space for the player to comfortably throw a dart without the worry of hitting the walls or any surrounding objects. A board can be placed in the garage, basement, spare room, your bedroom, the basement, or even your living room, if you have a large space that’s out of the way of heavy foot traffic. A dart setup requires more space than what many beginners initially anticipate, so it’s important to carefully measure the available space in your home to determine if you have enough room to accommodate a board, four-feet of clearance on each side, and the right distance of the throwing line to the board, based on the type of darts you’re playing with.
