How to Set Up a Dartboard in 6 Simple Steps

Getting your board up on the wall is the easy part. Getting it level, at the right height and the correct distance from the throw line is what turns a corner of the room into a proper oche. The good news is that the measurements never change: learn them once, and you know how to set up a dartboard anywhere: in a garage, a spare room or the back of a pub.

We have been making darts equipment since 1973, so we have hung a few boards in our time, and here is everything you need to know when setting up your very first one.

The two measurements that matter

There are only two numbers to get right. Everything else follows from them.

• Bullseye height: 5 feet 8 inches, or 173cm, from the floor to the centre of the bull.
• Throw distance (steel tip): 7 feet 9.25 inches, or 237cm, measured along the floor from the face of the board to the back of the oche. If you play with soft tip darts on an electronic board, then this throw distance moves back to 8 feet.
  

These are the official figures set by the PDC and the World Darts Federation. They are the same in every country and for every player, although the height drops to 4 feet 6 inches, or 137cm, for wheelchair players in order to keep the board at a comfortable eye level. The throw distance remains at 237cm. 

First, always measure the throw distance from the face of the board, not the wall. A board sits a few centimetres away from the wall, and if you measure from there then your oche will end up being too close.

Second, measure the height to the centre of the bullseye, not the top of the board. The top of a standard board sits around 190cm, which is about 17cm above the bull. Measure to the top, and your whole setup will be too high.

An uneven floor or thick carpet can make measuring these distances tricky, but here's a handy cross-check to make sure that they are correct. For a steel tip setup, simply measure diagonally from the very centre of the bull to the back of the oche. This diagonal line should read 9 feet 7.5 inches, or 293cm, and if both the straight and the diagonal measurements align, then you are spot on.

How to set up a dartboard, step by step

1. Pick your spot. You want a solid wall and enough clear floor in front of it. Avoid hanging next to glass, doors or anything fragile.
2. Mark 173cm up from the floor. That pencil mark is where the centre of the bull will sit.
3. Fix the wall bracket to the mark. Most boards come with a bracket, a centre screw and three spring clips. Use wall plugs on plasterboard.
4. Screw the centre screw into the back of the board and seat the spring clips in a triangle. This stops the board spinning and lets you level it.
5. Hang the board with the 20 segment at the top, in the dark wedge. Check it with a spirit level.
6. Measure 237cm out from the face of the board and mark your throw line.

This whole job takes about ten minutes, from getting your tools out to setting up your first throw.

How much room do you need?

You need more space than you might think to play darts, mostly behind the line rather than in front of it. As a rough guide, allow a lane at least 5 feet wide and around 11 feet long to give you the full 237cm to the oche, plus enough room to step back between throws. 

Leave at least 60cm of clear wall on each side of the board too, because stray darts do happen: and, since hard floors can blunt the tip and crack the barrel of your darts if they bounce-out, it's a good idea to lay a mat down as well.. 

The kit that makes a home setup feel the part

A board on a bare wall plays fine... but a proper setup plays better, and protects your surroundings at the same time. Here are the 4 features you need to complete your at-home setup.

A good board. Start with a quality, durable bristle board. The Fortis dartboard is built for symmetry and durability, with thin wiring to cut bounce-outs, and you can see the full range in our dartboards collection.

A dart mat. A mat marks the oche for you and saves your floor. Most of our mats come with the throw line already printed at the right distance, so there is nothing to measure twice. Browse our dart mats and oches here.

A surround. A dartboard surround catches the darts that miss the board and keeps your wall in one piece. It also makes the whole setup look tidy.

Lighting. Good light means higher scores. A shadow-free board is easier to read, especially in the evenings, and the Trilight LED lighting system wraps the board in even light with no glare.

If you would rather sort the lot in one go, our dartboard bundles pair a board with the light, mat and surround at a better price than buying separately.

Ready to play

That is everything you need to know about how to set up a dartboard. Mark your line, sort your lighting, and you have a setup that meets the same rules the pros throw on.

New to the game and still choosing your first darts? Our beginner darts buying guide walks you through it, or jump straight in with the best darts for beginners.