Dart Board Set-Up
Choosing A Location:
The proper place to hang a dart board can be a
difficult choice:
- The area should be a low-traffic area to decrease the risk of injuries.
- There should be nothing breakable 2-3 feet on either side of the board and
preferably nowhere near the board at all. Darts can bounce 8 feet or more off
the board.
- You need an empty area roughly 5 feet wide and 11 feet long. Although you
can throw over items in the area, it can be VERY distracting. It is also
annoying walking an obstacle course each time you pull your darts out of the
board.
- The floor should be considered in several ways:
- A concrete, stone or tile floor will break darts and dull the points.
- A wood floor will get lots of holes in it around the front of the board.
- Linoleum or vinyl flooring will also get a lot of holes.
- Carpet will show A LOT of wear from the traffic between the board and
the line.
- You will need to mark the throw line with either tape, a sticker, or a
screwed down wood or metal bar.
Taking all this into consideration, you might want to think about
purchasing a "dart mat". This is a roll out rubber mat that serves several
functions. It protect the dart from breaking and dulling, it protects the
floor and marks the proper distance to the throw line.
- There should be adequate room for spectators and players when they are not
throwing.
- There needs to be a place for a score board in sight from the line,
preferably right next to the board.
Hanging The Board:
The board needs to be hung exactly 5 foot 8 inches
from the floor to the CENTER OF THE BULLS-EYE. Good quality boards are hung from
the center, making this measurement easy. If you have a board that hangs from
the top, you will have to measure the distance from the center of the bulls-eye
to the hanger and add that to the height. If a back board is used to protect the
wall around the board, this will also have to be centered around the board.
Marking The Throw Line:
The throw line (also known
as the oche, toe-line or hockey) should be about 3 feet wide. It may be made of
tape, a store bought throw-line sticker, a piece of wood or metal. It should be
placed exactly 7 foot 9 and 1/4 inches from the FACE of the board for a standard
steel-tipped setup. For soft-tipped darts, the line should be 8 feet from the
FACE of the board. (NOTE: Some British pubs use an 8 foot or 8 foot 6 inch
measurement for steel tip darts.) To measure from the face of the board, have
someone hold a plumb line from the bottom-front of the board to the floor. If
you don't have a plumb line, you can use a piece of string with a pencil or dart
tied to one end. Make sure the throw line is exactly perpendicular to the face
of the board and centered with the board. This can be accomplished by measuring
from the bulls-eye to each corner of the line.
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