How to Set Up a Dartboard: Official Height & Distance Guide 🎯

Picture this. You’ve just unboxed your shiny new dartboard. You’re buzzing. You find what looks like a good spot on the wall, hammer a nail in roughly chest-height, and start throwing. It feels fine. Until your mate comes over, stands at the “proper” distance, and immediately starts schooling you on throws that feel completely alien to you.

That’s what happens when your dartboard setup is even slightly off. You build muscle memory around the wrong measurements — and then every pub game, every tournament warm-up, every game at a mate’s house throws you off completely.

The good news? Setting up a dartboard correctly takes about 15 minutes. You just need to know the exact numbers, and this guide gives you every single one of them.

🤔 Why Official Dartboard Measurements Actually Matter

You might think a few centimetres here or there won’t make a difference. But think about what darts is really about — consistency. Your throwing arc, your release point, your angle of attack. These all rely on the same distance and height every time you play.

Even small differences in distance can affect your throw and lead to inconsistent results. Many players underestimate how important the correct setup is. Throwing from a shorter or longer distance changes your angle, timing, and overall control.

So if you practice at the wrong distance at home, you’re basically training your arm to do the wrong thing. Then you show up at a pub or a league match and suddenly nothing lands where it should. That’s frustrating — and 100% avoidable.

The official dartboard height and distance used by the PDC, WDF, and BDO is the same worldwide. Whether you’re in a pub in London or a tournament in Tokyo — 173cm to the bull.

Let’s get your setup right from the start.

📏 The Two Numbers You Absolutely Need to Know

Before we get into the step-by-step process, here are the two core measurements you need to memorise:

These measurements are set by the World Darts Federation and are used in every official competition on earth. The regulation dartboard height from the floor to the center of the bullseye is 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters). This measurement is recognized internationally and remains the same for both electronic and steel tip dartboards.

Write them down. Stick a Post-it note to your tape measure if you have to.

🛠️ What You’ll Need Before You Start

Don’t start drilling holes until you’ve got everything together. There’s nothing worse than being mid-install and realising you’re missing a wall anchor.

Here’s your complete kit list:

• Tape measure (at least 3 metres long)
• Pencil or chalk (for marking the wall)
• Spirit level (to make sure your board hangs perfectly straight)
• Power drill with appropriate drill bits for your wall type
• Wall plugs / anchors (especially important for drywall or plasterboard — more on this below)
• Mounting bracket (usually included with your dartboard)
• Dartboard (obviously)
• Optional but recommended: dartboard surround, dart mat, backboard, and lighting

Now let’s talk about where to hang the thing.

Step 1 — Choosing the Right Location 📍

Before you even pick up a drill, you need to choose your location carefully. This is where most people go wrong — they hang the board wherever looks good, then realise there’s barely room to throw.

The playing area on the floor measured directly in front of the board should be at least 1.5m wide and 3.5m long. An area of this size will ensure you can comfortably throw your darts from the correct distance.

A good rule of thumb: stand where the throw line will be and stretch your arms out. You need clear space on both sides — so shift any lamps, clear the shelves, and warn the family before the first dart flies.

Also think about:

• 🪟 Windows — glare on the board makes it hard to see the segments, especially in sunlight. Keep the board away from direct window light.
• 🪑 Furniture — stray darts bounce. And they bounce far. Clear the area as much as possible.
• 🏠 Floors — hard floors mean dropped darts can damage tips or crack the floor. A dart mat solves this instantly.
• ⬆️ Ceilings — you don’t need loads of headroom, but if you’re tall and throw with a high arc, check you won’t clip the ceiling.
• 🧱 Walls — solid walls are ideal. Drywall (plasterboard) works but needs proper anchors. We’ll cover that shortly.

For the dartboard, a clear area on the wall measuring 1m height by 1m width will give you plenty of room to fit a board, with some extra space to also fit a cabinet or surround.

Step 2 — Mounting the Bracket and Hanging the Board 🔧

Once you’ve chosen your spot, it’s time to mount the board. This is where precision really matters.

Marking the Bullseye Height

Grab your tape measure and mark the wall at exactly 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) from the floor. This is where the centre of the bullseye needs to sit. Not the top of the board. Not the bracket. The exact centre of the bull.

Use a pencil to make a small, clear mark. This is your reference point for everything else.

💡 Pro tip: If you’re standing on a raised dart mat or a wooden oche that adds height to the floor, measure from the standing surface — not the sub-floor. If your mat adds 1 inch of height, your bullseye must be raised 1 inch to compensate.

Installing the Bracket

U-shaped brackets come standard with most sisal dart boards. They’re a simple yet effective way to hang your dartboard.

However, if you want the ability to rotate your board over time (which prolongs its life significantly — more on that later), consider upgrading to an O-shaped bracket. O-shaped brackets come with two pieces: a large bracket that mounts to the wall, and an O-shaped puck that attaches to your steel tip dart board and slots into the bracket. The O-shaped bracket and puck system allows you to rotate your dart board while it is still mounted.

⚠️ Wall Type Matters

• Solid brick or concrete walls: Use a masonry drill bit and standard wall plugs.
• Drywall / plasterboard: Don’t just use screws — they’ll pull out under the weight and vibration of darts landing. Use plasterboard anchors or toggle bolts. A dartboard weighs about 5kg so it needs decent fixings.
• Stud walls: Try to hit a stud for maximum security. If you can’t, use toggle bolts rated well above the board’s weight.

Once your bracket is secure, hang the board. Then check with your spirit level that it sits perfectly straight. A tilted board looks sloppy and can subtly affect your game.

🎯 Getting the Number 20 at the Top

This one catches people out. Make sure the number 20 is at the top of the board when mounting, ready for a double top checkout!

It sounds obvious, but rotate the board before hanging it if necessary. The 20 segment must sit dead centre at the top.

Step 3 — Measuring the Official Throw Line Distance 📐

Now for the throw line — also known as the oche (pronounced “ockey”). This is where you stand to throw your darts.

⚠️ The Most Important Rule First

You measure from the face of the dartboard, not from the wall. Your board sits about 3-4cm out from the wall when it’s mounted, so if you measure from the wall you’ll be standing too close.

This catches out so many people. Always measure from the front face of the board.

Method 1 — Horizontal Measurement

The standard approach. Measure horizontally along the floor from directly beneath the face of the board.

• Steel tip: 7 feet 9¼ inches (2.37 m)
• Soft tip / electronic: 8 feet (2.44 m)

Mark your throw line here with tape, a chalk line, or a proper oche strip.

Method 2 — Diagonal Measurement ✅ (The Easier Method)

This is actually the more accurate method, and particularly useful on uneven floors. You can drop a string from the face of the dartboard to the floor and measure from that point.

The dartboard distance can also be measured from the bullseye diagonally downwards to the oche. If using this alternative approach, the measurement should be 9ft 7½in (293cm) for steel tip. For soft tip, the diagonal is 9 feet 9½ inches (2.98 m).

If your horizontal measurement says you are at the right distance but the diagonal measurement is off, your board is likely mounted at the wrong height, or your floor is uneven. Trust the diagonal measurement — it is the truest indicator of a regulation setup.

⚡ Steel Tip vs Soft Tip: What’s Different?

If you’re setting up a soft tip (electronic) board, most of the process is identical — but a few things change.

Three principal differences between Soft-Tip and Steel-Tip games are: the throwing line for Soft-Tip is 8’0″ and Steel-Tip is 7’9¼”; the score for the Soft-Tip bullseye is a single amount, typically 50 points, whereas the bullseye on a Steel-Tip dartboard may be either single (25) or double (50); and electronic dartboards will keep score automatically, even if the dart drops out.

The board height stays identical at 5 feet 8 inches for both types. Only the throw distance changes.

Why is the soft tip line further back? The 8-foot distance is a legacy standard that stuck with the manufacturing of coin-operated machines in the United States and Asia. It also compensates for the lighter weight of soft tip darts, which behave differently in flight.

⚠️ One critical warning: Steel-tip darts should NOT be thrown into a soft-tip dartboard because damage to the dartboard will result.

Step 4 — Marking the Oche (Throw Line) 🦶

Once you’ve measured and confirmed your throw line position, you need to mark it permanently. You’ve got several options:

Tape on the floor — The cheapest and quickest option. Simple masking tape or electrical tape works fine. Not the most durable, but it does the job.

Dart mat — Probably the most popular home setup choice. A dart mat is placed on the floor and often includes a printed throwline, making it an easy and practical solution for home setups. It also protects your floor from dropped darts and reduces noise.

Raised oche strip — A thin raised bar screwed to the floor. Used in pubs and leagues. Gives you a physical edge to stand behind. Very satisfying.

Permanent floor marking — Paint or chalk line. Good if you’re setting up a permanent games room.

Whatever you use, make sure the front edge of your oche is at the measured distance. You stand behind the line — but you can lean your body forward over it as long as your feet stay back.

Player’s feet must not extend past the oche, but they are allowed to lean their upper body and release the darts from in front.

Step 5 — Setting Up Wall Protection 🛡️

This step is non-negotiable if you care even slightly about your walls. Stray darts — especially for beginners — will miss the board. And steel tip darts hitting drywall leave ugly holes fast.

Dartboard Surround

A surround is a foam ring that fits around the board. A dartboard surround is the perfect solution, as it fits seamlessly around the board, protecting your wall and preventing darts from bouncing back and causing damage.

Surrounds come in lots of colours and styles. You can match them to your board’s colour scheme or go bold with something more decorative. Most are made from foam or rubber and catch glancing darts effectively.

Backboard

A backboard gives you wider coverage behind and around the board. A backboard, made of wood or cork, provides a larger protective surface behind the dartboard. It protects the wall from errant throws and reduces the risk of bounce-outs damaging the surrounding area.

Great option if you’re a beginner or if you’ve got a very inconsistent throwing partner (you know who you are).

Dartboard Cabinet 🏆

If you want the full pub-style setup, a cabinet is the way to go. A dartboard cabinet protects walls and adds storage. When the doors are closed, it looks like a piece of wall art. When they’re open, you’ve got your board, a scoreboard, and maybe storage for your darts and accessories. Complete units with doors that protect the board when not in use and provide scoreboard space. These assemblies can weigh 20-35 pounds and need reinforced mounting solutions.

Step 6 — Lighting Your Dartboard 💡

Bad lighting is massively underrated as a problem. Shadows across the board make it harder to see segments clearly, especially the thin treble and double rings on the outside.

Position your board away from windows to avoid glare and ensure uniform lighting across the board surface. Professional setups use dartboard-specific lighting mounted 3-4 feet in front of the board at a 45-degree angle.

Dedicated dartboard lights clip directly onto the board and illuminate every segment evenly, eliminating shadows completely. Brands like Target, Shot, and Winmau all make excellent ring lights. They’re genuinely worth investing in if you’re going to play regularly.

If you’re on a budget, at the very minimum position a lamp or ceiling light directly overhead and slightly in front of the board. Avoid side lighting, which creates deep shadows across segments.

❌ The Common Mistakes That Ruin Dartboard Setups

Even people who think they’ve set up correctly often make one of these errors. Here’s what to watch for:

Mistake 1 — Measuring from the Wall, Not the Board Face

Your board sits about 3-4cm out from the wall when it’s mounted, so if you measure from the wall you’ll be standing too close. It’s a small difference but it adds up over thousands of throws.

Always drop a plumb line or use your tape measure from the actual face of the board.

Mistake 2 — Measuring to the Bottom of the Board Instead of the Bullseye

Many players measure to the bottom of the dartboard rather than the bullseye center, resulting in improper height. Always measure to the exact center of the bullseye for accurate setup.

The bullseye is not at the bottom. It’s in the middle of the board. If you measure to the bottom, your board ends up too low.

Mistake 3 — Using Weak Wall Fixings ⚠️

A dartboard vibrates with every dart. Over time, weak screws or improperly anchored brackets will loosen and eventually rip out of the wall. Use proper anchors rated for the weight.

Mistake 4 — Skipping the Spirit Level

A tilted board looks unprofessional, but more importantly, it can cause darts to bounce out at odd angles. Always level the board before you call it done.

Mistake 5 — Mounting on a Door Without a Lock 🔒

Be sure to have a lock on your door if you decide to mount your dartboard on your door, as you don’t want to be throwing darts at an unsuspecting visitor walking through the doorway unannounced.

Yep — this has definitely happened to someone.

Mistake 6 — Forgetting to Rotate the Board

More on this below, but failing to rotate is a slow-motion way to destroy your board.

🔄 How to Rotate Your Dartboard (And Why You Must)

If you play regularly, the 20, 1, and 5 segments take the most punishment. They’re at the top — which is where most players aim most of the time. Without rotation, those sections wear out while the rest of the board looks brand new.

The fix is simple: periodically rotate your board so different segments face the top, redistributing wear evenly.

How often? Most regular players rotate every 2-4 weeks. Heavier use means more frequent rotation.

O-shaped brackets come with two pieces: a large bracket that mounts to the wall, and the O-shaped puck that attaches to your steel tip dart board and slots into the bracket. The O-shaped bracket and puck system allows you to rotate your dart board while it is still mounted thanks to the signature O shape, providing a smooth surface for 360 degree rotation.

Before rotating, remove any accessories attached directly to the board — lights, surrounds, scoring rings — then rotate, and reattach.

♿ What About Wheelchair Users and Accessibility?

The official BDO and WDF rules don’t specifically mandate different measurements for wheelchair players in recreational settings. However, the key principle is that the bullseye height should remain consistent for fair competition.

For casual home setups catering to wheelchair players, some leagues may allow for players to stand closer to the board or adjust heights accordingly. If you’re setting up for mixed-ability play, the most important thing is consistency — agree on the measurements before the game starts and stick with them throughout.

👦 Dartboard Setup for Kids and Junior Players

Kids’ setups are a common question. For ladies and junior players, the official distance remains the same. However, some leagues may allow for ladies or junior players to stand closer to the board. Alternative throwing distances can be 7ft 6in (228.6cm) or 7ft (213.3cm).

For very young beginners (under 10), it makes more sense to let them stand wherever they’re comfortable — the goal is enjoyment, not competition regulation. As they improve and grow, gradually move them back to the official distance.

The board height is trickier. Lowering a permanent installation isn’t practical. For kids, many families use a separate portable board stand at a lower height while the main board stays at regulation height.

🎒 Essential Accessories to Complete Your Setup

[IMAGE: IMG-008 | Lifestyle Photo | Fully kitted home dartboard setup with lights, surround, dart mat, scoreboard, and cabinet in a warm-toned game room]

You’ve got the board up and the measurements right. Here’s what else makes a proper setup:

🟩 Dart Mat Protects your floor, marks the throw line, and reduces noise. An easy win for any setup.

📋 Scoreboard A chalkboard or whiteboard next to the board is a classic. Goes perfectly with a cabinet setup. Some players prefer a scoring app on their phone — both work fine.

🪡 Spare Dart Tips Especially for soft tip setups. Tips break and wear out regularly. Keep a pack handy so you’re never stuck mid-session.

💡 Dartboard Light As covered above — a proper ring light is transformative for evening sessions.

🎯 Dart Holder / Case Keep your darts safe and accessible. A wall-mounted holder next to the board is a nice touch.

🛡️ Surround or Backboard Already covered, but worth emphasising: protect your walls from day one.

📋 Quick Reference Cheat Sheet 🎯

Print this out. Stick it in your game room. You’ll thank yourself later.

❓ FAQ: How to Set Up a Dartboard

Q1: What is the official dartboard height? 📏

The bullseye must sit exactly 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 metres) from the floor to the centre of the bull. This is the same measurement used in every professional competition worldwide, including the PDC World Championship.

Q2: How far should you stand from a dartboard? 🦶

The horizontal distance from the face of the dartboard to the front of the throwline is 7 feet 9¼ inches (2.37 meters) for steel tip and 8 feet (2.44 meters) for soft tip dartboards. Always measure from the face of the board, not the wall.

Q3: Can you measure the dartboard distance diagonally? 📐

Yes — and it’s often the more reliable method. Alternatively, you can measure diagonally from the bullseye, in which case the oche should be positioned 2.93m away (or 9 feet 7 and three-eighths of an inch) for steel tip.

Q4: Does the throw line distance change for soft tip darts? ⚡

Yes. Soft-tip dartboard distance is approximately 8 feet (2.44 meters). The height stays the same. Only the horizontal throw distance changes between steel tip and soft tip.

Q5: How do I stop darts from damaging my wall? 🛡️

Fit a dartboard surround around the board and consider a backboard behind it for wider coverage. For drywall especially, a large cork or foam backboard is highly recommended. If you’re a beginner, expect a few misses — having protection in place from day one is the smart move.

Q6: How often should I rotate my dartboard? 🔄

For regular players (a few sessions per week), rotating every 2-4 weeks is a good rule. It distributes wear across all segments, significantly extending the life of the board. Use an O-shaped bracket to make rotation easy without removing the whole mount.

Q7: What if my floor is uneven? 🏠

Use the diagonal measurement method rather than the horizontal one. Use a level during installation and rely on the diagonal measurement method to ensure accurate setup. This accounts for slight floor variations and gives you the most accurate result.

Q8: Is the dartboard setup the same for men and women? ✅

Yes. The official measurements are identical for men and women in all professional competitions. Some local recreational leagues may offer shorter distances for juniors, but at competition level, all adult players use the same setup.

You’re Ready to Throw 🎯

Getting your dartboard setup right is genuinely one of the best investments of 15 minutes you’ll make as a darts player. You’ll practice at the correct measurements, build the right muscle memory, and feel immediately at home wherever you play — pub, club, or tournament.

Here’s the fast recap:

• 📏 Bullseye height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) from floor
• 🎯 Steel tip throw line: 7 ft 9¼ in (2.37 m) from the board face
• ⚡ Soft tip throw line: 8 ft (2.44 m) from the board face
• ✅ Always measure from the face of the board, not the wall
• 🛡️ Protect your walls with a surround or backboard
• 💡 Light the board properly
• 🔄 Rotate it regularly

For even more detail on the official rules, check out the World Darts Federation’s official resources at worlddarts.net — they’re the ultimate authority on regulation play.

Now go hang that board properly, mark your oche, and start throwing. 🎯

Found this guide useful? 🙌 Share it with your darts crew — there’s always at least one person in the group who’s been playing from the wrong distance for years. Drop a comment below with your setup questions or tell us how your new installation turned out. We read every one. 💬