Dartboard Height: Regulation Bullseye Height and Throw Distance

Hanging a dartboard looks like a two-minute job until you realize most people measure to the wrong spot. Regulation dartboard height is measured from the floor to the center of the bullseye, not to the top of the board or the hanging bracket, and that center should sit exactly 5 feet 8 inches off the floor. Get it wrong by a few inches and every practice session trains your arm for the wrong target.

The throw line is the other half of the setup. For steel-tip darts, the throw line sits 7 feet 9 1/4 inches from the face of the board. For soft-tip electronic boards, the standard is 8 feet. A diagonal measurement from the bullseye down to the throw line confirms that both numbers are right, and it catches the most common mistakes in seconds.

Those three numbers, bullseye height, throw distance and the diagonal, cover dart board height and distance completely, and they are all you need for a regulation setup in a basement, garage or game room. The rest is choosing a good wall, protecting it, and keeping the throwing lane clear and safe.

Regulation Dartboard Height and Distance Chart

The official numbers are the same in pubs, leagues and tournaments across the country. Keep this setup sheet handy, or print it and tape it inside a cabinet door for quick reference.

A simple text diagram helps when you are marking a wall. Picture a right triangle: the wall is one side, running 5 feet 8 inches from the floor up to the bullseye. The floor is the second side, running from the base of the wall out to the throw line. The diagonal connects the bullseye to the front edge of the throw line on the floor. When all three sides match the chart, the board is set correctly.

Steel-Tip vs. Soft-Tip Throw Line Distances

The dart bullseye height never changes between the two game types. Only the dartboard throw line distance does. Steel-tip darts are the traditional version, thrown at a bristle board made of compressed fibers. Soft-tip darts use plastic points and are thrown at electronic boards with small holes that register and score each hit automatically.

Soft-tip boards use the longer 8 foot distance partly because the plastic darts and scoring segments behave differently, and partly because electronic leagues standardized on it early. If you own both types of board, mark two throw lines on the floor, one at 7 feet 9 1/4 inches and one at 8 feet. A strip of tape in a different color for each prevents confusion.

Always measure throw distance from the face of the board, not from the wall. A bristle board is typically about 1.5 inches thick, and an electronic board can stick out 2 to 4 inches or more from the wall. Measuring from the wall instead of the board face shortens your throw by that amount. If you mount the board inside a cabinet, measure from the board face, not the cabinet doors.

Tools and Materials

• Tape measure, at least 16 feet long
• Pencil and painter’s tape
• Stud finder
• Drill and the screws or anchors included with your mounting bracket
• Small level
• Throw line marker: tape, a vinyl strip, a raised oche board or a floor mat
• Wall protection, such as a dartboard cabinet, surround ring or backboard panel

How to Hang a Dartboard Step by Step

These steps cover a standard bristle board with a center-mount bracket, the most common setup. Electronic boards usually hang from a keyhole slot or a pair of screws on the wall, but the measurements are the same.

1. Pick the wall. Choose a spot with at least 11 feet of clear floor in front of it and about 5 feet of width so players can stand side by side. Avoid walls next to doorways or hallways where people walk into the throwing lane.
2. Find the bullseye position. Measure 5 feet 8 inches up from the finished floor and mark it. This is where the center of the bullseye will sit. If you have thick carpet, measure from the floor surface players actually stand on.
3. Locate the mounting point. On most bristle boards, the mounting bracket screws into the center of the board’s back, directly behind the bullseye. In that case, the bracket screw goes right at your mark. Check the instructions, since some brackets sit slightly offset.
4. Anchor securely. A bristle board weighs roughly 10 to 12 pounds, and a full cabinet can weigh much more. Drive screws into a stud when possible, or use anchors rated for the weight in drywall.
5. Hang and orient the board. Place the board on the bracket and rotate it so the 20 segment, usually dark, sits at the top center. Check with a level across the board face.
6. Measure the throw line. Drop a plumb line or use a level to find the point on the floor directly under the board face. Measure straight out 7 feet 9 1/4 inches for steel-tip or 8 feet for soft-tip and mark the front edge of the throw line.
7. Run the diagonal check. Hook the tape at the bullseye and stretch it down to the front edge of the throw line at floor level. It should read 9 feet 7 3/8 inches for steel-tip or 9 feet 9 5/8 inches for soft-tip. Adjust as needed.

The Diagonal Check Explained

The diagonal is the single most useful measurement in dart setup, and the best way to confirm dartboard height, because it confirms height and distance at the same time. If someone hung the board half an inch too low, or the throw line drifted when the carpet was replaced, the diagonal number will be off even if one of the other measurements looks fine.

Run it from the center of the bullseye to the front edge of the throw line, right where your toe stops. Pull the tape snug without sagging. If the reading is short, either the board is too low or the line is too close. If it is long, the opposite is true. Recheck the floor-to-bullseye height first, since that is the measurement people usually get wrong, then adjust the line.

The diagonal also helps when you cannot easily measure straight up and out, for instance when a cabinet or a baseboard heater is in the way. Two measurements, height and diagonal, are enough to pin down a correct setup.

Wheelchair-Height Setup

Players who throw from a seated position use a lower bullseye height of 4 feet 5 1/4 inches. The throw distance stays the same, 7 feet 9 1/4 inches for steel-tip, measured from the board face to the front of the wheelchair’s front wheels or to the line itself, depending on local rules. The diagonal for a steel-tip wheelchair setup works out to about 8 feet 11 3/8 inches.

In a mixed household, an adjustable mount or a cabinet with a sliding bracket lets you switch between standing and seated heights without drilling new holes. Keep the throwing lane level and free of thresholds or rugs that could catch a wheel, and leave enough side clearance for a chair to turn around comfortably.

Protecting the Wall and Floor

Every player misses. Steel-tip darts that bounce off wires or miss the board entirely will punch holes in drywall, chip paint and dent floors. A dartboard cabinet is the most popular solution. It frames the board with a protective backing, holds darts and a scoreboard, and closes up neatly when you are not playing. A foam or rubber surround ring that fits around the board is a lighter, less expensive option, and a large backer panel of cork or soft fiberboard covers more wall area.

The floor near the board takes a beating too. Darts that drop from the board can dent hardwood, scratch laminate or vinyl and puncture thin carpet. A rubber or carpeted dart mat runs from the board to the throw line, protects the floor and often has the regulation distance printed on it. Choose one with a non-slip backing and flat edges so nobody trips over a curled corner.

Troubleshooting a Dartboard Setup

• Board spins or wobbles. Most brackets have a set of stabilizer clips around the edge. Install them, or tighten the bracket screw.
• Darts bounce out frequently. Rotate a bristle board a segment or two every few weeks so wear spreads evenly, and replace badly worn boards. Dull points bounce more, so sharpen steel tips.
• Electronic board not registering. Check the batteries or power adapter and clear any broken tips from the segment holes.
• Throw line feels too close. Confirm you measured from the board face, not the wall, and rerun the diagonal.
• Players crowd the lane. Mark a spectator line behind the throw line and keep chairs out of the throwing zone.

Cost Ranges

A quality bristle board is an affordable purchase, while a basic electronic board costs about the same and feature-rich models with screens and online play run higher. A dartboard cabinet adds a moderate amount, with simple pressed-wood cabinets on the low end and solid hardwood cabinets with lighting on the high end. Throw line mats and surround rings are inexpensive add-ons that save wall and floor repairs over time.

Installing a board is a DIY job for almost anyone. If you want dedicated lighting over the board, plug-in or battery-powered dartboard lights are easy to add. Hardwired lighting that needs a new circuit or outlet should go to a licensed electrician. Once the board is up at the right dartboard height and the throw line is marked, you have a regulation setup that plays the same as any league venue.