Setting up a dartboard at home is a great way to bring some fun and healthy competition into your living space. However, if you don’t want to drill holes into your walls, the good news is that a dartboard stand provides an ideal solution. Choosing a stand provides portability, stability, and ease of setup, compared to wall-mounting your dartboard. You can enjoy a game of darts wherever you like!
If you’re new to using a stand, then fear not, we are here to guide you through everything you need to know about setting up and enjoying it, ensuring you can hit those bullseyes with confidence.
Understanding dartboard stands
If you haven’t used a dartboard stand before, the first thing to know is that it is a portable support system, designed to hold your dartboard still and at the correct height to allow for a great game of darts - without the need to permanently mount the dartboard to a wall. This means you can set up your dartboard practically anywhere with a flat ground. Stands for dartboards are designed to be stable, sturdy, and easy to fold up and carry for easy transportation and storage.
When you set up any dart board, whether wall mounted or on a stand, it’s essential to remember the correct measurements for the height of the dartboard, the positioning of the board, and the throwing distance:
- The centre of the bullseye should be 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 metres) from the floor.
- The 20 should always be at the top of the board.
- When playing with steel-tip darts, the oche (throwing distance) should be 7 feet 9.25 inches (2.37 metres) from the front face of the dartboard.
You can use tape to mark the correct distance of the oche, or use a dart mat. It’s important that you always consider the height of the room, and available space behind the oche, ensuring that there is enough space to comfortably and safely throw darts.
To set up a stand for your dartboard, it’s important to understand the different variations and their benefits:
Tripod stand
A tripod stand is a freestanding, three-legged structure designed to hold a dartboard securely. It is highly portable and provides a stable base, allowing you to play with confidence anywhere, without the need to mount the board to a wall.
If you are looking for a very affordable portable portable stand, then the portable dartboard stand by Target is an excellent choice, priced at £49.96, with a sturdy design for great stability on all types of floor surface. Compatible with all steel tip dartboards, attaching and detaching your board is easy, allowing for you to go from setup to game play in no time.
For a more robust stand, the Winmau Xtreme 2 portable Dartboard stand is priced at £99.90, and features lockable height settings to get a perfect dartboard height, even if the floor is not perfectly even. This stand also includes wall support stabilisers to reduce movement if you are concerned about the floor.
Leaning stand
A leaning dartboard stand is a free standing unit that leans against a wall, supported by two sturdy legs. This kind of stand has a smaller footprint than a tripod stand, making it ideal for tighter spaces, and providing extra stability due to the wall support.
Winmau’s twin-leg Vertex stand is a great choice of leaning stand, featuring a unique vertex secure plate design, complete with easy 3-piece surround and lightweight carry bag, so your stand and dartboard can travel with you.
Door hanger stand
A door hanger stand is a portable dartboard mount that attaches to a standard interior door, allowing you to quickly hang a dartboard at the correct height without the need to wall mount it. It allows for very fast setup.
The Voyager dartboard door hanger is effortless to set up and priced at just £49.96.
Setting up your dartboard stand
Depending on the style of stand you have, whilst the setup is similar, there are some slight differences in how to set up the stand for play.
Tripod stand setup:
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Unfold the tripod
Lay the stand on its side and carefully unfold the tripod legs until they lock into place. -
Position the stand
Position the stand in your desired playing locations. Make sure to choose a level surface. -
Attach the dartboard
Purpose made tripod stands feature a mounting bracket, which makes attaching the dartboard relatively simple. Just follow the stand manufacturer's instructions and make sure the dartboard is securely fastened. -
Adjust the height
Measure the height from the centre of the bullseye using a measuring tape, ensuring it is 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 metres) from the floor. Adjust the legs as necessary. -
Check the stand is stable
Make sure the stand is stable and doesn’t wobble. If necessary, adjust the legs to level the stand. -
Set the oche
Measure the correct throwing distance and mark the oche on the floor.
Leaning stand setup:
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Unfold the stand
Similarly to the tripod stand, unfold the stand on the floor, as per the manufacturer’s instructions. -
Position the stand against a wall
Carefully lean the stand against a level, sturdy wall, making sure it is at the right angle. -
Attach the dartboard
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to attach your dartboard to the mounting bracket on the stand. -
Adjust the height
Use a taper measure to check that the bullseye is 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 metres) from the floor. If the leg height is adjustable, alter them to ensure the correct height, if necessary. -
Check the stand is stable
Ensure the stand is securely leaning against a wall and doesn’t wobble. -
Set the oche
Measure and mark the correct throwing distance on the floor
Door hanger dartboard stand setup:
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Choose a suitable door
Choose a standard interior door that is sturdy enough to support the weight of the stand and dartboard. Remember, the door will be temporarily out of normal use while the stand is in place. -
Attach the hanger
Slide the stand's hanger part over the top of the door, making sure it is placed securely. -
Attach the dartboard
Attach your dartboard to the stand’s mounting mechanism, following the manufacturer’s instructions. -
Adjust the height
Measure from the bullseye to the floor to ensure the height is 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 metres) and if necessary, use the mount’s slider mechanism to adjust the dartboard to the correct height. -
Check the stand is stable
Make sure the stand is stable, opening and closing the door carefully to test for any movement. -
Set the oche
Measure and mark the correct throwing distance on the floor.
Enhancing your darts experience
To enhance your darts gameplay experience and protect your walls and floor, there are a range of other accessories you can invest in. Firstly, dartboard surrounds can be mounted onto a stand along with the dartboard, providing a larger surface to prevent stray darts from damaging any wall behind.
To protect floor surfaces from darts should they not properly connect with the dartboard, you can invest in a dartboard mat, which also has the benefit of marking the oche for you accurately.
Lighting conditions should also be considered for a good darts experience. Being able to see the board properly is essential, however ceiling or wall lights may create shadows on the dartboard. A dartboard lighting system helps to keep the board illuminated without shadow.
Buy quality dartboard stands now
With a properly set up dartboard stand, you can enjoy hours of darts-related fun whenever you want to without worrying about damaging your walls. If you are looking for another element of entertainment for a party, or want to up the ante at a BBQ or garden party, then a portable stand for your dart board is a fantastic solution.
Browse our collection of high quality dartboard stands now.