It’s easy to protect your floor and walls when playing darts. Missing the dartboard, your darts bouncing out, and a poor shot can all cause damage to your floors and walls. Here we look at the best ways to protect your floor and walls from stray darts.
Table of Contents
How to Protect Your Floor When Playing Darts
It’s common for darts to bounce out of the dartboard, especially if they’re blunt. When darts hit the metal on the board, they tend to fall onto the floor. Holes, dents, and scratches are common damages caused by darts. You can protect your floor when playing darts with one of the below:
- Dart mat
- Thick floor mat
- Raised oche
How to Protect Your Wall When Playing Darts
If you’re a new darts player, it’s normal to completely miss the board and therefore very important that you use dart board wall protection. Playing a game of darts when you’ve had a drink or two can also affect your aim therefore dartboard wall protection is essential. Holes, chipped paint, and dented walls are not a good look, so you should use one of the following to avoid damaging your wall when playing darts:
- Dartboard cabinet
- Dartboard surround
- Corkboard
Can I Make a Darts Floor Protector?
You don’t have to buy a specialist darts floor protector to keep your floor in great condition when playing darts. Cheaper options include:
- Yoga mats
- Carpet remnants
- Rugs
- Solid pieces of wood
How Thick Should a Darts Floor Protector Be?
A wooden darts floor protector should be around 0.5 inches thick to fully protect your floor. If you’re using a darts floor protector made from a softer material, aim for it to be between 1 and 1.5 inches thick.
What Size Should a Darts Floor Protector Be?
Your darts floor protector should be a minimum of 46 inches long. The width of it should be 34 inches for good floor coverage and protection.
Can I Make a Darts Wall Protector?
Yes, you can easily make your own dartboard wall protector. A sheet of wood mounted onto the wall with your dartboard on top is one solution. Or, you could create a wall protector from some ceiling tiles.
Other materials that can be used to make a DIY darts wall protector include:
- Cardboard
- Foam
- Rope
- Cork
- Polystyrene
- Carpet remnant
Should I Build an Oche to Protect the Floor?
If you’re an avid darts player, then you absolutely should build an oche to protect the floor. This raised wooden carpeted platform is designed to withstand the impact of falling darts. And, when darts do fall onto it, the built-in carpet will take the brunt.
Should I Use Soft Tip Darts to Protect the Floor and Wall?
It’s best to use the darts you’re most comfortable with. Soft tip darts are most commonly used by U.S. dart players. However, professionals and serious players tend to prefer steel tip darts.
Steel tip darts can do more damage to floors and walls than soft tip darts as they’re heavier. Steel tips usually weigh between 20 and 26 grams. Soft tip darts typically weigh between 16 and 20 grams. Don’t be fooled, though, as soft tip darts can still do damage, especially when they’re thrown with some force.
Will a Dartboard Damage My Wall?
It’s not just darts that can damage your wall, the dartboard can too. Every time a dart hits a dartboard, it pushes the back and edges of the board against the wall, causing scuffs, scratches, and chipped paintwork. You may want to use dartboard wedges to keep the dartboard snug against the wall and reduce impact.
How to Hang a Dartboard Without Damaging the Wall
Perhaps you live in a rental property and aren’t allowed to drill holes in the walls, or maybe you just don’t like having holes in the walls of your home. You can solve this problem by attaching your dartboard to the wall with picture hanging strips or heavy-duty double-sided tape.
How to Repair a Wall Damaged by a Dart
We’ve all played a quick game of darts without properly setting up a wall protector, thinking that it will be okay. Then the worst happens and you wish you’d taken the time to care for your wall.
Thankfully, it’s easy enough to repair the damage to a wall caused by a dart with wall putty. All you need to do is:
- Apply the putty to the dart hole or holes with a spatula
- When the putty is dry, sand the area down
- Paint over the area with wall paint
How to Repair a Floor Damaged by a Dart
If your impromptu darts session also resulted in dart holes in your floor, you’ll need to repair it too. Hardwood floors can be repaired with wood putty by:
- Filling the holes with putty using a spatula
- Sanding the putty down when it’s dry
- Staining the area with a suitable wood stain
Laminate flooring can usually be repaired with a laminate repair kit which can be bought from DIY stores. Carpet is a difficult one to repair, and your best option is to replace it completely. Another option is to cover the holes with a rug or a floor dart protector.
Final Thoughts
Darts is a great game to play at home, but without the right protection, it can damage your floor and wall. Make sure you take steps to keep these areas of your home free from dart holes when you next pick up your darts.
Sue has been playing darts since her 20’s when she played in weekly tournaments and she enjoys writing about darts. She’s also a great teacher, and she enjoys helping others learn how to play the game well. When Sue isn’t throwing darts, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
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