How to Mount a Dart Board | Remove The Guesswork

Getting the height right is the difference between a game that feels natural and one that feels wrong every throw. The standard measurement is simple: the bullseye center sits exactly 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) from the floor. Once that mark is set, the rest is about a level bracket, a square board, and the right throw line. Here’s the full sequence, plus the mistakes that trip people up most.

What Height Do You Mount A Dart Board?

The bullseye center goes at 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) from the floor, applying to both steel-tip and soft-tip boards. Setup guides from manufacturers and darts organizations consistently cite this figure. Measure from the floor to the center of the bullseye—not the top edge or bottom of the board or cabinet. That distinction is the most common error; the board’s diameter varies, so measuring from the edges puts the bullseye off by several inches.

Mounting The Board: Step By Step

Every board ships with slightly different hardware—some use metal mounting feet, others round plastic spacers, and a few a center screw with a wall bracket. The underlying sequence stays the same.

1. Mark the bullseye height. Measure 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) up from the floor and mark the wall.
2. Locate a stud. Run a stud finder across the wall. If found, screw the bracket straight into it. If not, use wall anchors rated for the board’s weight.
3. Position the bracket. Hold the mounting bracket so its center lines up with your 5 ft 8 in mark. Use a spirit level to get it perfectly horizontal.
4. Install the bracket. Mark the screw holes, drill pilot holes (slightly smaller than the screw diameter for drywall), then drive the screws fully.
5. Attach the board hardware. Screw the stabilizer feet, spacers, or center screw into the back of the board per the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Hang and check. Slide the board onto the bracket, confirm the 20 segment is at the top, and give it a gentle push to check for wobble. Tighten anything loose.

The board must be rotated so the 20 is at the top before locking it down—many people hang it first and realize the orientation is off only after mounting.

Throw Line Distance And Cabinet Setups

The throw line, or oche, sits at different distances depending on the board type. Steel-tip players throw from 7 ft 9¼ in (2.37 m) measured from the face of the board—not the wall behind it. Soft-tip and electronic boards use 8 ft (2.44 m).

If your board lives in a cabinet, measure from the cabinet’s inside bottom down to where the bullseye center will sit, then position the whole cabinet so the bullseye lands at 5 ft 8 in. For a backboard setup, center the board on the backboard first, mark the bullseye location on the wall, then mount using the supplied brackets; the backboard’s thickness shifts the bracket position slightly, so always mark from the final board face.

The bullseye height stays identical across both formats; only the throw line changes. Measure from the board’s face, since it protrudes from the wall, and a tape pulled from the wall gives a line that’s too close.

Common Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

Most mounting problems trace back to a few avoidable errors. Skipping wall anchors when no stud is available is the biggest—the bracket will pull loose under repeated throws. Use anchors rated for the board’s weight, or find a stud. Drilling pilot holes is the other rushed step; a hole slightly smaller than the screw diameter prevents drywall cracking and keeps the screw from wandering. For plaster or tile, pilot holes are essential.

Leveling the bracket before tightening matters more than it seems—a bracket a few degrees off makes the whole board look crooked, and the 20 ends up visibly tilted. The last mistake is measuring the throw line from the wall instead of the board’s face; a steel-tip board mounted flush adds depth, so a wall-measured line puts you closer than regulation. Pull the tape from the board’s face and mark the floor there.

Once the board is up, the 20 at the top, and the throw line taped, you’re ready to play. If you’re upgrading your setup, our roundup of the best dart boards for home use covers the top options by build quality and value.