5 Tips to Prevent You from Ruining Your Dartboard*

Whether you’re using a bristle dartboard or an electronic one, you certainly want to make it last for as long as possible. To do this, you have to follow a few common-sense maintenance rules. In this post, we are going to take you through 5 of the most important maintenance tips that prevent you from ruining your dartboard.

1 Never use water to clean your dartboard

Whether you’re enjoying an electronic or a bristle dartboard, water is a big no-no. Electronic dartboards, just like any other electronic device should not get into contact with water because you could permanently damage them. If water seeps into this type of dartboard, it can lead to a short, which means the end of life for an electronic dartboard.

Bristle dartboards aren’t friends with water either because liquid ruins the sisal fibers they’re made of. Water can either make these fibers expand or even shrink, in case you use a large quantity. Either way, your dartboard will lose its good-looks but also the capacity to make the darts stick if it gets into contact with water.

To avoid any water-related perils, the best way to protect your dartboard is by using a cabinet. This way, when you’re not playing, you can close the cabinet’s doors to keep the board safe from accidental spills, which might be quite common especially in bars or pubs.  

2 Rotate your dartboard regularly

This tip only applies to bristle dartboards as electronic dartboards have a rigid plastic surface that’s not damaged by the darts’ repeated impact. Sisal dartboards, on the other hand, gradually deteriorate due to the action of the sharp dart tips that penetrate their surface. This effect is absolutely normal for all dartboards made of sisal fibers. 

Therefore, manufacturers provide these dartboards with an outer ring you can remove and adjust. The purpose is to use this ring to rotate the numbers on the dartboard so that you don’t repeatedly hit and damage the same area. You should rotate the ring regularly.

If you play every day, this maintenance tip can also be applied daily, even more so if the dartboard is set up in a public place where it is heavily used. 

3 Be careful when removing your darts

This one goes for both electronic and sisal dartboards owners. Try to pull out your darts gently after each hit, otherwise, you risk damaging the board’s surface. Here’s what happens when you simply grab the dart and pull it out of the board with force:

- electronic dartboards: their sensors can get damaged due to the pressure you apply

- bristle dartboards: their fibers are affected by the sharp tips when you pull them out suddenly

Even top-quality dartboards such as the professional IgnatGames Assassin Elite Pro dartboard may get damaged after prolonged use if you apply too much force when removing the darts. 

4 Avoid too much exposure to light

You certainly need good lighting to be able to play darts, however, light is another factor that can contribute to the dartboard’s deterioration. This is another risk factor that only affects bristle dartboards.

Many dartboards are kept in bars and pubs that are typically dark and they are mainly used during the evening. This means it’s necessary to turn on the lights while playing and the stronger the light is, the more it can damage the board. Spotlights are the most aggressive because they are very strong and, in time, they lead to discoloration and even make the board’s surface drier as they give off heat.

To avoid these effects, it’s safe to use LED lights that pose no risks. There are even dartboard cabinets that come with an incorporated LED lighting system to make your dartboard visible without ruining it.

5 Avoid too much weight

Whether you use an electronic dartboard or a sisal one, excessive weight can be a problem. If you don’t set-up your board correctly and you add too much weight to it, you risk damaging it. Dartboards are designed to support their own weight and while they can withstand the pressure of additional accessories, in time, these could deteriorate them.

One of the common items that add extra weight to a dartboard are lights. Players often choose to add a lighting system around the board to enhance their visibility. Attached around the dartboard, lights can put too much weight on it, making it deteriorate, or they can even make it fall. A solution is to use a system that either has its own hanging device and doesn’t add weight to the board or a cabinet with incorporated lighting.

Any other addition you make to your set up, such as a surround or a cabinet needs to be installed correctly, according to its instructions so that it doesn’t damage the board. Most of these accessories have their own hanging system and put no strain on the board. Those that are attached directly to the board, such as EVA foam surrounds, are easy enough to be supported. 

Both bristle and electronic dartboards come with their drawbacks and advantages. The first are indeed a little more difficult to maintain, but every effort is worth it if you want to enjoy a traditional darts experience. Electronic boards may be less fussy, but their system can also get damaged by water, improper transportation, or use and stop functioning.

All in all, to prevent damages, we strongly recommend you follow the tips above and, as a general rule, be gentle with your board! 

updated post June 2022*