Darts is a fun, easy, and affordable game you can play at home, work, or in a bar. However, just like any other game, darts does have some drawbacks and one of them is the damage stray darts can cause to your floors or walls. The good news is that there are also multiple ways to avoid this. Read on and discover 5 ways to protect your walls and floors from stray darts.
What sort of damage can stray darts cause?
To understand why you should protect your walls and floor while playing darts, you first have to be aware of the damage stray darts can cause. These little arrows come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and weights. Some are heavier or sharper than others and these features might cause different damage to a drywall, brick, tile, or wood surface.
Steel tip darts are typically more dangerous than soft tip darts because they have sharp tips that can easily scratch any surface. The latter whose tip is made of plastic aren’t devoid of risks either because their barrel is often made of metal. If these darts bounce out of the board and fall to the floor, they can also leave marks there.
Overall, the types of damage darts can cause to walls are marks, scratches, and dents, all of which require repairs. When it comes to floors, the risk of playing darts is higher because the floor is difficult to replace and the process is usually costly and time-consuming. If darts pierce through the floor’s surface they leave unsightly holes that end up gathering dirt.
Avoid spending time and money on fixing your walls and floors and opt instead for one of the protection measures below.
1. Use a dartboard Surround
The most basic method of making sure your darts don’t end up hitting your walls is getting a dartboard surround. This item is easy to mount around the dartboard and it basically protects the area that surrounds the dartboard. This way, you enjoy a wider coverage and even if you miss a hit every now and then, your dart will reach the surround and not the wall.
Dartboard surrounds absorb the shock caused by the hit and retain steel tip darts in their surface, preventing bounce-outs. The IgnatGames surround is a good example of how easy and seamlessly this type of protection works. To install it, you simply have to clamp the pieces together, without using any tools, then pass the surround through your dartboard and you’re ready to play.
2. Get a dartboard cabinet
A dartboard cabinet is the next level of protection you can get for your walls. This item is pricier than a surround but it is also much more complex and it provides numerous advantages. As a wall protector, a cabinet functions just like a dartboard surround, that is, by increasing the coverage around the dartboard. Once you open the cabinet’s doors, you get to double the play area, this way, the likelihood of hitting the walls and causing dents is drastically reduced.
Also, a cabinet like the one we offer at IgnatGames can provide you better conditions thanks to the LED lighting that will increase your visibility. An included scoreboard to keep track of your point and pockets to store your darts are other perks you can enjoy by getting a dartboard cabinet.
3. Build your own wall protector
If you are not ready to invest in a dartboard surround, or you’re a skilled handyman who likes building things on their own, you can create your own wall protector. This DIY project can prove pretty challenging depending on your skills and the materials you choose to work with. One of the easiest options would be to build a wall protector from wood, but you would have to make a good material choice so that darts don’t easily bounce out of the surface, otherwise, you might protect your walls but compromise your floor.
Cork is another alternative as sharp darts easily get stuck in this material and you can also use rope that can be coiled around the dartboard.
4. Use a darts mat
To protect the part of the floor that lies right beneath the dartboard from stray darts and bounce-outs, you obviously need to cover it. The most efficient type of protection is a darts mat. This item is specifically designed for this game and it has different functions. Once you roll it on the floor beneath the dartboard, you get comprehensive protection against darts as the thick and resistant material will not allow the dart’s tip to reach the floor. Moreover, these items can help you play by the rules as they provide measurements that allow you to take the right distance from the dartboard.
5. Use a standard rug
Of course, you don’t necessarily have to invest in a special mat to protect your floor when playing darts. You can also use a standard rug. Keep in mind however that the texture should be thick enough not to allow sharp steel tips to reach the floor. Also, make sure that they provide sufficient coverage and they have good adherence so you don’t risk to slip and fall when you go to the board to collect your darts.
As you’ve seen, there are multiple ways to ensure your walls and floors are safe from stray darts. It’s really up to you to decide which one suits you best but we do recommend you don’t start playing darts without making sure you’ve also got some sort of wall and floor protection. If you're looking for a quick, reliable, and affordable solution, check out the IgnatGames dartboard surround.
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