Darts are fun to play at home. They bring you and your loved ones closer and offer tons of health benefits.
But sometimes, no matter how good a player you’re, bad aims happen. And when they do, it’s your wall, floor, and furniture that suffer the consequences.
Before long, noticeable holes, and dings become worse, and your wall begins to look ugly.
But here is the solution: protecting your wall with either a dartboard cabinet or surround.
Let’s dig in, and learn what to put behind a dart board to protect wall:
Navigation Table
Protect Your Wall Using a Dartboard Cabinet
A dartboard cabinet is one of the most popular ways to protect your wall from darts. And that’s not all, it also cushions your dartboard prolonging its lifespan.
Also, a good dartboard cabinet acts as storage for your other gaming accessories. You can make it as decorative as you want to complement your interior decor.
A bigger cabinet offers more protection to the wall and surroundings, compared to a smaller one. But even so, there’s usually some space left at the top or below, which makes the wall vulnerable to darts.
So if you’re a beginner player, it’s advisable to combine the use of a dartboard cabinet with the various dartboard wall protector methods listed below, for optimum results.
For example, you can get this dartboard cabinet below:
Use a Dartboard Surround to avoid Damaged Walls
A dartboard surround is basically a foam border or ring that’s perfectly cut to fit the dartboard’s surrounding area.
So it protects the immediate wall from the effects of stray darts.
It’s easy to put in place since it doesn’t require professional skills. You simply fix it into place before the game and remove it right after.
This should take a couple of seconds or minutes at most.
Any dart that misses its target on the dartboard, lands on the foam and sticks there waiting for you to take it out. So it won’t fall on the ground, or furniture, thus protecting the surrounding area.
However, the major setback of the dartboard surround is the limited shield it offers, since its width dimensions are usually narrow, especially for beginners.
That said, it’s advisable to always check the dartboard surround size before buying. Yes, they come in various sizes, though not big enough to cover the entire big room walls. But that’s something, right?
Also, consider the thickness of the foam as they also come in various sizes. The most reliable size is 1”. They are thick enough to hold the dart, without any chance of it getting to the wall.
But if you choose the 0.5” dartboard foam surround, know it doesn’t fully protect your wall from the darts, because they can penetrate if hit hard.
Yes, thicker foams make the dartboard surround a little heavier, but that’s a small sacrifice to pay as compared to getting your entire wall, floor and furniture ruined.
Plus, this is one of the most effective professional ways to protect your wall for beginners and seasonal leisure players.
DIY & Custom Solutions to Protect Your Wall
If you love some handy work or thrive in an impressive sense of style and uniqueness, DIY and custom solutions for your wall are the way to go.
But before you rush right into the set-up, take time to examine the quality of materials you’ll be using. They should be:
- Moisture-resistant to keep away moisture that can damage your wall and dartboard over time
- Lightweight for fast installation and easy transportation to and fro the storage room
- Sufficiently thick to protect the wall from penetrating darts
- Soft enough for the darts to penetrate and stick into, without damaging the tips, or falling off.
There are various kinds of custom and DIY materials you can put behind a dartboard to protect the wall. You don’t even have to purchase most of them. The common, and effective ones include:
Wooden Boards/Pallets
Wooden boards can be easily made from wooden planks. You don’t have to buy new ones, as any wood in good shape within your environment can come in handy.
Take for instance an old door, wooden windows, and structures. You just have to come up with ideas on how to get creative.
Wood is a perfect material since it doesn’t damage dart tips when they fall on it.
Cork
You can also use cork since it isn’t too hard. The easiest way to get this is from your collection of wine corks at the corner of the garage or store.
Another way is to ask family and friends for help. Arrange them into neat patterns within a board, and within no time you’ll be using your cork dartboard surround!
Rope
If you can’t find wood or have no cork, you can use a rope. Yes, you heard it right! Simply run it down, and wrap it around the backboard, and you’ll be good to go.
Styrofoam
Also referred to as polystyrene, Styrofoam offers a great way of protecting your wall. It has an extra cushion, and the insulation properties make the material safe for dart tips.
Besides, Styrofoam is easily accessible, very affordable, and easily disposable when done with usage.
Cardboard
Cardboard is easily available material. Although it isn’t as durable and effective as wood, it does help. Ensure it surrounds the dartboard well.
Insulation
If you have a piece of insulation lying around in your house, you can use it to protect your wall from darts. Just place it behind the dartboard for the straying darts to easily penetrate, protecting both the wall, floor, and surrounding furniture.
Carpet
You don’t have to get a new carpet for this, the thick old one tucked away in the storeroom can do just fine. The main focus is its thickness to ensure the wall is perfectly protected.
Don’t forget to get creative with the installation process. Your space should reflect your true personality.
Clothes and Towels
If you really have nothing else to put behind a dart board to protect the wall, use clothes and towels. However, ensure to hang multiple layers for enough thickness. The focus is to ensure the darts stick within, don’t fall, or get to the wall.
What Not to Put Behind a Dartboard
The above materials can comfortably be used to protect your wall against darts. However, there are some materials, and things that you should never try using. And they include:
Fence
This is particularly applicable for players who love playing darts outside. In whichever circumstance you find yourself never hang your dartboard on the fence. Why?
One, you could easily damage the fence with the darts, which honestly isn’t worth it. Well, unless you have renovation plans underway, and would like to help in the “deconstruction” process.
Two, the wall could be made from various materials that can damage the dart tips beyond repair.
Also, if you love playing darts in your backyard, ensure the surrounding environment is safe. For instance, if the darts land into dirt, concrete driveway, or laying around moisture, you might be heading for a replacement sooner than expected.
So if you must play outdoors, treat the fence as if it were the indoor wall. Use blankets, towels, cardboard, or wooden structures, and pallets to shield the wall and protect the darts.
You can also spread a protective cover such as a carpet or blanket on the ground for accidental falls.
Hard Materials
Whenever playing dart, ensure your dartboard is placed away from hard materials such as concrete, tiles, and metal. These materials can be too rough on your darts, thus causing them to wear off pretty fast.
Yes, we understand it must have been fun pinning your dartboard on concrete or tiles when young, but at least you didn’t know the consequences then, right? Also, you didn’t have to deal with dart replacement expenses.
But now that you’re older, you should know better. And besides, your bank account won’t forgive you for “careless” spending!
FAQs for what to put behind a dart board top protect wall
How do you hang a dartboard without damaging the wall?
Most of the time, dartboards come with their own hanging system. It could be a U bracket or screws.
Also, most manufacturers include the hanging directions in the packaging.
However, if you don’t find those helpful. The best way to hang your commercial dart board without damaging the wall is by buying or making a free-standing frame for easy movement whenever you aren’t playing.
Also, some systems allow hanging over the door, while others like the unicorn touring system come as a travel set for your dartboard.
You can also use your belt to hang your dartboard over the door, as shown in the video below:
Do soft tip darts damage walls?
Yes, they can, depending on how hard you throw them. However, soft darts are known to be gentler on the walls than their steel counterparts. And even if they hit the wall, they only leave small depressions. Some even unnoticeable from far range.
How can darts affect your wall and floor?
Once stray darts hit your wall, they dig holes. Could be shallow or deep depending on the force used to throw.
If your wall is plastered, there are high chances of exposure. The same case applies when the darts keep hitting the floor.
It all begins with a single hole, then plenty of them, which will lead to a costly renovation exercise.
