Dartboard height and throw line distance

Two numbers hang the board correctly: 5 feet 8 inches from the floor to the center of the bullseye, and 7 feet 9.25 inches along the floor from the face of the board to the throw line.

Those are the steel tip regulation figures used by every governing body. Soft tip is the same height with a longer throw line. Everything else on this page is how to get them right on a wall that is not perfectly level.

Written and maintained by Timothy Moose, who builds Dart Meister. Updated August 25, 2026. How we write these pages.

The measurements

The diagonal is the measurement most people skip and the one that catches errors. Run a tape from the center of the bullseye to the throw line and you should get 9 feet 7 and three eighths of an inch. If the board is hung a little high or the line is a little short, the diagonal will tell you before anyone argues about it.

How to hang it

• Find the 20. The board should be turned so the 20 segment, which is black, sits straight up at the top.
• Mark 5 ft 8 in on the wall. That mark is where the center of the bullseye goes, not the top or bottom of the board.
• Check the floor is level first. On a sloped garage floor, measure the height from the spot where players will actually stand, not from the wall.
• Measure the throw line from the board face. Not from the wall. On a board with a surround, the face is the front of the sisal, not the front of the surround.
• Use a raised oche if you have one. A physical strip is better than tape because people can feel it without looking down.
• Verify with the diagonal. 9 ft 7.375 in from bull to line. Adjust before you drill anything permanent.

Lighting and what goes around it

A board lit from directly above throws the shadow of your own dart across the segment you are aiming at. Purpose made lighting rings sit around the board and light it from all sides, which is why they exist. If you are improvising, two lights angled from either side beat one light overhead.

A surround, the foam ring that fits around the board, saves the wall and saves your dart points from hitting studs. It is the cheapest upgrade in darts. A backboard of plywood behind the board does the same job for less money and looks worse.

Leave yourself somewhere to put the scoreboard. Most people end up propping a phone or a tablet on a stool to the side of the throwing area, which is exactly what the app was built to sit on.

Common setup mistakes

• Measuring the throw line from the wall instead of the board face. On a board with a surround this can be two inches out.
• Hanging the board so the top is at 5 ft 8 in. The measurement is to the bullseye center, which puts the top of the board closer to 6 ft 5 in.
• Using soft tip distance on a bristle board, or the other way around. They are different for a reason.
• Rotating the board so a number other than 20 is at the top. It happens more than you would think when the bracket is fitted in a hurry.
• Forgetting to rotate the board periodically. Moving it a few segments every so often spreads the wear and makes a bristle board last far longer.

Common questions