How to look after your dartboard The modern bristle dartboards are made from premium natural fibres and are designed to last for a long time. However, steel tip boards still need some maintenance to ensure they do not wear out more quickly. We have put together some of the best tips to keep your dartboard looking healthy and staying in good shape for as long as possible. Indoor use only Dartboards are not made for outdoor use. Direct exposure to sunlight and the environmental conditions of the outdoors can seriously damage your board. Sunlight can lead to a discolouration of the coloured sections on the board, whilst also ruining the board’s fibres. The light will dry out the fibres and make the board more brittle. If your dartboard is set up indoors, but is near a window, then the best way to protect it is by investing in a cabinet. Check out our range of darts cabinets here. Keep away from water Steel tip dartboards are made from sisal and should never be exposed to water or moisture. It is important to keep your board dry to avoid any moisture damage. When setting up your board at home, be mindful of the conditions around you and avoid damp areas with humid spots. The cooler and drier the conditions the better it is for the health of your board. Rotate the board There are certain segments of your dartboard that will be more prone to wear and tear than others. For example, the 20 and 19 segments will wear more quickly as they are the most targeted areas during matches. To avoid an uneven look to the board, removing the number ring and then rotating the board is a simple but effective way to combat this. By rotating the board, the wear on the 20 segment will be distributed to another, less targeted, section of the board. Once you have taken off the number ring, rotate the board until the next black and red segment is at the top. This will now become your new 20 segment once you put the number ring back on the dartboard. Regularly rotating the board will help ensure you are throwing at a fresher 20 segment and will help make your dartboard last longer. How often you rotate your dartboard will depend on how often you use it. For example, if you play once a week for an hour, then you will not need to rotate the board as often as someone who plays every day. If you play for 1-2 hours a day, then rotate your board once a week. If you play for 1-2 hours a week, then rotate your board once a month. Removing the dart The way you retrieve your darts from the board can also have an impact. A pulling motion can damage the sisal fibres on the dartboard. The best way to remove your arrows is with a simple twist which will preserve the appearance of your board for a longer period of time. Clear loose fibres Removing any loose fibres that have built up with wear on the board can be a useful way to prolong the lifespan of your dartboard. A handy tip to clear these fibres is to grab a lint roller and roll it over the board, targeting the areas with loose fibres. Once you have got rid of the fibres, search for any existing strings and trim them gently with scissors. These steps will ensure that your board is clear of anything that may get in the way when you are throwing. Time for a new dartboard? If you are looking for a new dartboard, then browse through the selection of dartboards available at Darts Corner. Need some help choosing your next board? Check out our dartboard buying guide here. Alex Moss is a content creator for Darts Corner and the co-host of the Weekly Dartscast podcast. Alex co-founded the Weekly Dartscast in 2017 and has helped produce 350+ episodes of the podcast, with their list of previous guests on the show a who’s who in the world of darts. Alex also writes content for the Darts Corner blog, including the weekly darts news round-ups and how-to guides.
