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How to Troubleshoot Dartboards

Hanging a dartboard in your garage or rec room can be a great way to allow friends to have a lot of fun. Though it may seem simple, a dartboard requires a bit of care to ensure it stays working the way it should. If you are having some trouble with your dartboard, you can troubleshoot the setup by taking a look at the darts and the board.

Things You'll Need:

  • Level
  • Hammer or screwdriver (if needed)

Examine the darts. In particular, look at the sharpness of each dart's tip and the quality of the flight on the end. Dart tips will naturally dull over time, and if they have dulled noticeably you will need to sharpen them (dart sharpener kits are available at home recreation stores) or buy new ones. Likewise, you will eventually have to replace the flights on the end of your darts. Buy new ones at a home recreation store, remove the old ones and slide the new ones on.

Place a level on top of your dartboard to ensure it is hanging level on the wall (for a dartboard inside a case). Dartboards are circular, but the cases are typically square or rectangular. The case should be level for best results for game play as well as for dart-accessory storage.

Verify that the dartboard is hanging flush against the wall. The the dartboard should be touching the wall. A gap raises the potential for the board to fall or shift when struck with a dart. If there is a gap, remove the dartboard from the wall, drill the screw or pound the nail (whichever is applicable) farther into the wall and rehang the dartboard.

Reset your electronic dartboard (if applicable). Electronic dartboards typically have a small reset button located on the back or front of the case. Use a pencil or pen tip to press and hold the reset button, returning the device to its original settings. This will clear any memory errors that were causing the dartboard to improperly function.

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