How to Set Up a Dartboard: Regulation Height & Distance (Australian Guide)
Setting up a dartboard the right way is the single biggest favour you can do your game. Get the height, distance and lighting correct and every throw you take from then on is measured against the same standard the pros play to. Get it wrong — even by a couple of centimetres — and you’re grooving a throw that won’t translate to your local league night.
This guide walks you through regulation dartboard height and distance for Australia, the tools you need, a step-by-step installation process, and the finishing touches (surrounds, mats and lighting) that turn a bare wall into a proper oche. Whether you’re mounting your first board in the garage or kitting out a dedicated darts room, you’ll find everything here.
The quick answer: regulation dartboard height and distance
For a standard steel-tip bristle dartboard, the two measurements that matter most are the height of the bullseye and the distance from the board to the throwing line (the oche). These are set by the World Darts Federation and used in leagues and tournaments across Australia.
| Measurement | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Centre of bullseye to floor (height) | 1.73 m (173 cm) | 5 ft 8 in |
| Front of board to throwing line (oche) | 2.37 m (237 cm) | 7 ft 9¼ in |
| Diagonal: centre of bull to back of oche | 2.93 m | 9 ft 7½ in |
| Raised oche height × length | 38 mm × 610 mm | 1.5 in × 2 ft |
| Wheelchair player bullseye height | 1.37 m (137 cm) | 4 ft 6 in |
These figures are identical whether you’re in Sydney, Perth or a pub in regional Queensland. The bullseye height of 1.73 m and the oche distance of 2.37 m are the global standard for steel-tip darts.
Why the diagonal measurement matters
Most people measure the height up the wall and then measure the floor distance separately. That works, but the most reliable way to confirm your setup is the diagonal: stretch a tape from the centre of the bullseye down to the back of the oche. It should read 2.93 m (9 ft 7½ in).
The diagonal is a brilliant double-check because it accounts for both the height and the distance at once. If your floor isn’t perfectly level, or your skirting board pushes the oche out slightly, the diagonal will catch the error. Pros use this measurement precisely because it’s self-correcting.
What about soft-tip and electronic dartboards?
Soft-tip and electronic boards sit at the same bullseye height of 1.73 m, but the throwing distance is slightly longer. The standard soft-tip oche distance is 2.44 m (8 ft) measured horizontally from the face of the board. The reason is that electronic boards are physically deeper than bristle boards, so the extra distance keeps the actual throw consistent. If you’re running a mixed setup, label both lines on your mat so nobody argues about it later.
Tools and materials you’ll need
You don’t need a tradie’s kit to mount a dartboard, but a few items make the job far easier and the result far more accurate:
- A tape measure (at least 3 metres)
- A spirit level
- A pencil
- A drill and the correct wall plugs/fixings for your wall type
- A screwdriver
- The mounting bracket that came with your board
- Optional but recommended: a dartboard surround, an oche/throw mat and a dedicated light
If you’re mounting onto plasterboard with no stud behind it, use proper hollow-wall anchors rated for the weight. A quality bristle board plus surround can weigh several kilograms, and you don’t want it pulling out of the wall mid-game.
Step-by-step: how to hang your dartboard
Step 1 — Choose the right wall
Pick a wall with enough clear floor space for the full 2.37 m throwing distance plus room to stand behind the line. Avoid walls shared with bedrooms or shared apartment walls if noise is a concern — the thud of darts (and the occasional bounce-out hitting the floor) carries. A solid backing wall is ideal because it absorbs missed darts and protects your points.
Step 2 — Mark the bullseye height
Measure 1.73 m up from the floor and make a light pencil mark. This is where the centre of the bullseye will sit — not the top of the board, not the bracket, the bull itself. Most bristle boards have the bull positioned slightly above the board’s centre, so don’t just halve the board height.
Step 3 — Fit the mounting bracket
Hold the board against the wall with the bull aligned to your pencil mark, then mark where the bracket fixing needs to go. Drill, plug and screw the bracket in place. Use your spirit level to make sure the bracket sits true — a board that’s even slightly tilted will throw your scoring perception off.
Step 4 — Hang the board and rotate the “20”
Mount the board on the bracket and confirm the 20 segment is at the top. Bristle boards are designed to be rotated periodically to spread wear (more on that below), but for setup the 20 always starts at 12 o’clock.
Step 5 — Confirm with the diagonal
Measure the diagonal from the centre of the bull to where the back of the oche will be. It should read 2.93 m. If it does, your height and distance are both correct. Mark the throwing line on the floor.
Step 6 — Mark or lay your oche
The throwing line should be 2.37 m from the face of the board. You can mark it with tape, fit a raised oche, or — the easiest and most popular option — lay a printed dart mat that has the distances marked for you. A good mat protects your floor from dropped darts and removes any argument about where the line is.
The finishing touches that separate a good setup from a great one
Lighting
Poor lighting is the most common reason a home setup feels harder than your league venue. Overhead room lights cast shadows from your own hand across the board. A dedicated dartboard light ring or lighting system sits around or above the board and lights every segment evenly with no shadows. It’s the upgrade players are most surprised by — suddenly the trebles are easy to see and your scoring jumps. Browse our lighting and scoring range to see the options.
Surrounds
A dartboard surround is a ring of dense foam or rubber that fits around the board to catch stray darts. It protects your wall from puncture marks and saves your dart points from the damage that comes with hitting a hard surface. If you’re mounting on a wall you care about (or you rent), a surround is essential.
Mats and oche
A printed dart mat does three jobs at once: it marks the regulation throwing distance, protects your flooring, and cushions dropped darts so the points last longer. Many mats have both steel-tip and soft-tip distances printed on them.
Cabinets and all-in-one setups
If you want the tidiest possible look, a cabinet houses the board behind closing doors (great for living rooms), while a complete setup bundle gives you the board, surround, lighting and mat in one go at a better price. Have a look at our dartboards & setup collection to compare complete kits.
Common setup mistakes to avoid
- Measuring to the wrong point. Always measure height to the centre of the bull, not the top of the board.
- Forgetting the floor isn’t level. Use the diagonal check to catch sloping floors and skirting boards.
- Mounting too low to “make it easier”. It only builds a throw that fails everywhere else. Stick to 1.73 m.
- Ignoring lighting. Shadows from overhead lights make scoring genuinely harder.
- Skipping the surround. One enthusiastic 180 attempt and your wall has holes in it.
How to look after your board once it’s up
To get the longest life out of a bristle board, rotate it regularly — every week or two for heavy use — so the high-traffic 20 and treble-20 segments don’t wear out before the rest. Never soak a bristle board in water, keep it out of direct sunlight and damp, and always make sure your dart points aren’t burred, as rough points tear the sisal fibres. Done properly, a quality board will last for years.
Ready to set up?
Once your measurements are locked in, the rest is about getting quality gear that lasts. Explore our full range of dartboards, grab a dart mat to mark your oche, and finish the job with a surround and lighting. If you’d rather get everything in one go, our complete setup bundles take the guesswork out of it.
Set it up to regulation once, and every dart you throw from now on counts toward becoming a better player.