Hang a dartboard on a metal stud wall

Mount a dartboard safely and level, using the right fixing for your wall so it doesn't pull free with use.

DB-01Gather tools and check your wall typeGet your drill, screwdriver, tape measure, spirit level and pencil ready, and lay a dust sheet under the work area. Before you mark anything, confirm what the wall is made of: run your detector along the area, then drill a small 3mm pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot near your mark. Fine steel swarf means a metal stud, pale timber dust means a timber stud, and hard resistance with brick or plaster dust means solid masonry. This decides which fixing you need later, so don't skip it.

1 each · Dust sheet

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Pencil

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

DB-02Find your stopcock and consumer unit before you drill anythingLocate your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. Find your consumer unit too. A detector can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or hidden behind metal-backed plasterboard, and a metal stud frame can confuse a cheap detector further, so always expect something to be there until you've proven otherwise.

DB-03Mark the dartboard heightFor standard steel-tip darts, the bullseye sits 1.73m from the floor. Measure up from the floor at your chosen spot and mark this point clearly with a pencil. Use a spirit level to draw a short horizontal line through the mark so you have a true reference for centring the board.

DB-04Locate your fixing point and drill with careUse your detector to find the exact stud or solid area behind your mark, then run a magnet or the pilot-hole test again right on that spot to confirm timber, metal, or masonry. Even after checking, still expect a cable or pipe to be there — if you have any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and know where your stopcock is in case you hit water. Drill a small pilot hole first at low speed and stop the moment you feel something unexpected.

DB-05Fit the right fixing for your wall typeOn a metal stud, never use a wood screw or plain wall plug — it will strip straight through the 0.5mm steel. Fit a spring toggle or self-drilling metal-stud anchor rated for the dartboard's weight instead. On a timber stud, drill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud and drive a 40mm wood screw directly in. On solid brick or block, drill a 7mm hole to 45mm depth, insert a wall plug, and use a 40mm screw. Through dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a fixing long enough to pass through the board, the air gap, and grip the masonry behind — a short plasterboard-only fixing will pull straight out. On lath and plaster, feel for a solid timber batten with a bradawl and fix into that if you can; otherwise use a lath-rated toggle fixing, since the load of a dartboard can crack bare lath over time.

2 each · Spring toggle fixing (rated for the load, for metal stud)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · Self-drilling metal-stud anchor (alternative for metal stud)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · 40mm wood screw (for timber stud)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · Red wall plug and 40mm screw (for solid brick or block)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · 75mm frame fixing (for dot-and-dab)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · Lath-rated toggle fixing (for lath and plaster)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

DB-06Hang the bracket and the dartboardFit the bracket to your chosen fixing first, then check it sits level using your spirit level before hanging the board itself. Hang the dartboard on the bracket and give it a gentle push and pull test to make sure it feels solid, not just held by friction. Step back and check the bullseye lines up with your earlier mark.

1 each · Dartboard with mounting bracket

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

DB-07Measure and mark the throw lineFor standard steel-tip darts, the oche sits 2.37m from the face of the board, measured along the floor. Measure this out from directly below the board, mark it, and stick down a length of oche tape or a throw-line mat so it stays put.

1 each · Oche tape or throw-line mat

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

DB-08Tidy upVacuum up any drilling dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe down the wall around the fixing. Fold away the dust sheet and dispose of any waste. Give the board one last check to make sure it's still sitting level and secure.

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides