The game of Darts has been around for hundreds of years, and is a fun hobby and competitive sport played by millions around the world. Over time and in different cultures, different iterations of the dartboard have been produced and sold, and there are many different kinds you can buy.
However, not many people know what dartboards are made of, or why certain materials are used to produce them. The answer is as varied as the number of dartboard kinds on the market today.
How Dartboards are Made – Sisal Fibers
The most common type of dartboard is made from sisal fibers. These fibers are found in a specific type of Agave plant. The plant’s leaves are crushed and the fibers are extracted after the rest of the leaf’s materials have been brushed away by a set of rotating blades.
Sisal fibers are generally preferred over other types of fibers or materials because they are strong and stiff, but also can grip and move around a dart as it gets thrown at the board, and they are relatively inexpensive.
To create the face of a dartboard, small bundles of sisal fibers – all of the same length – get bundled or braided together. These bundles then get pressed together to form tubes, and the tubes get cut into discs, or biscuits.
These discs are what we know as dartboards. They are held together by steel bands secured around the outside of the sisal, as well as metal wire that separates each individual section of the dartboard.
Boards made from sisal fibers are called Bristle dartboards. Here’s a video showing how one is made, from beginning to end.
What an Electronic Dartboard is Made of
Electronic dartboards are created out of plastic, and the plastic is formed in one of two ways. In one method of construction, a main board piece is covered with thousands of pieces that stick out like little antennae. The dart then sticks between the pieces and completes a circuit in the electronics within the board.
The other way is that the plastic board has thousands of tiny holes drilled into it, in which the darts would fit. However, this could increase the amount of darts that bounce out, because there is hard plastic in between the holes.
Electronic dartboards usually last longer than sisal fiber dartboards, but this comes with a trade-off. You can only use soft tip darts with electronic boards, and this is different from the setup you would use during any competitions.
Other Types of Dartboards
While bristle (made from sisal fibers) and electronic dartboards are the two most common types of board, there are also many others. The next three most popular dartboards are made primarily from cork, paper, and wood.
Cork Dartboards
Dartboards made from cork are usually a lot cheaper and more lightweight, but the tradeoff is that they’re less durable and lower quality. Because cork is a material that does not bounce back or fill itself in after it has been punctured by a dart, there’s only so many times you can use it.
We recommend cork dartboards for children, or those just learning about darts who aren’t ready to invest a lot of money into a more long-lasting dartboard.
Paper Dartboards
Making a dartboard from paper can be done in one of two ways. The first, cheaper way, is to create a single piece of paper that has the dartboard markings on it. Then you attach this paper to a backboard of some kind, whether it be cork or wooden or felt or anything else, and you can play.
However, these types of dartboards cannot be used more than once or twice, because the holes in the paper never disappear, and it can torn and ripped very easily. This is why these boards are usually cheap, because you have to buy a new paper sheet for every time you play, and if you play a lot this can add up.
Another way a paper dartboard is created is by tightly coiling paper around the center bullseye. Then when a dart is thrown, it lodges itself in between the layers of the paper. While this is an inexpensive and potentially durable option, darts can sometimes snag on the paper and they can very easily become unusable.
Wooden Dartboards
Wooden boards were the first kind of dartboards ever used. They are usually made of a solid slab of dense but punturable wood, like elm or basswood.
Wooden boards can be very durable if maintained properly, but this process is labor and time intensive and must be done frequently in order for the board to stay hydrated and in good working order. Because of this, wooden boards are usually only kept by serious dart players and fans.
See our post on cleaning a dartboard if you want to learn how to properly maintain a wooden board.
Which Material is Best?
Now that we know how all of the main types of dartboards are made, you might be wondering which kind would be best for you? The answer depends on your level of play, as well as the amount of time you spend playing.
For most players, whether they are amateurs or professionals, bristle dartboards are the way to go. They are used by professionals in competitions, and they tend to have the best ratings.
However, bristle boards are more expensive than other kinds of dartboards. If you have kids that want to play, or aren’t sure how often you’re going to play at first, then something like a cork board or a paper board would be best suited for you.
Electronic dartboards are best for those who want to play semi-regularly but don’t want to be professional or compete with darts. These boards keep track of your score for you, so you don’t have to learn all of the different dart rules, and they also come with a variety of games so you’ll never be bored.
In Summary
Dartboards can be produced using many different kinds of material, like plastic, wood, paper, cork, and sisal fibers. The most common kind, and the kind used in competition and most bar room games are made from sisal fibers, but regardless of what material your board is made of, the fun of the game never ends!
