Unless you’re an avid dart enthusiast, few people think about how you have to have a certain amount of care and repair when owning a dartboard. Upon purchasing one, most people put it up on the wall and leave it there. But this is not recommended in the slightest.
One of these little, but important, items of maintenance is rotating your board. But how often should you rotate a dartboard? Many manufacturers recommend that you should turn your dartboard every two to three days to get the longest life out of a dartboard. Although this is a great rule of thumb, there are many factors involved that decide when and how often to rotate your dartboard.
Dart board maintenance is an imperative component to having one in your basement, garage, and bar or pub. To keep it beautiful and in perfect working condition, there are many things you need to do. It’s not time-consuming and doesn’t take a whole lot of effort, but is often forgotten which can lead to having to replace a dartboard prematurely.
Rotation Frequency
Along with keeping it in a cool, dry area free of heat and humidity, rotating your dartboard on a frequent basis is paramount. It is going to depend on where it’s kept and how much you work the board.
You should rotate it at least once per week, regardless of frequent play or how many people use it. If you are an avid player, definitely prevent damages by rotating on a near daily basis.
Many manufacturers recommend that you should turn your dartboard every two to three days. Others suggest after two to three hours if it has any amount of continuous use. Some pros and solid hobbyists say to rotate it daily if you are playing or practicing often.
It is important to note, though, that newer dartboards are going to need rotation more often until the 12 and 20 sections have enough use and wear. After that, you can ease up on the frequency. But you will still have to have some kind of regular rotation of the board.
Why You Rotate Your Dartboard
Rotating your dartboard on the regular is going to be one of those essential things to keep the board beautiful and in working condition for as long as is possible. Dartboard rotation is going to be more for ones made of cork or fibers.
The reason why you would rotate a dartboard is to prevent overuse in certain sections. Over time, some sections of the dartboard, like the 12 and 20, will receive more damage than others. Rotating helps reduce this. Other sections will be more worked than others and consistent rotation evens out accumulated wear and tear.
Unfortunately, this does nothing for the center, where hitting the bullseye is going to be most often hit by a dart. Keeping it clean is about all you can do, short of repainting. But if you have a worn bullseye, that’s a testament to what a dart wizard you are, congratulations!
How to Rotate a Dartboard
Dartboards come in various shapes and sizes. Electronic dartboards are mainly made of plastic, while tournament grade dartboards, like this one from Winmau, are made out of bristle.
Some dartboards cannot be rotated at all which requires them to either be touched up or replaced altogether.
Cork and Bristle Dartboards
Many cork and bristle boards have a metal ring with the numbers in it, known as a “number ring.” Remove this number ring before you move the board around.
And when you do, make sure you only turn it a few segments/sections in a clockwise direction. You can go counterclockwise but you’ll have to be consistent with your direction. Don’t go clockwise one day and then counterclockwise a few days later.
Wood, Paper, and Plastic Dartboards
For wood, paper or plastic dartboards, rotation isn’t necessary. If your dartboard is of any one of these materials, and you begin to notice a wearing of the surface, there isn’t too much you can do.
You can repaint or use your finger if paper comprises the board. Gently rub the surface back and forth until the holes blend together. This won’t always be effective, but it’s worth a try.
For wood and plastic, any noticeable damage may demand a full replacement. The holes in plastic boards will bulge with noticeable use, making it difficult for darts to penetrate the surface. Wood will end up riddled with holes, thereby rendering the board unplayable.
Final Thoughts
Rotating your dartboard really boils down to how often your dartboard is being used, and the area of most use. For a professional, the 20 bed may see the most wear compared to the rest of the dartboard. While a novice, on the other hand, may have wear all over the board and not just in particularly one spot.
So, as you can see, it’s never a bad idea to rotate often. But not rotating enough can be a sure problem, causing uneven damage to the board itself. Not rotating it enough will also decrease the lifespan and will cause you to have to replace your dartboard more frequently than not.
There are many steps involved with proper dartboard maintenance, but the most important factor in deciding how much use you will get out of your board is by making sure it wears evenly.