Dartboard care: make your bristle board last for years

A decent bristle board can last for years, or wear out around treble 20 in a few months. The difference isn't the price tag; it's a handful of habits that surprisingly few players know about. None of them takes more than a couple of minutes.

How a bristle board works

A bristle board is made of sisal fibres (a plant fibre from the agave) packed tightly together and cut so the ends face the surface. When a dart goes in, the point pushes the fibres apart rather than piercing them. When you pull it out, the fibres close back up and the hole disappears: that's the "self-healing" effect.

Everything about looking after a board follows from that: don't damage the fibres, and spread the wear so no area gives out before the rest.

Rotate the board

This is the big one. Players mostly aim at the 20, the 19 and a few favourite doubles, so those areas take the bulk of the hits and wear far faster than the rest.

The fix: rotate the board every so often, then put the number ring back the right way round with the 20 at the top. On most modern boards the number ring comes off (it's held by clips or notches) for exactly this reason.

1. Take off the number ring.
2. Lift the board off and turn it by one or more segments.
3. Hang it back up and refit the number ring with the 20 at the top.

The worn treble 20 area ends up somewhere less popular, and a fresh patch takes its place. How often depends on how much you play: as soon as the fibres in treble 20 start to dip, or holes take a while to close, it's time. Some boards have a marker on the back or a bracket designed to make rotating easier.

Never wet it

An old tip still does the rounds: dampen the board to "swell the fibres" and close the holes. Don't. Water makes the sisal swell unevenly, the board warps, fibres come loose more easily as it dries, and the metal wires can rust.

The same goes for cleaning products: no sprays, no cleaners. A soft brush or a dry cloth is all you need to clear away fibre dust.

Watch the damp and the heat

A damp cellar, an unheated garage or a spot above a radiator will slowly ruin a board:

• too damp, and the fibres swell and lose their grip;
• too hot and dry, and they shrink and snap more easily.

Avoid hanging it right above a radiator or in full sun behind a window. An ordinary, temperate living space suits it perfectly.

Look after your points

A point in bad shape damages a board faster than anything else.

• Too sharp (needle-like), and it cuts the fibres instead of parting them. The holes stop closing.
• Too blunt, and it shoves the fibres aside, bounces out more often and tears them on the way out.
• A burr (a tiny lip of metal after hitting a wire or the floor) acts like a hook.

What you want is a slightly rounded point, neither a needle nor a ball. A small dart-sharpening stone is plenty: a few light strokes while turning the dart, no more. Run a finger over the point now and then to feel for burrs.

To pull a dart out, draw it straight towards you with a slight twist. No levering up and down, which rips the fibres. More on kit in how to choose darts.

Check the wires (the spider)

The spider is the set of metal wires dividing up the board. On modern boards it's thin and held without visible staples, which cuts down on bounce-outs. On older or entry-level boards, staples hold the wires in place.

Check every so often that:

• no wire lifts or moves when you press on it;
• no staple is sticking out;
• no wire has been bent by an impact.

A loose wire means one bounce-out after another, and darts landing right on the line between two areas. If a wire is lifting, don't try to superglue it back: it's often a sign the board is near the end of its life.

When to replace your board

A well-looked-after board lasts a long time, but not forever. It's time for a new one when:

• holes stop closing, even after rotating;
• fibres fall out, or holes stay visible in treble 20;
• bounce-outs keep coming and your points aren't to blame;
• the surface bulges or dips noticeably;
• the spider comes loose.

If you keep score with Throw, a tired board shows up in your visits too: more bounce-outs to fix by hand, more darts falling out. For the rest of the set-up (height, lighting, protecting the wall), read how to set up a dartboard at home, and to get to know your board area by area, dartboard anatomy.

The essentials in 5 habits

1. Rotate the board regularly, 20 always at the top.
2. Never wet it, and no cleaning products either.
3. Keep it away from radiators and damp.
4. Slightly rounded points, no burrs.
5. Pull darts out straight, with a slight twist.