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Playing darts at home or in your game room is one of the best ways to practice and hone your skills. What kind of board best suits your playing needs? When choosing a dartboard you’ll want to consider the space where you’ll be throwing as well as the kind of darts that match your skill level. Here are some dart buying tips to help you find the best type of dart set for you.

Dart Board Types
There are three main types of dartboards: Bristleboard, Magnetic and Electronic.

Bristle dartboards took the place of the original wood dartboard and are the one most commonly used. If you  appreciate the feel of the dart point sinking into the target’s surface, you’ll want to play with this traditional style board.

Magnetic dartboards take the point out of the darts and replace them with magnets. If you’ve got a space that cannot risk potential damage from stray darts, the magnetic dartboard is an excellent option. This type of board also offers a great way for children to learn darts without sharp dart tips.

Electronic dartboards are becoming increasingly popular in bars and recreation rooms. They can be set to play a variety of dart games and they keep score for you. The darts used with electronic dartboards have plastic tips, so you don’t have to be concerned about sharp points. Flashing lights and sound effects also add a little pizzazz to the game.

Wooden cabinets sets can be purchased to house the bristle dartboard you already have or you can buy a cabinet set that includes a board and darts. These cabinets hang on the wall and close to store the darts, offering an aesthetic option for any living room or game area.

Darts
For those using a magnetic or electronic dartboard, the appropriate darts come with the board. But for those choosing darts for a bristle dartboard, you will find there are many different kinds of darts available. The two main types of darts are either steel or soft tipped but they both have a pointed tip that will sink into the bristle board’s surface.

Steel tipped darts weigh between 20 - 25 grams and they come with either a fixed or movable point, the most common type being a fixed point. The movable point was more necessary with older style boards made of very hard material. With today’s higher quality boards, the fixed point works fine and is the type most often used.

Soft tip darts typically weigh between 14 - 18 grams. The size of the width of their barrels can vary between 1/4″ or 2ba, though you’ll most commonly find the 2ba variety.

Darts are constructed with various metals: brass (the lightest), nickel-silver and tungsten (the heaviest). Darts made with tungsten are mostly used by serious throwers because of their durability.

If you’re just starting out and aren’t sure what kind of dart to start with you may want to try one of these two options: steel tip darts between 20 - 22 grams or soft tip darts between 14-16 grams.

Your Game Space
When deciding what kind of dart set to purchase you’ll want to consider the space where you’ll be playing. If you are concerned about the wall behind your dartboard or the floor beneath it being damaged from stray darts consider the magnetic or electronic dartboards. Dart mats to protect the floor space of your game area are also an option if you want to play on a bristle dartboard. You can get dart mats in Dazadi’s dart accessories section.

If you’re thinking about an electronic dartboard for your game area, make sure there is an outlet in close vicinity to where you will hang your board.

Whatever kind of dartboard you choose, make sure your space has enough room for throwing the darts. Leave a space of at least 11 feet long and 5 feet wide for playing.