What are Dartboards Made From?

So what are dartboards made from exactly?

The earliest dartboards were made from elm wood. The soft hardwood was the perfect density for early darts. Trouble was the boards had to be soaked in water over night, every night, so the holes made by the previous day’s games would close. And they didn’t last forever.

What is a Professional Dartboard Made From?

After decades of searching, and a lot of trial and error, dartboard makers finally discovered the solution to their problem: sisal fiber.

Derived from the agave plant, sisal fiber had all the qualities that one could hope for from a dartboard. It was strong, durable, flexible, and easy to tint.

The fiber is made by extracting the inner portion of the agave plant, and then cutting and pressing it to size, before finally being sanding it down for smoothness.

What are Dart Boards Made out of Besides Sisal Fiber?

Today almost every dartboard made is made from sisal fiber, but there are other options.

Cheaper boards are made from cork. These boards are lighter, but aren’t very sturdy and they don’t last nearly as long as sisal fiber.

Other boards are made from paper wound into coils. These boards are slightly more durable than cork board, but they have a tendency to rip and or tear which again leads to a much shorter life span than a sisal fiber board.

In the past few decades, electronic dart boards made of plastic have enter the market. These boards are nice because they tend to offer automatic scoring options, and the are safer than a traditional dartboard because they use plastic tipped darts instead of traditional steel tipped darts. However, these boards are often much more expensive that a traditional sisal fiber board.

Selecting YOUR Dartboard

If you would like help selecting your own dartboard, whatever the style, or would like to know more about darts in general, please visit our website www.BilliardsDirect.com, or stop by our Billiards Direct showroom in La Mesa, CA. Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you on your path to becoming a darts master.