Especially for players who only play darts at home , a common problem arises again and again – the volume of the dartboard .
It usually doesn't take long before neighbors, parents, or roommates complain about the monotonous sound of darts hitting the dartboard. A silent impact is actually impossible , as a dart hits the board at high speed.
For this reason, we're devoting this blog post to the topic of insulating dartboards. This way, you can play darts around the clock and avoid the next argument in advance.
Insulating a dartboard – why is this necessary?
A dartboard can sometimes be annoying—not for the user, i.e., the player, but rather for neighbors, roommates, siblings, and parents. But why? In what ways could a dartboard be annoying?
Quite simply: Every single impact of a dart creates a dull, annoying noise – at least for those not using the board. Especially with dartboards mounted on the wall, the sound of the impact is often carried or transmitted throughout the entire house .
For this reason, many amateur dartboard players are looking for a solution to insulate the wall to provide some degree of soundproofing. We're often asked how to make their dartboard quieter.
One thing is clear: If the noise continues to be transmitted over time, it will be almost impossible to play darts late into the evening. The risk of neighbors or roommates already asleep and being woken up by the monotonous noise is too great.
So, you need a proper dartboard insulation guide. And we'll show you how to tackle the problem.
What options are there for insulating a steel dartboard?
There are several ways to make a steel dartboard quieter. We'll start with the simplest, but probably also the most expensive, option.
With a dart stand, you can almost completely eliminate the loudness of the impact and the transmission of sound . A dart stand offers the great advantage that the dartboard is n't attached directly to the wall .
This prevents sound from being transmitted through the walls. Furthermore, a mobile dartboard stand tends to bounce slightly. This is extremely beneficial for a steel dartboard, but a disadvantage for an electronic dartboard.
The reason: The material in a steel dartboard, the sisal fibers, gives way when the dart hits the board. Because the dartboard stand also gives way slightly, the noise of the impact is minimized. This isn't the case when the steel dartboard is mounted directly to the wall, as the wall doesn't give way.
However, the mobile dartboard stand comes at a price and is definitely the most expensive option for preventing annoying noises while playing darts. However, it's effective, flexible , and easy to use .
If you can only mount the dartboard on the wall, you'll have to do without a board stand. But there are solutions for this, too. First of all, it's important that the board isn't mounted directly on the wall .
Cork boards to help
A good example is cork boards , which are often used as soundproofing for dartboards . I'd like to introduce you to a construction that's both inexpensive and effective .
- Step 1: Attach a chipboard to the wall (with 4 dowels and screws)
- Step 2: Now glue a cork board (5 mm thick) onto this chipboard
- Step 3: Attach the board holder to the center of the cork board and hang the disc
The big advantage of this is that the sound is not transmitted directly to the wall through the chipboard, as the board is not in direct contact with the wall .
The cork top provides additional noise insulation . I personally use this construction myself and am very satisfied.
Insider tip: Cover the back of the dartboard with foam. This has the advantage of eliminating air gaps between the cork and the dartboard. This would, in turn, lead to a louder impact. A very thin foam sheet is sufficient for this purpose.
Insulating an electronic dartboard – ways to reduce the noise
With electronic dartboards, the problem is sometimes even worse than with steel dartboards. The fact that the electronic dartboard is connected to the power supply and makes a separate noise when hitting a triple doesn't exactly make things easier for amateur players.
The dart stand is also not a significant alternative here, as the noise is only amplified if an electronic dartboard does not have a solid background.
So, what can you do to properly insulate your electronic dartboard or make it quieter? One way to achieve this is impact sound insulation . This is also used, for example, to insulate floors – especially in high-rise buildings where several tenants live above one another.
Such a material is inexpensive and effective . The impact sound insulation simply needs to be adjusted to the size of the dartboard and glued in place – that's it.
If that's not enough for you, you can also unscrew the electronic dartboard. However, you should know exactly what you're doing to avoid damaging the dartboard.
The back can then be stuffed with an insulating material —cotton wool, for example, is ideal because it's flexible and lightweight . Then, screw the electronic dartboard back together, and you're done.
If you don't mind spending a little more, you can also buy a product that's already soundproofed. There are a few electronic dartboards available that are already soundproofed and therefore quiet .
However, it remains to be said: It is definitely more difficult to insulate an electronic dartboard than a steel dartboard.
6 tips for the right dartboard soundproofing
Finally, we give you an overview of the best tips for insulating steel and electronic dartboards.
Tips & instructions for insulating a steel dartboard:
- Dartboard soundproofing and dartboard wall protection – install intermediate plate
- Insulate dartboard: Cover back with foam
- Do not attach the steel dartboard directly to the wall
Insider tip: If possible, simply use a dart stand!
Tips & instructions for insulating electronic dartboards:
- Screw on the e-dartboard and stuff it with cotton wool
- Cover the back of the e-dartboard with impact sound insulation
- Buy an already insulated electronic dartboard
With these tips you can now even make your electronic dartboard quieter.
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