How To Paint A Dartboard Secrets Revealed!

Have you ever considered the question, “Can I Paint Darts Board?” or, let’s say, “How to Paint a Dartboard?” If you have, this article has some secrets to reveal. A well-painted dartboard looks impressive and is a real showpiece for your home or bar.

It also allows you to experience the game on a whole new level. But, the entire painting process is not as easy as it seems. Painting or refurbishing a dartboard indeed contains no expensive expanses. You can simply choose your desired paint pen, brushes, and other necessary stuff and get started at once.

But the primary factor that you should consider is the kinds of your board material. There are several categories of dartboards available, including a bristle electronic dartboard. And they require you to apply different paint products on them.

So, this write-up will be sharing some of the most valuable tricks and advice on painting tactics. Besides, you will also understand which painting goods will fit your board the best for coloring. 

How To Paint A Dartboard Properly

Painted dartboards are made out of different materials, and each material is diverse in appearance. Varnish is slightly translucent, whereas cork and bristle dartboards have a speckled look that resembles wood.

To protect each material type, you should prime the board and paint it with a color that matches the material. If you want to learn how to paint any style of dartboard with a bit of paint bleed, read through the following steps:

Choose Your Materials – How To Paint A Dartboard

Choosing the materials is an essential task to complete before diving into the actual job. When choosing colors and brushes for the procedure, you must be very careful. After you have figured out your board’s build properties, ensure which paint colors go along.

For instance, if you have a plastic-made board, you should better go with the spray paint product. It will easily cover the whole board without clogging the screw holes in between. Howbeit, you can use the most common painting goods for a wooden-made board.

It’s nothing but Acrylic Latex. Acrylic is a water-based formula that fits almost every dartboard. Now back to the material selection, you should also take quality brushes, some additional newspaper, masking tapes, and a pencil. 

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Set up Your Work Area – How To Paint A Dartboard

The board painting procedure takes about hours to finish. Above all, it can make your place messy if, by accident, any of your colors splashes on the floor. Therefore, setting up your work area is another vital consideration for this task.

Decide on a specific location to complete the task. It would be preferable if you could select an outdoor location. 

Prepare Your Tools – How To Paint A Dartboard

Get all your tools in the work area and organize them. That way, you will get everything near you during the task, and you won’t have to get distracted frequently.

It is even better to place some newspapers on the floor when you are painting the dartboard indoors. You’ll have fewer paint flecks in your space this way.

Start Painting – How To Paint A Dartboard

Finally, it’s time you start painting the dartboard. However, there are a few factors to keep in mind. Let’s find those out,

Classic Cork Dartboards – How To Paint A Dartboard

For the classic cork dart board, you must know that you can’t directly paint on them. At first, it’s better if you can prime its surface with a quality primer. As a result, the board surface won’t get hardened.

Also, it will avoid the darts bouncing off often. Cork is suitable for Acrylic Latex paint and even spray colors. But if you can use food colors or clothing dye, you will no longer be needing to prime the board. In fact, you won’t even require a well-ventilated area as well.

So all you have to do now is gather your painting supplies and go to work. And yes, you must use masking tapes to cover the holes to avoid putting colors on the area. 

Plastic Dartboards – How To Paint A Dartboard

Plastic boards are much easier to paint than any other board type. The holes are already manufactured right in place. However, it is always better to be extra cautious. Otherwise, you might end up clogging up the holes. 

Spray paint is always the better solution for plastic board paintings. Although, you can also use Latex paint colors with narrow, small brushes containing a fine tip. But be aware of covering the holes and other essential parts. It will prevent the excess paint from clogging up the areas. 

Wooden Dartboards – How To Paint A Dartboard

When you’re ready to paint, primer is the key. Always apply primer on wood before using paints. Primers offer the most flexibility in terms of paint usage.

Oil-based primer is thicker and ideal for protecting rough surfaces like concrete and brick. Latex-based primer is thinner and lets paints glide on with less drag and fewer brush marks. So, it’s excellent to use over wood.

Acrylic-based primer also has a smooth finish but is more expensive than the rest. Since wood can expand or contract depending on its environment, different paints are designed to adhere well to specific materials.

Some colors, like epoxy or urethane coatings, aren’t meant for use on wood at all. Howbeit, it will work well with paper or other mediums. Once you’ve decided which paint to buy, make sure to get it in the right thickness.

Bristle Dartboards – How To Paint A Dartboard

Bristle dartboards are also porous and hard on the surface. So, you can’t usually put acrylic or oil paints directly on them. In fact, you can’t use a primer as well. These boards are typically made of hemp or sisal material, so you must be careful with painting.

If you want to apply chalkboard spray paint, you might do that. But experts suggest avoiding that technique too. Primarily, you can use a food color or clothing dye to paint a bristle board. These porch paints even have a record of lasting longer than usual. 

Finishing

When you finish painting your dartboard, be sure to let it dry for a few days before hanging it on the wall. The paint needs time to dry, and the dartboard should be ready for action in no time!

How To Paint A Dartboard (FAQs)

Painting a dart board is an absolute must for any darts enthusiast. It is an enjoyable, unique way to personalize your dart game. It not only transforms the dartboard look; rather gets your game room a new appealing attire.

A customized DIY dartboard also makes a great gift for players already enjoying the game of darts. Here are some of the questions that we’ve been asked recently.

What kind of paint do you use on a dartboard?

Acrylic is the most versatile type of paint you can use on a dartboard. Primarily, it’s the Acrylic Latex Paint. It’s safe for most surfaces, and it’s water-based. So it won’t damage the board. Once you’ve added the acrylic to the surface of your board, it dries quickly and remains strong after each throw.

Should you spray a dartboard?

Do not spray or soak your dartboard in water. Also, don’t let wet darts touch it. You could damage your board and decrease the lifespan with this one step. However, if you want to spray paint your board, you can do that from a distance and cover it with light coats. Overall, your board will last you for years to come if you keep it well maintained.

How do you refresh a dartboard?

To refresh a dartboard, you must be careful of the cleansing products you are about to use. Several style of dartboard is available, including bristles, wooden-made, plastics, etc. For instructions, you should either ask the salesperson or check the user guide that came with the board.

If you don’t have the handbook, seek guidance from a professional. They will tell you about the exact refreshing material to use for the particular board you own. However, for refreshing the most common types of dartboards, we suggest,

A high-quality cleaner for wood and leather. Such as saddle soap or leather cleaner.

A cleaning cloth.

A dust rag.

100% cotton balls (optional).

Wrapping Up

Once upon a time, painting a dartboard used to be a lengthy and annoying task. You had to use messy paint cans and fill in the holes by hand. But now, that has become effortless with a step-by-step process in hand.

You’ll need only a few paintbrushes, an inexpensive number-letter stencil, masking tape, and a can of spray paint or emulsion paint. When it comes to painting a dartboard, you must be cautious about the products you use.

With the right paint, your project can turn out like a work of art. If you’re going to go with acrylic latex, make sure you use the kind specifically made for hard surfaces.

Applying one coat might be enough, but you could also try two coats for a better finish. An alternative to latex paint is polyurethane. This has more durable and longer-lasting results than latex. Besides, it will also last longer when properly maintained.

Overall, with a bit of practice and some patience, you can paint a dartboard and make the best result out of your painted dartboard drinking game.