We wanted our basement to be a fun entertaining space for friends and family to spend quality time together. Darts are always a crowd favorite and I had an empty corner that was perfect for adding a dart board with weathered barn wood panel boards behind it. Adding the backboard was both functional and aesthetic, as it gives the space intention, looks nice and also protects the wall from dart holes.
The Before
The first step was figuring out the size of my panel wall. I wanted to make sure there was plenty of room on all sides of the dartboard cabinet, while also giving some space between the trim of the window and the planks. With that in mind, I decided 5″ would be enough space from the window trim, giving me 13 rows across and a total width of 52.5″ all the way to the corner of the two adjoining walls. This would allow about 14.25″ of space on either side of the dartboard cabinet centered on the backboard. Because we have a foundation ledge on this wall, I would start the panels at the top of the ledge and go up to the ceiling. This was a total height of 52.25″, allowing a little over 14″ of space above and below the dartboard cabinet.
Now that I had my measurements for the panels, it was time to start cutting! I started my first row in the corner and worked my way to the left, creating a randomized pattern with varied lengths. For each row I would start with a random length for my first piece, and then subtract that length from the total height from ledge to ceiling to get the measurement for my second piece. I marked the measurement with a pencil and then cut to size using my miter saw. I then used a Brad Nailer gun to install the pieces to the wall. I repeated this method for each row until I got through all 13 rows which landed me at my 5″ mark from the window trim. Keep in mind that the planks may have slightly different widths (mine did), so carefully choose and compare your pieces for each row to avoid gaps or crooked rows.
The next and final step was to hang the dart board centered to the panel wall. I measured and marked on the wall where the holes for the hardware should be drilled. I used 2″ steel toggle bolts for each hole, which required using a drill bit to make a small hole for them to go in. Once the holes were drilled, and the bolts and hardware were in place and secured, it was ready to hang! You can also do this the smarter way and find the studs on your wall first and hang the hardware before installing the planks, but this way worked just fine too. To complete my wall I added a gold battery operated light above the dartboard, and voila!
The After
This was a very easy and approachable DIY project that didn’t require a lot of time or money. With some basic tools and minimal materials I was able to make a boring, empty corner into a fun space to enjoy with friends and family.
Materials I Used:
- Wood panels
- Miter saw
- Drill
- Toggle bolts
- Brad Nailer
- Dartboard
- Picture light
Thanks for your support and following along in this project! I hope you found it useful or it sparked some inspiration in your own home.
Cheers,
