Short answer: Dartboard surround vs cabinet comes down to what you need. A surround catches darts that miss and protects the wall right around the board. A cabinet adds doors, scoreboards and storage. Then add a light that shines on the board from several sides, so darts cast no shadows.
By Andy Gibson · Updated 20 October 2026
Do I need a dartboard surround?
If the board hangs on a wall you care about, yes. Even good players miss the board, and a dart that lands in plaster or timber damages the wall and blunts its point. Shot puts it simply: a surround protects your walls from stray darts and your darts from the walls. Target adds that a surround means points need repointing less often, and it absorbs some of the noise.
A surround is a ring of dense foam or polymer that fits around a standard bristle board. Most need no screws or drilling:
- Winmau Printed Surround: high-density polyurethane, slides on around the board, inner diameter 43.6 cm, outer 67.5 cm.
- Mission Heavy Duty Surround: flexible polymer that fits tightly with no fixings and is made to hide dart marks; outer diameter 68 cm.
- Unicorn Ultra 2.0 Surround: high-density polymer that clamps around the board.
- Target Vale Surround: one-piece polyurethane with 12 cm of protection around the board.
The surround hangs with the board, so its weight goes onto the board's mounting. Winmau states the centre screw on its boards is designed to take a board and a traditional surround. Heavier add-ons, such as some lights, can overload it.
Dartboard surround vs cabinet: which should you choose?
| Surround | Cabinet | |
|---|---|---|
| Wall protection | A ring right around the board | The cabinet back and sides; open doors cover more of the wall |
| Scoring | None; use a scoreboard or app | Scoring panels inside the doors |
| Closes up | No | Yes; the board is hidden and protected when not in use |
| Fitting | Fits around the board, usually no tools | Screws to the wall; board fits inside |
| Rotating the board | Lift off and turn | Board comes out of the cabinet to turn |
| Works with ring lights | Yes, most | Some (check the light) |
Choose a surround for a dedicated darts wall, a garage or a club-style setup where the board is always out. Choose a cabinet for a living area or games room where the board should close away, or when you want the score on the wall beside it. If your aim is still wayward, a surround inside a cabinet or a wider surround gives the most cover.
What does a dartboard cabinet add?
Doors, scoring and storage. The Winmau Dartboard Cabinet has Home and Away wipe-clean scoring panels inside the doors, so each player marks their own score. The Mission Deluxe Cabinet has heavy-duty hinges and a strengthened back panel. Both suit standard bristle boards and come with fixings and instructions. The Formula Sports Aluminium Cabinet has a quick-release board housing, dart slots and a whiteboard scoreboard.
If you're buying a board as well, a board and cabinet bundle puts both in one box.
Choose your option
Choose your option
Choose your option
Choose your option
What is the best lighting for a dartboard?
Light that reaches the board from several angles. A single ceiling light or lamp throws the shadow of each dart across the board, which hides the next target and the wires. The World Darts Federation's rules for match play ask for the same thing: lighting placed so it casts no shadows on the board and doesn't shine in the thrower's eyes.
Dartboard lights solve this with a ring or arc of LEDs close to the board face. The main differences are how they fix and how much of the board they wrap around:
| Light | How it fixes | Coverage | Works with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target Corona Vision | Magnetic feet on the board's steel ring | Full ring, 123 LEDs | Board alone, board and surround, cabinet, any bracket |
| Mission Torus | Clips onto the board | 120° or 270° | Board, board and surround, cabinet (270) |
| Shot Lumen Core | Legs onto the board, with wedges | 270°, about 2,000 lumens, dimmer | Any dartboard |
| Winmau Plasma | Fixes to the wall | Arc around the board | Wall-hung boards; not stands |
| Target Arc | Single arm on the board | 24 LEDs, 3 m cable | Board with or without surround |
Sources: each maker's product details. A light that sits on the board adds to the load on the board's centre screw; Winmau recommends a wall-fixed light such as the Plasma, or a stronger wall clamp, where that's a concern.
How do you set it all up?
- Pick the wall. Away from doors, walkways, windows and anything breakable, with room for the oche in front.
- Fix the bracket or cabinet so the centre of the bull is 1.73 m from the floor. The dartboard buying guide covers the measurements.
- Hang the board with the dark 20 segment at the top, then fit the surround around it.
- Fit the light and check from the oche: no shadows on the board, no glare in your eyes.
- Protect the floor with a dart mat. Mats also save points from hard floors, and some have the oche marked at the right distance.
Choose your option
Choose your option
Choose your option
Choose your option
Frequently asked questions
Is a dartboard cabinet better than a surround?
Neither is better. A surround protects the wall right around the board; a cabinet adds doors, scoring and storage. Pick by where the board hangs and how you use it.
Can you put a surround on a board inside a cabinet?
Only if the cabinet has room for it. Check the cabinet's inside size against the surround's outer diameter: 67.5 cm for the Winmau and 68 cm for the Mission Heavy Duty.
Do dartboard surrounds damage darts?
No. They're made to take a point without damaging it, which is one reason to use one.
Does a dartboard light work with a cabinet?
Some do. The Target Corona Vision works with a board on its own, a board and surround, or a cabinet set. Check each light's details.
How bright should a dartboard light be?
Bright enough to light the whole board evenly with no shadows. Coverage around the board matters more than raw brightness.
Related guides
Shop the range
Shop dartboard lights
