Ultimate Shuffleboard Table Buyers Guide | Game Dribble

 Table of Contents:

• Settling on Size
• Playfield
• Construction Materials
• Scoring Systems

Shuffleboard tables may be a hard bar game to overlook. They can add a lot of fun to any game room and may last for decades! It takes minutes to learn and offers hours of enjoyment! How does it work you have asked?

In a nutshell, to score, the player's pucks must reach the highest scoring area without falling off the end of the playfield or sliding off to one side. To score on your opponent, your pucks must be farther down the playfield than his or her are. This may be accomplished by knocking off your opponent's pucks. Congratulations, you have just learned how to play it. Now let's talk business!

When deciding whether or not to buy a new shuffleboard table for your game area, there are several things to think about. For example, ‘Where am I putting it?’ or ‘What are the dimensions?’ Which one should I choose?' or ‘How long will my teenagers destroy it?’ We'll answer all of these questions for you right here, right now!

Settling on Size

When it comes to having a shuffleboard table in your game room, bar or elsewhere probably the first question that pops in your mind is ‘’where am I going to put it?’’. That's a perfectly natural reaction, now let me clear that up for you: Shuffleboard tables can be as long as 22’ long and 33" wide, with the smallest version being L 9’ / W 16". Shuffleboard table has two sides to play from. Each side should have at least 2 feet clearance. 

Berner 22' "The Weathered" Shuffleboard Table in Black Oak

This timeless classic, mixes both old world with the new world. The distressed weathered wood is something that looks to be reclaimed from a century old barn, and the strength of metal is the perfect match to finish this beautiful look.

The Cabinet is Solid wood, and the playfield is Canadian Hard Rock Maple. Weathered finishes are achieved by applying semi-transparent stains over a base color on natural wood to create an overtone color range. Finished wood that has naturally weathered outdoors will have varying degrees of intensity and no two tables will be the same.

Playfield

The playfield is a 3" thick wooden plank, usually Canadian soft maple. They do not make hardened maple any more, but honestly, that is not a downer. Because what matters are the finishes.

The top of the playfield is coated with a polymer. This is precisely the material that allows pucks to slide smoothly on the surface with the aid of the shuffleboard wax. The latter item - wax, or sometimes referred to as ‘’sand’’ is an essential part of the playfield. It can slow down the sliding speed or increase it. Which type you need is totally up to you, but remember this: the amount you pour over the board is very important. You need not pour too little amount or too much. Try to get it right with practise so that the specific type of wax can do its job properly. 

Atomic 9' Platinum Shuffleboard Table

This solid play surface is ply-coated and stands on a laminated cabinet with pedestal legs with levelers for maximum stability. Keeping track of score is easy too thanks to an abacus-style scoring system off to the side.

Construction Materials

There is more to shuffleboard table construction material than shiny and smooth surfaces. Be on a lookout for maple, birch, oak, and mahogany materials combined with polymer. There are other materials out there, however, ones listed above guarantee the top quality gameplay. 

Champion "Grand Champion Limited Edition" 22 foot Shuffleboard Table

Champion Shuffleboard is proud to introduce the finest shuffleboard ever made! The beauty and quality of Grand Champion model is taken to the highest level and as a result Grand Champion Limited Edition, the model of detailed craftsmanship is created.

The best playfield today on the market is made out of soft maple with polymer finish, however, the cabinet itself is just as much as important. Imagine all those times the pucks are sent flying into gutters and hit the walls of the cabinet. It can very easily get dented and cracked! To avoid this scenario make sure to get a shuffleboard table with solid wood construction. Yes, the weight will be added, but the table as a whole is going to be much more durable and long-lasting. Some homes even have shuffleboards as old as half a century! 

Climatic Adjusters and Outdoor Tables

Over time, even if you have an indoor shuffleboard table, the climatic change through the seasons might change the curvature of the wooden construction. To fix that you will need the climatic adjusters. When you will need them is up to your environment - how humid it is and how often it goes through change.

Imperial Reno Rustic 9' Shuffleboard Table

The Imperial Reno 9-foot Shuffleboard Table is an authentic pub style table. Made of solid Aspen with an Elm veneer and finished in weathered dark chestnut. The table has a 1.7" solid wood playing surface to provide great puck slide. Solid wood post legs with cross beams provide a unique look and adds stability.

Outdoor shuffleboard tables are a bit of a different scenario when it comes to the materials used. For ideal choice, the cradle and the cabinet should be solid hardwood combined with fiberglass coated playfield.

As for the legs, look for the levelers. These are small metal bases on the bottom of each leg. You need to make the playfield as level as possible. The cradle needs to have drainage holes to get rid of rain water as well. 

Scoring Systems

There can be found two kinds of scoring systems or grids - level grids and triangular grids. The former is more common for indoor tables whereas the latter for outdoor types. Standard level grid is 3 level grid with 1-2-3 leveling. But there are 4 and 5 level ones as well. 

Berner "The Pro" 22' Shuffleboard Table w/Elec. Scoring in Espresso

Berner "The Pro" 22' Shuffleboard Table w/Elec. Scoring in Espresso is one of the Berner shuffleboard models that offers a superb design and phenomenal built quality. Other than playing games it acts as a beautiful design piece to any home.

In conclusion, We at Game Dribble hope you have made yourself comfortable with shuffleboard knowledge and can now freely choose what type would be the best match for your specific case!