What to look for in a shuffleboard table?    

We wrote this shuffleboard table buyers’ guide to give some general information about buying a shuffleboard table. Shuffleboard tables can easily be broken down into two categories: a professional game or a toy. This shuffleboard buyers’ guide will show the difference and how it is easy to determine what you are looking for.

        We wrote this shuffleboard table buyers'  guide to give some general information about buying a shuffleboard table. Shuffleboard tables can easily be broken down into two categories: a professional game or a toy. This shuffleboard buyers'  guide will show the difference and how it is easy to determine what you are looking for.

For a comparison of our models to other major brands check out this chart here. 

What is the main difference?

Playfield

climate conditioners

        It is very easy to determine the difference if you simply look under the table. Any quality shuffleboard table with a good play surface will use Climatic adjusters like this picture below.

The purpose of climatic adjustors is to allow for climate changes and keep the play surface from warping.  A shuffleboard surface should have a slight concave to it so the pucks do not fall off the sides of the board.  Because the play surface is not perfectly flat, it is necessary to occasionally adjust the board.  See here an example of how a board should be properly adjusted for accurate play.

         A cheaper shuffleboard table  will  have a solid bottom with no holes or adjusters like this. These tables are perfectly fine for children to play on, however they do not allow for a professional or accurate shuffleboard experience.

Board Material

             Here is where it is easy for a toy or low end manufacture who does not even have the climate adjusters above to try to deceive the consumer into believe that they are get the same quality shuffleboard table as a professional game manufacture would offer. They will claim the board is maple or butcher block construction. What kind of maple as they have many trees that may still be in the maple family but chances are it is a very inexpensive soft wood. If it was of any quality it would have the climate adjusters. There is maple all over the world but the best maple comes from the North East United States and Canada region. Even then you have two kinds of maple Soft Maple or Hard Maple. Some manufactures use soft maple and this is suitable but the very best maple surface is Rock Hard Maple. If you are consider between two shuffleboard table manufactures ask if the wood is soft or hard maple? Hard maple is 25% harder and 25% more dense than soft maple. It has more strength and stability and will better withstand the test of time. Below is a scale that measures the difference in density between two equal size pieces of maple, with hard maple on the left and soft maple on the right. 

Play Surface Finish

                The finish of the table is what sets apart the cheap models from the others.  Insist only on Polymer lifetime warranty finish. This is the same surface most professionals prefer because it tends to be truer. You get no rounding of the edges of the plank, so the plank plays wider and longer than a sprayed on finish. You can hang a weight half way off the side and end of the plank much easier on a Polymer finish because you have a true 90 degree corner on the edge You then put a little pressure on the adjusters to put a little drift in the plank.  The game gets more complex and fun to play because of the multiple speeds and directions shots can be made. This material is very expensive and requires special room environment controls to do an accurate pour. All quality game manufacturers will offer this polymer type finish. See the picture below for a close up of the end of a shuffleboard table surface with this finish. You can see a thick glass- like clear top layer over the maple or playing surface.

board glue design

                When you look at the end of a shuffleboard table, you should see the boards laminated together in a finger joint design as show above. This will ensure an accurate bond and keep the boards from separating at the joints and giving you problems in the future. If you cannot see the end of the boards glued together, chances are the manufacturers glued several pieces together or may have not used a solid wood play surface. Sometimes an end board is placed across the end of the play surface to hide what is behind or how the playing surface boards are put together. The picture above shows the end of a board and the small tabs that lock the boards together. This is like a cut away part on one side of the board and two small-extended parts on the other. This takes more material but is the only way to build a proper board that will not split, or crack and create problems in the future. 

playfield size and thickness

           All professional tables will be made with a full 20 inch wide surface that is 3 inches thick. However most professional game manufacturers will make a lower cost unit for those with less space or someone who still wants the professional play on a scaled down basis. These boards will be only 16 inches wide and usually 1.5 inch thick. This will still give you a professional play game and have all the same items listed above in a quality game.  

Cabinets

Solid wood or Laminates and veneers

Solid wood

         Cabinet selection is where you can afford to sacrifice to meet your budget. The best cabinets are made of solid hard woods and many have veneer panels.  Look at the thickness of the cabinet cross supports and over all appearance.  This is mostly a furniture preference and if you feel you cannot afford solid wood, a good quality laminated cabinet will not affect the play of the game.

Laminate of Veneer

     Again this is a personal decision.  If you are considering two models at a similar price and the choice is solid wood or veneer then you should choose the solid wood. A veneer is a thin layer of real wood put over a surface like MDF, plywood or particleboard. A laminate is a plastic material like you would see on kitchen counter tops. All McClure tables use either solid wood or in the case of an entry level model with 16¡± wide board, plywood with high pressure laminate material.

          These are the most important things to look for in shuffleboard.  Keep in mind that the most important component is the playing surface. It is easy to make a cabinet but the play surface is what separates a professional game from a toy. We hope you have found this shuffleboard table buyers’ guide helpful.