Routine Shuffleboard Care and Maintenance
Shuffleboard Table Care and Maintenance
To keep your shuffleboard smooth and properly balanced requires very little effort, but it is worth taking the time polish and clean your table so that you do not develop dry or rough spots and preserve the playability of your gaming investment for a long time.
Protect your Investment
The surface of your table is vulnerable to obvious risks such as wet drinks, or heavy and sharp objects sitting on the table. Do not store items on the table, and make sure guests know not to set items on the play surface. However, sunlight and fine dust are also a risk for your table. Over time, sunlight will not only affect your table’s coating, but heat can cause expansion and warping of the play area. Fine dust build up will over time streak the table as you play and work its way in the polish and wax on the table. It is a good idea to keep your table covered when it is not in use for long periods of time. Using a fitted shuffleboard cover not only provides protection, but is more likely to stay on your table.
Shuffleboard Wax
FGBradley’s recommends mixing a flaked (fast) wax and a beaded (ultra-fast) wax when playing. This allows the players to control the speed of the rocks and stabilizes the beaded wax so it remains on the playing surface. Begin preparing the surface by using a layer of powered flake wax and then you can either add beaded wax to the table or create your own customized pre-mix that ensures consistent speed each time you play.
Cleaning and Polishing Your Table
Over time, the table itself may become slower and need a little polishing and cleaning. Keeping the surface smooth a slick is key to enjoying your shuffleboard table. FGBradley’s carries a silicone polish that will not gunk up and can be used to return that slick smooth finish to your table. Simply spray the polish on the table and wipe with a clean, dry lint-free cloth, and then let the polish stand overnight to cure into a protective shell.
You should always sweep all playing wax from the table with a proper broom or lint free cloth before spraying any polish or cleaner on the table. Depending on the amount of play and dust in the room, you should also clean the table with a vacuum cleaner. Again, always remove all playing way and loose dust and dirt from the table with a clean cloth or broom, and then lightly spray on the cleaner and rub with a lint-free cloth to remove any waxy dirt or streaks from the table. After cleaning and making sure the table is dry, polish the table with a silicone polish.
Tuning the Table with Climate Adjusters
Tables with solid wood surfaces will often incorporate Climate Adjusters.
Purpose: The wooden playfield of a Shuffleboard Table changes with humidity. More humid conditions cause it to expand and dip, becoming concave. Drier conditions make it contract and become convex or “high centered”. Climatic adjusters are devices used to control the contour of the surface to achieve the ideal concave shape.
The number of adjusters will vary depending on the length of the table. If too concave, rocks will take an “S” path down the board. If too convex, rocks will dump off the rails into the gutters. Fine tune the surface with the adjusters to set the surface curvature to your liking.
Level the Table: Before climatic adjusters are used to level the playing field itself, it is important that the cradle is leveled first using a traditional carpenter’s “bubble” level, ensure the board is level along both its length and width. This is achieved by making small turns to the “feet” of each leg, raising or lowering to desired height.
There are two types of adjusters:
Bar Style Adjuster
Threaded Rod Adjuster
Bar Style Adjusters – Each climate adjuster consists of three anchor bolts inserted into the underside of the playfield through a metal bar. Adjustments will be made using the center anchor bolt only. The outer two blots are used to hold the adjuster bar in place. To correct a convex playfield loosen the nut above the metal bar. Slowly tighten the nut below the metal bar up against the washer and metal bar to pull down the center of the playfield. Once the desired adjustment has been made continue to the next climatic adjuster and repeat the process. To correct a concave playfield loosen the nut below the metal bar. Slowly tighten the nut above the metal bar down against the washer and metal bar to push up the center of the playfield. Once the desired adjustment has been made continue to the next climatic adjuster and repeat the process. Please note that only minor adjustments should be made initially and the board should be allowed to adjust to the new shape over time before making additional adjustments. Regular tuning may be required as the surface is affected by changes in temperature and humidity.
Threaded Rod Adjusters: Each adjuster contains 4 nuts, an inside and outside nut on both the left and right sides of long threaded bar running across the width of the table. To obtain a more concave table (lower center and higher edges), the inside nuts need to be tightened to create more tension and raise the edges of playing field. To flatten and make the playing field more convex, the outside nuts on the bar need to be tightened to lessen the tension and lower the edges of board. Regardless of whether you are making an adjustment to make your table more concave or more convex, the inside and outside nut on one side of the table should be tightened against each other. This will keep the rod from spinning when the adjustments are being made.
Adjust the Play Surface: Start at either end of the playfield and lay a straight edge across the playfield over the first climatic adjuster. You want your playfield concave. This can be determined by sliding a piece of paper back and forth under the middle of the straight edge (the paper usually stopping approximately 3″ from the side of the playfield).
If the straight edge rocks from side to side the playfield is convex and needs to be corrected. Begin adjusting the climatic adjusters located under the surface.
