Shuffleboard Table Buying Guide: Everything You Need To Know To Make An Informed Decision

Overview:

Shuffleboard Tables come in two broad categories, Regulation Style Shuffleboards and Entry Level Shuffleboards. Regulation Style refers to a table with a playing surface that is 20" wide and 3" thick. Regulation Style is not to be confused with regulation length, which is 22'. Regulation Style tables come in lengths from 9' to 22', with the other standard sizes being 12', 14', 16', 18' and 20'. Entry Level tables have playing surfaces that are 16" wide and 1.5" to 1.75" thick. They are available in lengths of 9', 12', and 14'.

Regulation Style and Entry Level Shuffleboard Tables are made both domestically and overseas. At The Shuffleboard Federation, we exclusively carry Made In The USA Shuffleboard Tables and Table Shuffleboard Accessory Products. We make most of the accessory products that we sell, which are sold direct to the consumer, with no middleman. In terms of quality, Shuffleboards Made In The USA are far superior to imported tables, albeit at a significantly higher price. While imported tables often look great in pictures, they are notorious for poor quality playfields with significant warping issues.

Given the myriad of options and price points for Shuffleboard Tables, the process of researching and selecting a table can be a bit daunting. Our Shuffleboard Table Buyers Guide will help you navigate the buying process and make an informed decision on what is, in most case, a once in a lifetime purchase. Taking that one step further, we evaluated dozens of companies during the process of selecting the four brands we sell, Champion Shuffleboard, Hudson Shuffleboards, Venture Shuffleboard, and Heirloom Shuffleboards. In addition to being well-established, highly reputable companies, with strong warranties, that manufacture their Shuffleboard Tables in the USA, this Shuffleboard Table Buyers Guide will provide insights as to why we have selected these particular companies. It’s important to note that The Shuffleboard Federation is uniquely qualified to assess Playfield quality. Company Founder, John McDermott, was rated in the top ten players in the world for 30 straight years. His background makes him especially well qualified to evaluate quality, especially where there is a direct correlation to playability.

Playing Surface

Our Shuffleboard Table Buyers Guide begins with the Playing Surface. The proper term for this all important component is the “Playfield”. It is also commonly referred to as the “Plank”, or simply, the “Board”. In order to make an educated decision when buying a Shuffleboard, one of the most important things to know is what is the best surface for a Shuffleboard Table. Over more than a hundred years of manufacturing, Maple has proven to be the best wood species from which to make a Playfield, due to a combination of being extremely hard, and staying true better than any other hardwood. While we often hear from prospective customers that they are not professional players and are just going to be playing for fun with friends and relatives, a Poor Quality Playfield can ruin the enjoyment, even for casual recreational players. Each of our four brands incorporate specific quality features that earn them a spot in our list of industry leaders.

Champion Shuffleboard, the world’s oldest and largest Shuffleboard Table manufacturer, utilize tongue and groove construction. The grooves run the full length of each board in their playfields. The grooves result in more surface area, allowing Champion to use more glue, resulting in exceptional strength and structural integrity. Champion builds their tables in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, in a 170,000 square foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

Hudson Shuffleboards, the fastest growing company in the Shuffleboard Table business, has built their company by offering high quality at an unbeatable price. In addition to finger jointing the butts ends of the individual pieces of wood in their playfields, Hudson Shuffleboards is the only company that uses Maple inlays on the underside of their playing surfaces to provide additional strength and reinforcement at the location of each Climatic Adjuster.

Venture Shuffleboards uses finger jointed, premium quality hard Maple in all of their playfields. Venture finishes their playing surfaces with seven coats of hard, clear synthetic lacquer. This results in a playing experience akin to that of the traditionally finished tables of a by gone era. This second generation family company has stayed true to its roots in doing things the old fashioned way.

Heirloom Shuffleboards uses the highest quality materials of any company in the Shuffleboard Table business. Heirloom playfields are completely hand made from edge grain Canadian Maple, for unparalleled beauty, strength and durability. Heirloom is the only company in the industry to offer both traditional lacquer finishes, and modern polymer finishes. Heirloom Shuffleboards offers quality as timeless as the game itself. Heirloom Shuffleboard Tables make a statement that old-world craftsmanship is alive and well, and available for those discerning individuals who appreciate the finer things in life.

For more information, please check out our blog post: Shuffleboard Table Buying Guide