Shuffleboard Games And What You Should Know
The Under-Appreciated Table Game Many Love To Play!

Find out everything you need to know about Shuffleboard Games before buying one for your home.

For example did you know that the scoring zones differ, the size and weight vary and that you can have electronic score keeping?

Those are a few of the topics covered below on our Shuffleboard Page.

Also below you'll find sections on the different types of Shuffleboard Games and the differences between them.

And there is an important section at the bottom of this page that has you ask yourself questions about the type of shuffleboard game you may want.

Differences Do Exist

After looking at several different shuffleboard tables you'll soon notice that they're not all alike. So we're going to cover the basic differences so you�ll know what to look for in a shuffleboard game when out shopping.

The page has been broken up into the following categories.

Shuffleboard Games - Size & Weight.
Shuffleboard Games - Colors & Designs.
Shuffleboard Games - Electronic Scoring Units.
Bumper Shuffleboard Game Table.
Different Table - Different Scoring System?

What To Look For Before Buying

Shuffleboard Games
Size & Weight

Shuffleboard Game

The very first thing you need to consider before buying a shuffleboard table is the size. More specifically the length of the table.

Of course the weight should be considered before lugging one home also. They can be VERY LONG and VERY HEAVY!

Lets go into a little more detail!

Weight

You may not be concerned as much about the weight as you may be with the length. But it is important.

Who is going to be moving this shuffleboard table around in case cleaning is needed? You? Your spouse? Your children?

Shuffleboard tables can get very heavy. If you�re going to be moving your shuffleboard game table often then you may want to go for a lighter one.

Interested in the weight? Below we�ve outlined a weight range for the different lengths of shuffleboard games available.

Remember that with different manufacturers come different designs and materials used for each table. We�ve come up with the following ranges.

Range Of Weight

9 foot table = Around 200-400 Pounds.

10 foot table = Around 300-500 Pounds.

12 foot table = Around 300-600 Pounds.

14 foot table = Around 300-700 Pounds.

16 foot table = Around 700-800 Pounds.

18 foot table = Around 900 Pounds.

20 foot table = Around 1000 Pounds.

22 foot table = Around 1100 Pounds.

As you can see these tables get pretty heavy. You�re definitely going to need a few people to move one of the heavier ones around.

Naturally the longer the table is the heavier it is.

Size

The sizes we�ve mentioned above fit just about all shuffleboard makers, giving an inch here or there.

The shuffleboard games themselves range in size from 9 feet to 22 feet long. With 22 feet being the TOURNAMENT SIZE. The shorter tables are generally for home game room use. Although any size is great as long as you have the room!

Here is an average width and height of shuffleboard games.

9 to 14 Foot Tables Average Width = 24-36 inches.

16 to 22 Foot Tables Average Width = 36 inches.

Average Height For All Tables = 30-31 inches.

You�ll probably find small differences in the size between each game. This really depends on which manufacturers table you�re looking at.

Shuffleboard Games
Colors & Designs

Colors

Unlike the foosball tables you see around these days shuffleboard game tables are all pretty similar.

You rarely see a shuffleboard game with bright colors or designs painted all over them. Of course the �scoring zones� and runways within the playing field itself will have color to them. But beyond that you�ll be hard pressed to find a colorful game.

Just because they aren�t �colorful� doesn�t mean they are �colorless�. Most shuffleboard games have beautiful wood-tone colors. Having been made out of maple, oak or other woods they have a distinct one of a kind color already. And most of these games have a finish on them also. Whether it�s an oak finish or cherry finish these games have a very classy look.

If you really want the shuffleboard color tone to match your room then you may be in luck. Some stores/manufactures will stain the table to the color you�d like. Just make sure you ask before placing an order.

I wouldn�t change a thing because shuffleboard itself has a more elegant feel to it than foosball. It�s a slow moving game that involves strategy. Because of this the natural colors of the wood used in its making are perfect. Unlike foosball, that�s a high speed game and therefore I believe is more colorful.

Designs

Along with the colors, the designs are pretty much the same. There is only so much you can do to a shuffleboard game table.

Being a long game that is only about 3 feet wide, there isn�t much room for design changes. With that said, some of the tables will have �hand rail� guards where a player may lean when sliding the puck and others won't.

Also some games will come with a storage compartment built-in to hold the pucks and gaming supplies.

Lastly you may notice that the longer tables will come with more sets of legs. This is obviously needed to keep the playing field level on all areas of the table. Table legs will range in sets of 2 for the shorter tables and go up to sets of 5 for the longest tables.

Bumper Shuffleboard

Bumper Shuffleboard is the same as all of the other shuffleboard games except for one main difference. The side rails down the middle have a bumper on them.

This actually makes the game more interesting and fun. You can do bank shots to get around blocking pucks. Also it saves you from sliding the puck out of play. At least for a few feet anyway! It�s another interesting option that you may want to look into.

Electronic Scoring Units

We�ve talked about how the game designs and colors are pretty much the same. Well we�ve finally hit on an area of the shuffleboard game that can be different.

That is the electronic scoring units that you can choose from. Just remember that not all electronic scoring units will fit on every table. So before purchasing one make sure it�s the right one for your table.

The scoring units are usually if not always mounted in the middle of the game. More likely than not the game score will be visible for players on both ends of the table.

The units may attach right onto the base of the table or they may use a bar attached to the table and hang down above the table itself.

The designs vary, but for the most part you�ll find that the wood scoring units will be round or a triangle shape. Hanging from above, the scores are easy to read and they add to the overall look and feel of the table.

Of course the non-wood electronic scoring units are just as nice. They come in a few different colors and have nice LCD displays. Again you�ll find triangle, round and square units.

Electronic scoring not your thing? If not don�t worry because yes they do have manual scoreboards. They are much cheaper in price and they still look good.

About the electronic scoring units, they usually come with two sets of buttons and the mounting hardware and wiring necessary to set them up. Again, ask to make sure you�ll get those with the unit.

Different Table
Different Scoring System

A side note here. You may have noticed already that some tables have different scoring systems painted on the playing surface.

Basically you have a choice of three scoring systems.

The First one being the �home� shuffleboard scoring system. With this system you�ll see three lines with a 1 / 2 / 3 painted by each line. You score by sliding the puck into those areas of the board.

The Second scoring system is the same as above but adds a 4th painted line. This 4th line can be used as a handicap when advanced players are playing beginners. Beginners would get 1-4 point scoring and advanced players only 1-3. Not all tables have the additional 4 on them.

The Third type isn�t seen as often as the first two. This is the triangle scoring system. This scoring system is comparable to deck shuffleboard that is played outside. Along with having the 3 or 4 painted lines you have a triangle with a point system within it.

Personally I enjoy this scoring system the best. It seems to add a little more fun and skill into the game of indoor shuffleboard.

What To Look For Before Buying

Various things must come into consideration when buying any game table for your home. Shuffleboard tables are no different.

Here's a short list of questions that should help you when deciding on a shuffleboard table. This list may not contain everything you have in mind. But it�s a great place to start.

Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying

Can the legs of the table be adjusted? Just in case your floor is slightly uneven adjustable legs will be what you�ll want.
Does the table have a storage compartment? Would make storing your pucks and wax more convenient.
Do pucks come with the shuffleboard table?
What type of surface does the table have? How long will it last? Does the puck slide smoothly?
Do I care what color the runways are? They usually come in black, red or gray.
How many sets of legs does this table have? 2,3,4,5.
Will moisture in my home affect the surface of the table? Wood and moisture usually don�t mix. At different times of the year the surface may play better than others.

What other accessories will I need? Table cover? Wax?

Of course this isn�t a full list of questions you may want to ask but these are good starters. The more you look into the tables the more questions you may come up with.