How To Wax A Shuffleboard Table

If you've never learned how to wax a shuffleboard table, you've probably noticed some inconsistencies in your ability to throw a puck. Think back. You've just slid the perfect shot, it's destined to be a hanger and then all of the sudden... The weight's momentum dies. Stops. Halts. Fineto. To keep your game flowing like a pro, you've got to treat your table like a pro.

• 9 to 12 foot Shuffleboard Tables, choose speed 4 to slow down the pucks
• 12-14 foot Shuffleboard Tables, choose speed 3 for the proper speed
• 14-18 foot Shuffleboard Tables speed 2 will play fast enough
• 18-22 foot Shuffleboard Tables speed 1 is the professional speed

Should I choose Brown or Yellow Wax? The yellow wax has a cornmeal base and the brown wax uses crushed nut shells so if you have any nut allergies in your home choose the yellow speed. However the corn meal will break down faster and does not last as long as the brown nut based wax.

When you learn how to wax a shuffleboard for the first time, it's important to start by cleaning the entire surface of the table. At McClure, our tables are topped with a traditional piano finish, which should be treated differently than a plain lacquer shuffleboard. These traditional wood lacquer boards are tougher to clean, while our boards with a polyester piano finish can be handled fairly easily. We use a multi purpose cleaner but if you have an older board where the lacquer has worn off some then you can use something like a Johnson paste wax to help smooth out the dry spots where the lacquer is wearing off. We have a full lifetime warranty on our piano finish materials. It is a very thin layer of a much harder surface than the poured two-part polymer epoxy boards. But both styles, our Piano finish or a polymer board, are essentially like plastic and can be treated like a laminated surface.

To clean a table, it's best to use a soft towel or a shuffleboard brush. Use these handy tools to push the existing wax off the board and wipe away any remaining grains. The best practice for a smooth game is to wipe off the board with a board sweep between matches or games. McClure Tables with our Piano finish are designed for more frequent use but after a while the silicone spray layer gets a build up and it is best to clean the board one or two times per month depending on how frequently you use the table. Finish off the cleaning job with a simple spray and wipe of a multi-purpose cleaner or glass cleaner across the whole board.

After you've cleared the table, apply a silicone spray in a sweeping pattern across the surface of the play. Never use any silicone spray that is not specifically designed for shuffleboards, as it may be too slick or could potentially damage some surfaces.

Once the entire table is coated, let it sit for a few minutes, then gently buff off the remaining coating with a towel. The silicone spray will improve the effectiveness and speed of your shuffleboard table.

Shuffleboard wax comes in many forms: cheese, powder, dust, etc. No matter your preference for jargon, the powdery material made from corn meal and silicone should be spread on your table the same way every time. In a similar swaying motion to the silicone spray application, dust the table with your shuffleboard wax evenly. Depending on your preference, there are two different types of wax (brown and yellow) with varying degrees of speed.

With the knowledge of how to wax a shuffleboard table, you can truly tailor your surface to your favorite style of gameplay. After all, it's important to learn each aspect of the game and work it to your advantage.  Knowing a table and treating it properly for optimal performance is key to shuffleboard domination. Bonus: Need to see how to wax a shuffleboard table in video form? Check out the clip below and learn how to wax your shuffleboard table.

Find out more on how to use Silicone and prepare a shuffleboard table for Game Play