Shuffleboard Wax – What It Is And Which One You Need

Shuffleboard Wax – What It Is And Which One You Need

An essential element of table shuffleboard is the speed at which the puck travels along the table. The faster it travels, the further it will go, and the more likely it is to end up in the high scoring areas or to knock an opponent’s puck off the end of the table. Speed is ultimately controlled by the player – the more force used to push the puck, the faster and further it will go.

However, what makes table shuffleboard unique is the use of shuffleboard table wax. Table wax is not actually wax at all, it is usually made from silicone beads and is better referred to as shuffleboard powder, or powder wax. It is also sometimes called dust or ice. To confuse things even further there are also shuffleboard wax products available which come in liquid form that are used to coat the playing surface before applying the powder, and also silicone spray products that can be used between liquid wax and powder to make the playing surface as smooth as possible and reduce the amount of powder required. However, the main product you need to know about is the powder wax.

What shuffleboard powder does is to dramatically reduce friction between the puck or weight and the table surface. This means that there is much less drag slowing the puck down, and it can slide for incredible distances with just a tiny push. Of course, the difference this makes to a game of shuffleboard is crucial – too much powder and the game is way too hard, too little powder and the game is not exciting enough.

To cater for the needs of different player abilities and different table sizes, shuffleboard wax or powder comes in different speeds. A factor which is easily forgotten when dealing with table wax or powder is that the length of the table makes a big difference to the speed that is required. If you are lucky enough to own a 22 foot shuffleboard table you will be looking for a different wax to those of us with 12 foot tables, even if we all want the same level of challenge in our games. The reason for this is that with a greater distance to travel, a weight will have room to slow down more and so can be used with a faster wax whilst keeping the game at a realistic level.

So what are the speeds of shuffleboard powder or wax that are available? They range from slow to very fast and are classified differently depending on the manufacturer. Some will use colours, some numbers, but all will give an indication of the speed. When choosing which one to buy, the best thing to do is look at the end of the range that matches your shuffleboard table. So for example if yours is a 9 foot table, choose a powder from the slower end of the range, and narrow it down by how experienced a player you are. Or if your table is a 22 foot table look at the faster end of the range and choose a speed based on your abilities. Choosing this way means you won’t end up with a powder that is too fast or too slow.

One final tip: Why not shake things up now and then by playing with a completely different powder, either faster or slower? It is good for your technique, and can add a real extra source of challenge!