Category: Table Shuffleboard History

Shuffleboard Table Sizes

Posted on      by John McDermott     1 Comment on Shuffleboard Table Sizes

This is the first of several posts about Shuffleboard Table sizes. One of the most common questions about Shuffleboard Tables is “what is the standard size of a regulation size shuffleboard?” Shuffleboard Table sizes range from 9′ to 22′. The wide variety of Shuffleboard Table sizes means that there’s a size for every home or business. Some of the most popular residential Shuffleboard Table Sizes are 12′ Shuffleboards and 16′ Tables. Regulation size Shuffleboard Tables are 22′, with a playing surfaces that are 20′ 8″ long. That is fairly common knowledge, but “how did that become regulation size” is a more interesting.

Shuffleboard Table History Lesson: Back in the 1920’s through the early 1940’s, shuffleboards were commonly available in 28′, 30′ to 32′ lengths. Now, as someone who has setup many 22′ shuffleboards over the past 40 years, I can’t even imagine trying to move one that is 30% to 50% longer, and heavier!

By the 1940’s demand for Shuffleboard Tables was rapidly increasing, with much of the new interest coming from the West Coast. Back then, the largest trucks had an interior space of 21′ long. So, 21′ was the longest item that could be shipped, which lead shuffleboard manufacturers like American Shuffleboard, National Shuffleboard and others to build playing surfaces that were 20′ 8″ long. Once those were in a crate with a 2 x 4 at each end, the length of the crate was 21′. So, had the trucks back then been another foot longer, regulation size for Shuffleboard Tables might have been what seems like an odd size of 23′!

This fascinating information came right from the mouth of Sol Lipkin, aka “The Father of Table Shuffleboard” Sol was involved in the shuffleboard business for nearly 80 years, right up until the time of his death at the ripe old age of 103 years old! His career including Sales Manager positions at Modern Art Shuffleboard, National Shuffleboard and American Shuffleboard. In his later years, he was a consultant to Champion Shuffleboard and a goodwill ambassador for Dave & Buster’s.

She has to concentrate extra hard with her opponent so close. That may have been acceptable back in the day, but would now be considered extremely poor etiquette. Shuffleboard Table sizes back in the day were longer than tables in the modern era.
She has to concentrate extra hard with her opponent so close. That may have been acceptable back in the day, but would now be considered extremely poor etiquette. Shuffleboard Table sizes back in the day were longer than tables in the modern era.
Playing on that pool table must have been extremely challenging!
Spectators packed the house for a big match on the West Virginia Hardwoods Shuffleboard Table!
With three Shuffleboard Tables, this was one of the earliest multi-board establishments.
Look at all those boxing pictures on the wall! This was a “sports bar” long before sports bars became a thing!
Were this guys ahead of their time in using short weight strategy? Or perhaps they were just struggling to push it hard enough to get to the end of this thirty foot +/- Shuffleboard Table!
Hmmm, a shuffleboard weight (also referred to as a shuffleboard puck) in each hand, and a trophy on the playing surface. Was this guy an early trick shot artist? Shuffleboard Table sizes back in the 30’s and 40’s could be described as long and longer!
Check out the wall next to the Shuffleboard Table. Two rules posters, one for House Rules, and one for League Rules. Having rules posted is a great idea, which eliminates most arguments. There’s also a Shuffleboard table advertisement poster.
This picture includes an early manual scoreboard and a House Rules sign. Looks like an exciting frame in progress, with five weights already on the board and the young lady with a weight in hand. Shuffleboard Weights back then were generally made from solid brass and were very slow. Happily, the game has evolved a lot since then. The Shuffleboard Federation’s Pro Series Weights come in five different speeds!
Back then shuffleboard pucks were solid metal and it had to be incredibly difficult sometimes to see which color was which with just a narrow blue or red stripe on the outside perimeter of the weight. Today’s Shuffleboard Weights come standard with highly visible plastic caps. High performance, competition grade weights often include Aluminum Weight Caps for superior grip control.