Shuffleboard Table Sizes: 9, 12 and 14 ft, and the Room Each One Needs

How shuffleboard tables are sized

Shuffleboard tables are sold by length. They commonly run 9 to 22 ft long and are about 20 in wide, so every table is long and narrow and the room has to be long and narrow with it. We stock the three most useful home sizes from Hudson: 9, 12 and 14 ft. The width is the same on all three, so the only real decision is how long a table your room can hold.

Plan the room around the players, not the table. Players slide pucks from each end, so each end needs about 2 to 3 ft of standing room. The sides need about 2 ft so players can move along the table and so you can reach the playfield.

Room length needed by table size

Across the room, a 20 in table with 2 ft at each side needs about 5.7 ft of width, so plan on roughly 6 ft. A room that is 13 ft long but only 5 ft wide technically works, but you are asking players to squeeze past the table. Run your own room through the room size calculator before you decide.

Which size for which room

9 ft: dens, small basements, bonus rooms

The Montauk is the smallest table we carry. It is long enough for real play and short enough to fit a den or a basement corner. A room 13 to 15 ft long is enough. If the choice is between a 9 ft table that fits properly and a 12 ft table that does not, buy the 9 footer.

12 ft: the standard game room table

The Sutton is the length most buyers settle on, and the one we suggest if the room allows. It gives enough room for a satisfying slide without needing a very long room: 16 to 18 ft. A typical 20 ft basement room takes it with about 4 ft at each end.

14 ft: dedicated rooms and clubs

The Huntington is the longest we carry and the closest to a club table. The extra length gives slides more room to develop and rewards good weight control. It needs 18 to 20 ft of room, weighs about 690 lb, and we strongly suggest white glove delivery, because assembly and leveling take two people and several hours. If the room is tight, a shorter table that fits properly is a better purchase.

Longer tables up to 22 ft are made, but they are club size, and few homes have the room.

Playfield, finish and scoring

All three Hudson tables use a hardwood playfield with a polished playing surface and channel gutters, a solid wood cabinet with veneer panels and a satin lacquer finish. Scoring is manual, with pucks. Each table comes with adjustable feet for leveling. The playfield plays true with a light layer of shuffleboard powder.

Climate, climatic adjusters and leveling

A long wood playfield reacts to humidity. In damp weather it can swell and cup; in dry heat it can shrink and open. Some shuffleboard tables include climatic adjusters, screws under the playfield that let you correct the curve in the surface when the seasons change. Our Hudson listings state adjustable feet for leveling and do not list climatic adjusters, so ask us if that feature matters to you before you order a table for a damp basement or an unheated room.

The simple rule is to give the table a stable room. Keep it away from heating vents, exterior doors and a basement wall that sweats, and keep the room humidity steady with a dehumidifier or humidifier as needed. Level the table after assembly and again after you move it.

Maintenance basics

• Use shuffleboard powder sparingly. A light, even layer lets pucks slide. Too much powder builds up and slows the game.
• Clean before you re-powder. Wipe the surface with a dry cloth and brush off old powder before adding new.
• Keep water and cleaners off the playfield. A damp cloth or an oil-based polish can leave marks that change how pucks slide.
• Check the level every few months. A table that has drifted out of level will pull pucks to one side.
• Cover the table when not in use if the room gets dusty.

A quick rule for choosing a size

Measure the longest clear line in the room, then subtract 4 to 6 ft for standing room at the two ends. That number is the longest table you should consider: a 20 ft room gives you 14 to 16 ft, so the 14 ft Huntington is possible and the 12 ft Sutton is comfortable; an 18 ft room gives 12 to 14 ft, so the Sutton is right; a 14 ft room gives 8 to 10 ft, so the Montauk. When two sizes fit, take the longer one only if the room still feels open. The sides matter too, so a table that leaves a path to the stairs or the bar is better than one that forces everyone to squeeze past.

If you are comparing against other games, a 12 ft shuffleboard room of 16 to 18 ft is shorter than the 19 ft of open floor a ping pong table needs, so the two games make a good pair, as covered in the ping pong table size guide.

Delivery and cost

All three tables ship curbside by default. At 420 to 690 lb, plan the route into the room first and read shipping and returns. If you prefer to spread the cost, see our financing page. The full range is on the shuffleboard tables page, and a room with several games is covered in our basement game room layout guide.

Bottom line

Pick the length from the room, not from the price list. Take the 9 ft Montauk for a den or small basement, the 12 ft Sutton for a typical game room, and the 14 ft Huntington only if you have 18 to 20 ft and want the club feel. Level it, keep the room's humidity steady and use powder lightly, and the table will play the way it did on the first day.

Frequently asked questions