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Shuffleboard Playfield Adjustments
Tools Required:
Framing Square
Adjustable Wrench
Piece of Paper
Shuffleboard Accessories (Pucks and Powder)
Time Required:
30 minutes to adjust a playfield
The #1 rule of installing a shuffleboard playfield is there is no such thing as a “level” playfield. The most
common misconception about a shuffleboard table is that the playfield should be flat. Shuffleboard
playfields are designed to be concaved, increasing possible shot angles and creating “go around” shots.
The degree of concavity on the playfield is largely personal preference but these instructions will
illustrate how to increase the concavity or decrease it. There is no level, machinist level, etc. required to
properly adjust a shuffleboard for game play
(After the cabinet is assembled)
Step #1: Ensuring the playfield is concaved
Once the playfield is positioned inside the cabinet, this is the first and most important step. Ideally the
playfield will be lower in the middle than the outside edges, which means it is Concaved.
This is determined by using the framing square and a piece of paper. Starting at one end or the other end,
place the edge of the Framing Square across the shuffleboard playfield, above the first climatic adjuster.
If:
A. Concaved scenario – (image below) Place the corner of a sheet of paper under the framing
square. If the paper slides freely from side to side, stopping as it approaches the edge, this
indicates the playfield is concaved over that climatic adjustor. Move down the playfield to
the next climatic adjustor and repeat the process.
B. Convexed scenario (image below) - If the Framing Square is rocking from side to side, that
indicates the playfield is convexed (higher in the middle than on the sides) and the climatic
adjuster needs to be adjusted. Access to the climatic adjustors is under the shuffleboard.
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The climatic adjustor consists of 2 mounting brackets, 1 all-thread rod connecting those brackets and 4
nuts on the all-threaded rod for adjustment purposes
To lower the middle of the playfield board and raise the sides to create the desired concave playfield, the
two brackets must be pushed apart. This is done by loosening the two outside nuts and tightening the
inside nuts. This pushes the two brackets apart thus lowering the middle of the playfield and raising the
outsides. Periodically check the top side of the playfield to see if the paper begins to move freely under
the framing square. Continue to adjust the playfield until the paper begins to move. At that point stop
and move to the next climatic and begin the process again.
Once all climatic adjusters have been checked and the playfield is concaved move to Step #2.
Step #2 Final Adjustments
Once you have adjusted the playfield so it is concave through the entire length of the board, it is time to
start pushing pucks. By pushing pucks down the board, the playfield will identify any low corners by the
puck’s movements. Sprinkle some shuffleboard powder on the entire playfield before starting.
Starting at one end of the playfield, start pushing pucks toward the other end. With the playfield being
concaved the pucks should slide down the playfield curving in toward the center of the playfield. If they
are sliding towards the center that end is good and do the same procedure at the opposite end.
If the pucks are drifting towards one corner that means that particular corner is lower. To raise that corner
simply shim that leg with playing cards or stock shims or raise that leg leveler if the table has leg levelers.
Go back and push some more pucks and shim until the pucks are all sliding towards the numbers. Once
you have both ends sliding towards the numbers you are done.
IMPORTANT NOTES TO REMEMBER WHEN ADJUSTING CLIMATICS
If you are using a framing square that covers the entire width of the playfield, the paper should
stop 2-3 inches from the outside edges of the playfield. This is not an exact specification but a
good rule of thumb.
Adjusting climatics is similar to how braces function on teeth. Adjustments made today will
continue to move and adjust the board over the next 3-4 days, depending on the climate and
humidity level of the room. Always stop short of the ideal end result because the playfield will
continue to move over the next few days.
A playfield will NEVER be perfectly flat, nor should it be. Shuffleboard professional
tournaments are played on 5-10 thousandths concavity.
Severely convexed playfields may not be adjustable on the first try. If the playfield is severely
convexed it may take a few adjustment periods to correct it and make it concaved. This is rare
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but possible. When the climatic gets hard to turn, immediately stop turning it to avoid
permanently damaging or breaking the playfield. As mentioned previously, the adjusters will
gradually move the board so it is best to be patient, even if it means going back a few days later
for additional adjustment
Playfields are made of wood so they are going to have their own characteristics based on species
as well as the climate and humidity level within the home. When adjusting and playing
shuffleboard, one side or one end of the board is going to play differently from the other side.
The puck will break harder off one “rail” (Side of playfield) than the other. That is not a defect, a
warranty or an issue with the playfield. No amount of adjustments or shimming will create a
perfectly uniform playfield, nor is that something to aspire to.
When working with a climatic adjuster, it is not necessary to adjust both sides of the same
climatic. Tightening one side or the other is all that is needed. Adjusting one side will not raise
only that one side….it will cover both sides
If a playfield is “too concaved” for a customer, simply loosen the inside nut a quarter to one half
turn. Because of the top coating, the playfield wants to become convexed so simply loosening the
pressure of the inside nuts will allow it to become less concaved. It is not necessary to squeeze
the climatics with the outside nuts.
Lastly, the adjusters are called Climatic Adjusters for a reason. As the seasons change, the
playfield will react differently and might need to be adjusted. This is considered regular
maintenance of a shuffleboard. It is not considered warranty work. It is no different than
changing the oil in a vehicle, the manufacturer and dealer are not responsible for changing the oil
in vehicles every 5,000 miles. That responsibility is the owner of the vehicle and is a service they
can perform themselves or pay someone to do it, if they so choose
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