The 5 Best Shuffleboard Wax

You can make or break your shuffleboard experience with the equipment you use. We’ve already tackled the matter of shuffleboard pucks, so today, we will be diving into the world of shuffleboard wax to give you all of the info you need to know before buying.

Shuffleboard wax is a powder or sand made mostly of perfectly round silicone beads. The wax reduces friction between the puck and table, protects your table from wear and tear, and helps your puck glide smoothly.

This article will put forward our best shuffleboard wax recommendations and break them down by skill level — it’s important you pick the right one for you. For example, a fast wax would be just awful for me as an inexperienced player!

Featured products

• Sun-Glo #2 Shuffleboard Wax — Best for Experts
• Sun-Glo #6 Shuffleboard Wax — Best for Beginners

Buyer’s Guide

What is Shuffleboard Wax?

Shuffleboard wax goes by many names: shuffleboard powder, shuffleboard dust, shuffleboard silicone beads, and the list goes on… It consists of several materials but is primarily composed of small dry silicone beads. These beads act like ball bearings, allowing your pucks to glide smoothly across the length of your shuffleboard table.

Not only do the beads reduce the friction of your pucks, allowing them to travel further, but wax also helps to prevent scratches and the thinning of your table from repeated use.   

Anti-clump

For shuffleboard wax to evenly reduce the friction of your pucks as they travel down the length of your table, it needs to not clump. Clumping significantly slows down your puck and harms games. Therefore, choosing a shuffleboard wax that does not easily clump is important.

Speed

Many types of shuffleboard wax have speed classifications, usually from 1 to 7, to indicate how fast it performs. This should be the first thing you look for when deciding if a shuffleboard wax is for you. The fastest shuffleboard sand speeds are rated 1, and experienced players should only use them as they are harder to control. We advise sticking to the 5-7 range if you are new to the game.

Length of the Table

Another element you should account for is the size of your table. It is generally advisable to go for slower waxes on shorter tables as they offer more control. You also have to consider that many of the faster shuffleboard waxes are primarily designed for use on full-size shuffleboard tables, which are 22ft in length. Most home tables, by comparison, are around 9ft, so you really need a lot of skill to use the faster sand for short shuffleboard tables.

Best Shuffleboard Wax Reviews

Sun-Glo #2 Shuffleboard Wax — Best for Advanced Players

Features

Speed rating: 2

Extras: Shuffleboard weep

Size: 3x 16oz

Price: $

Pros

• Top brand
• Great for players that love a fast pace
• Tournament standard
• Does not clump
• No odor

Cons

• Too quick for beginners
• Too quick for smaller tables

Rating: 9.7

Sun-Glo is a household name for shuffleboard enthusiasts and the gold standard of shuffleboard table sand. We particularly like their speed 2 wax, which is the most commonly used wax in tournaments. Of course, as this is a fast wax, you need to be fairly skilled to use it. It’s also best suited to longer tables, so not the best choice if you have a table that is smaller than 14ft.

It also doesn’t clump, which is pretty essential, and it doesn’t produce any nasty odors.

Sun-Glo #6 Shuffleboard Wax — Best for Beginners

Features

Speed rating: 6

Extras: None

Size: 2x 16oz

Price: $

Pros

• Top brand
• Great for players that love a slow pace
• Perfect for small tables
• No odor

Cons

• Prone to clumping
• Too slow for skilled players
• Too slow for long tables

Rating: 9.3

Next up, we have another Sun-Glo speed wax, and we’ve chosen #6. The reason for this pick is because it’s the ideal speed for many of you with smaller home tables. This wax shines on 9-12ft tables but is also great for those who prefer a slower game on 14ft tables.

The main drawback to this wax is its tendency to clump (due to its slower speed). However, you can take steps to reduce this. I recommend first ensuring your table is in tip-top condition — apply silicon spray if you need to, and use pucks with a beveled edge. Avoid cheaper puck models with flat edges as they really plow into the wax, causing it to build up.

I also advise more skilled players to go for a faster wax. #6 will be too slow for the likes of you. Sun-Glo sells wax at each of the 7-speed levels, so if #2 isn’t quite right for you either, you can select one of the others.

TORPSPORTS Shuffleboard Wax

Features

Speed rating: High

Extras: Dustpan and broom

Size: 2x 12oz

Price: $

Pros

• Great for players that love a fast pace
• Perfect for longer tables

Cons

• Too quick for beginners
• Might be too quick for smaller tables

Rating: 9.2

As an alternative to the ever-popular Sun-Glo wax, TORPSPORTS produces a great shuffleboard wax of its own. Unfortunately, it does not have a numeric speed classification. Rather it’s advertised as ‘high speed,’ so it’s difficult to tell which table length it is best suited to. I, for one, wouldn’t use it on tables that are less than 14ft.

The wax includes a dustpan and broom to help you clear up the wax. However, it is very small, so I wouldn’t let this aspect influence your purchase as you may not even choose to use it.

Triple Crown Yellow Ice III Shuffleboard Wax

Features

Speed rating: Medium-high

Extras: None

Size: 3x 16oz

Price: $

Pros

• Fairly fast — great for a variety of players
• Perfect for medium to long tables

Cons

• Too quick for absolute beginners
• Might be a little too quick for 9ft tables

Rating: 9

Triple Crown Yellow Ice III is a shuffleboard table powder consisting of silicone ball bearings and cornstarch powder. It is considered a fairly fast wax but is certainly not as quick as Sun-Glo #2. It could be a great choice for skilled players playing on 9-12ft tables and beginners playing on 14-22ft tables. It’s a little more expensive than Sun-Glo 2, but not by much.  

ZDGAO Sports Products Shuffleboard Wax

Features

Speed rating: High

Extras: Dustpan and broom

Size: 4x 14oz

Price: $

Pros

• Great for skilled players
• Perfect for longer tables

Cons

• Too quick for beginners
• Not ideal for shorter tables

Rating: 9

Our last pick is the shuffleboard table wax by ZDGAO Sports Products. Composed of pure silicon, it is classified as fast. Therefore it’s best suited to longer tables and more skilled players. It’s a little more expensive than the other waxes, but you get more wax overall as you are getting 4 cans instead of 2 or 3.

You can also pick up this sand for your shuffleboard table in a medium speed version which we feel is a great choice for 14ft tables.    

FAQs

Do You Wax a Shuffleboard Table?

Waxing is an essential part of shuffleboard table maintenance and ensures that games flow smoothly. The wax helps preserve the table’s life and decreases the friction between the table’s surface and the puck. This helps the pucks to flow easier down the length of the table.

How Do You Apply Shuffleboard Wax?

Shuffleboard wax is easy to apply. You use it once you have cleaned the table and applied a fresh coat of silicone spray. The goal with a shuffleboard wax application is to get a nice even coat. Use gentle sweeping motions across the table’s width like you are using spray paint. Avoid changing directions as this can cause you to apply an uneven coat.  

How Often Do You Wax a Shuffleboard Table?

We recommend applying a fresh coat of wax usually after each game. If you don’t, areas become uneven, and your pucks will start to plow through the wax. However, you may get more games out of a coat of wax, and it will be clear to you when it needs changing.  

Can You Use Table Salt on a Shuffleboard Table?

No, unfortunately, you cannot. It would damage the table. Shuffleboard wax, otherwise referred to as cheese, dust, or salt is a specialized blend of silicone and cornmeal purpose-built solely for shuffleboards.  

What is the Fastest Shuffleboard Wax?

It’s often easy to distinguish fast shuffleboard waxes from slow waxes because of the speed classification system for wax. Many waxes have a ranking from 1-7, with 1 indicating the fastest speed and 7, the slowest. As for the fastest wax itself, that would go to the Sun-Glo #1 Super-Glide wax. It’s made from pure silicone and is incredibly fun and challenging to use.    

Is Shuffleboard Wax Toxic?

Shuffleboard wax is mainly made from silicone which is a non-toxic polymer. However, we should note that select shuffleboard waxes may contain nuts which could be harmful if you have a nut allergy.

So Which Shuffleboard Wax Should I Buy?

In our opinion, the Sun-Glo brand has you covered completely across the board. If you’re an expert or playing on a full-length 22ft table, Sun-Glo #2 is the best shuffleboard wax. It travels very fast, and you shouldn’t have any issues with clumping.

Alternatively, if you are newer to the game or playing on a smaller 9ft or 12ft table, we recommend Sun-Glo #6. It gives you plenty of control to ensure your pucks don’t fly over the end.