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Introduction
Shuffleboard, like any other sport,
requires a knowledge of the game, experience, and a certain amount of playing skill to do
well. It is unfortunate that often shufflers must make adjustments to their game in order
to compensate for different court surfaces.
The following program was developed to standardize
the method of finishing shuffleboards whether they are in Canada, Florida, Arizona or
California.
The technology for blending polymers and silicones
in liquids to make slippery coatings has greatly improved in recent years, and we at Poly
Glide are the first to use this technology in this very special unique application. We are
also constantly researching and developing new and improved formulations. We provide slick
and durable products that are easy to apply.
Many years of providing shuffleboard re-finishing
service, making shuffleboard products, and the input of countless experienced shufflers
have contributed to this guide on proper court preparation.
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Stripping
Poly Sure Strip
is a non-ammoniated, concentrated stripper which quickly emulsifies thermoplastic acrylic
polymers.
Prepare strip solution by adding 32 ounces of Poly
Sure Strip to 1 gallon of water. (Dilution: 1 to 4)
Apply solution liberally on court with a string
mop. Let dwell for approximately 10-15 minutes. Re-apply solution to areas that become dry
to keep the area being stripped constantly wet.
Scrub wet surface with a rotary machine using
either a brown or a black strip pad. Continue to re-apply stripping solution as needed.
Rinse court thoroughly after stripping.
If outdoors, use a water hose with a pressure
nozzle initially, followed by mopping with a clean mop and cold water. For indoor courts,
a wet vac is recommended to pick-up dirty solution, followed by mopping with a clean mop
and cold water.
Rinsing thoroughly is imperative for the proper
film formation of the sealer coat.
Inspect the court to make sure all wax and sealer
have been removed, if there are still shiny areas, more stripping may be necessary with a
stronger stripping solution, a more aggressive pad or a stronger stripper. At this point,
it may be necessary to supplment stripping solution with Poly Power Strip.
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Poly Power Strip is a "state of the art"
formulation that quickly dissolves build-up of old finishes and sealers. It replaces Poly
Hot Strip. Rubber gloves and rubber soled shoes are recommended when working with Poly
Power Strip.
Prepare strip solution by adding 1 gallon of Poly
Power Strip to 2 gallons of water. (Dilution: 1 to 2)
Continue with directions from Poly Sure Strip.
Poly Power Strip may be used as a heavy
duty cleaner and degreaser at 1 pint to a gallon of water. (Dilution 1:8)
When made stronger, it will remove oil and
water-based paints from brushes and painting equipment!
CAUTION: POLY POWER STRIP COULD AFFECT THE PAINTED
AREA OF A COURT DEPENDING ON THE QUALITY OF PAINT USED AND THE METHOD BY WHICH THE PAINT
WAS APPLIED.
New Method of Application
We strongly recommend the use of a
T-Bar Applicator
to apply all of our specialized coatings. It is a clean, easy, efficient way of applying
finish. There is no mess and no wasted product. The T-Bar is a 18" plastic
tube-like apparatus with a swivel connection and a 18" Nylfoam sleeve that slides
onto it. The Nylfoam is replacable.
Moisten Nylfoam sleeve before using.
Remove Nylfoam sleeve from applicator after each
use before cleaning.
Rinse Nylfoam sleeve thoroughly after each
application of finish.
CAUTION: DO NOT ALLOW PRODUCT TO DRY ON NYLFOAM
SLEEVE.
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Sealing
Sealing a shuffleboard protects the
concrete surface and the painted lines. Rough concrete can be made smoother depending on
the sealer used and the number of coats applied. Concrete that is very porous and
weathered will play very slow. Arizona Seal & Glaze and Poly Tri-Coat
are made to fill in the pores, holes and cracks of old concrete. Both products are
formulated with silicone which adds durability, gloss and slickness to the sealed finish.
Sealing also prevents the concrete from dusting.
Arizona Seal & Glaze is newly formulated
for 2003. It is a thermoplastic acrylic emulsion which dries to an extremely slippery,
brilliant gloss without buffing. It also provides UV protection for painted courts. It has
been made to dry faster and be easier to strip.
Strip court with Poly Sure Strip or Poly
Power Strip. Be sure to remove all traces of old wax and sealer.
Rinse court thoroughly with clean mop and cold
water.
Allow court to dry completely before applying
sealer.
Do not apply to extremely hot or damp concrete.
Apply 2-3 medium coats of Arizona Seal &
Glaze using a T-Bar Applicator. Allow a minium of 30-45 minutes of
drying time between coats. Weather conditions may require longer drying times.
Buffing is optional. Always dust mop after buffing.
CAUTION: THIS PRODUCT IS MADE TO BE SLIPPERY. DO NOT APPLY ON OR NEAR WALKWAYS.
Poly
Tri-Coat is newly formulated for 2003. It was
developed as a new system for applying sealer to a shuffleboard court. It quickly fills
pores to provide a smoother surface. A T-Bar Applicator is required for
application.
One coat of Poly Tri-Coat is
equal to three coats of Arizona Seal & Glaze, thus providing less application
time and less cost. Each coat increases gloss and numerous coats can be applied depending
on porosity of court.
Two coats provide the optimum coverage, and one
hour of drying time is required between coats.
Directions for use are the same as with Arizona
Seal & Glaze with the exception of number of coats and drying time.
CAUTION: THIS PRODUCT IS MADE TO BE SLIPPERY. DO
NOT APPLY ON OR NEAR WALKWAYS.
Poly Thermo Seal is newly formulated for 2003. It is a water based thermoplastic acrylic coating
that offers outstanding blocking power against most chemicals, including gasoline. It is
recommended for concrete, brick, terrazzo, clay tile, vinyl tile and asphalt. It is
excellent for use on shuffleboard approaches since it is slip resistant. It has been made
to be more durable and to dry brighter.
Follow steps 1, 2, 3 and 4 given above.
Apply two coats of Poly Thermo Seal by using
a T-Bar Applicator.
Allow at least 30-45 minutes of drying time between
each coat applied.
NOTE: THIS PRODUCT IS NOT SLIPPERY.
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Waxing
Poly
Ultra Glide has also been
reformulated for 2003. It is our new cross-linked, styrene based co-polymer court finish.
This formulation is environmentally friendly, and its styrene base adds hardness and
weather resistance to the film. We have maximized its silicone content making it much
slicker and glossier than previous formulations. It replaces Poly Court Wax.
If the concrete is painted, we recommend first
applying two coats of Arizona Seal & Glaze or two coats of Poly Tri-Coat
before applying Poly Ultra Glide. This will provide the ultimate UV protection for
painted courts and painted lines.
If the concrete is very porous, uneven or cracked,
multiple coats of Poly Tri-Coat can be applied to fill-in the court. Poly
Tri-Coat provides a solid, strong base for Poly Ultra Glide. Poly Ultra
Glide may then be applied as many times as necessary to obtain a smooth surface.
Poly Ultra Glide may be applied
over old sealer or wax as long as the court shows no signs of peeling or whitening.
Clean court thoroughly with Poly
Court Neutralizer. (At the beginning of the season it is usually necessary to scrub
with an automatic buffer and a red pad).
Always rinse court with a clean
mop and cold water.
Apply two medium coats of Poly
Ultra Glide with a T-Bar Applicator.
Allow 60 minutes or more of drying
time between coats of Poly Ultra Glide depending on weather conditions. Do not
apply to extremely hot or damp concrete.
Buffing will enhance the shine,
produce greater slip, and will increase the hardness and smoothness of the film.
CAUTION: THIS PRODUCT IS MADE TO BE SLIPPERY. DO
NOT APPLY ON OR NEAR WALKWAYS.
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Court Restoration
Poly Ultra Spray Buff Treatment
is the most exciting innovation in shuffleboard maintenance that has ever been
developed. It replaces the mop and bucket. A court can be restored to a clean, bright,
slick shine without the use of water, without making a mess! It is a simple, cost
effective method of maintaining a shuffleboard that will prolong the time between the
average strip, seal and wax procedure.
Poly Ultra Spray Buff
Treatment is most effective if used on a court which has been sealed with Arizona
Seal & Glaze or Poly Tri-Coat and waxed with Poly Ultra Glide.
Dust mop court.
Spray light mist of Poly
Ultra Spray Buff Treatment on small sections of court and buff dry using a high-speed
buffer with a white, light blue or hoghair pad. (A slow-speed buffer may be used but, it
is not quite as effective.)
Repeat the above step down the
center of the court if wear in this area is more visible.
CAUTION: THIS PRODUCT IS MADE TO
BE SLIPPERY. DO NOT APPLY ON OR NEAR WALKWAYS.
Preparing Discs
Speed Spray is a quick and simple way of reconditioning a shuffleboard disc. A small
amount sprayed on the bottom of a disc restores the disc to a shiny brilliance, makes it
glide easier and play faster.
Shake bottle well before using.
Spray small amount of Speed Spray on
bottom of disc. Spread product with a dry terry cloth towel.
Allow material to dry. Hand buff with a dry terry
cloth towel.
Apply second coat if needed.
CAUTION: THIS PRODUCT IS MADE TO BE EXTREMELY
SLIPPERY. DO NOT APPLY ON OR NEAR WALKWAYS.
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Applying Court Dressing
Poly
Glide Shuffleboard Court Dressing has been formulated to provide
even more speed to the sliding disc than accomplished by just using liquid products. The
particle size is controlled, the beads are treated to be anti-static, and the amount of
beads is carefully apportioned to create a product that is fast and durable. A special
process removes the fines and the oversized raw materials making this product as clean and
dust free as possible. Little or no residue is left on the court. (A Closer Look)
Poly Glide
can be applied by sprinkling it on the court directly from a wide mouthed jar or by using
a court dressing applicator.
Used court
dressing should not be mixed with new court dressing. Dirt will contaminate new dressing.
However, if stored separately, Poly Glide may be used more than once.
Poly
Neutral Beads are styrene beads which have been treated to be
anti-static. They can be added to Poly Glide to make the dressing faster.
Poly
Wind Resister Court Dressing is an all bead, wind resistant court
dressing. The styrene beads have been treated with a special emulsion that makes the
dressing hold fast to a court even on those days when strong breezes blow regular court
dressing off the court.
Poly Wind Guard
is a newly formulated wind resistant product which combines the durability and speed of
styrene beads with the visibility of cornmeal. Created to be economical without affecting
the finished surface of a concrete shuffleboard.
CAUTION: THESE PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO BE EXTREMELY
SLIPPERY. DO NOT USE ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS ON DANCE FLOORS OR NEAR WALKWAYS.
Periodic Court Maintenance
Poly Court Neutralizer
is a gentle neutral cleaner that removes dirt from a shuffleboard court without affecting
the silicone in the finish. It was made especially to extend the effectiveness of our
complete line of Poly Glide coatings.
The following maintenance should be performed if a
shuffleboard is used daily, and/or if Poly Wind Guard is used regularly.
Dust mop court before and after playing.
Clean the court weekly using 1 ounce of Poly
Court Neutralizer to 1 gallon of water. More is not better!
Mop on product, then rinse thoroughly with a
clean mop and cold water.
If courts are slowing down or looking dull,
apply two medium coats of Poly Ultra Glide or restore with Poly Ultra Spray Buff
Treatment.
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Equipment
A well stocked equipment
room is a must for the proper maintenance of a shuffleboard court.
There are certain items required to maintain a
shuffleboard efficiently. Updating old material and disposing of all unnecessary clutter
should be done at the beginning of every season. Replacing old, dirty mopheads, buffer
pads, dustmops and rags will save on maintenance time during the season. Any half empty
gallons of wax or sealer should also be discarded. An inventory list is helpful and should
be kept-up on a monthly basis.
Necessary Equipment:
T-Bar
Applicator Complete
Two clean synthetic string mopheads with handles
Mop bucket and wringer
Soft bristled 36" broom
Clean cotton or disposable 36" Dustmop
Terrycloth towels
Automatic slow-speed buffer (175-350 rpm). To be
primarily used for scrubbing and stripping, but may be used for buffing.
Buffer pads:
White, light blue or hoghair for buffing
Red for light scrubbing
Black or brown for stripping
Optional:
High-speed buffer (1500 rpm). To be used for
buffing only!
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Troubleshooting
Stripping:
- Proper equipment
such as an automatic slow-speed scrubber, new stripping pads, decent mops with handles and
buckets with wringers are necessary to perform the stripping procedure. A high-speed
buffer should not be used for stripping!
The proper dilution
ratio of stripper for the amount of old finish that is being removed and the
proper dwell time need to be determined before stripping begins. Often,
there is more finish on the court than expected. Allow time for the chemistry to do its
work.
Poly Glide strippers have
been formulated to remove Poly Glide finishes. Years of build-up may require more
aggressive stripping methods.
Weather patterns have a
tendency to affect courts adversely. Extreme heat, rainfall and freezing temperatures can
cause irregular film formation. It is always a good idea to watch the weekly weather
forcast before applying court finishes.
Method, Man
and Material are the 3-M's of stripping. Each is essential to perform the
stripping process successfully. We have found one or more of these items to be missing
upon reviewing problem courts.
Cleaning:
A court cannot be properly
cleaned and rinsed using unclean mops or dirty water.
Only use 1 ounce of Poly Court Neutralizer to a gallon of water.
More is not better!
Aways rinse court with a clean mop
and cold water after neutralizing.
Always remember shuffleboards are
like snowflakes—there are no two that are alike. If problems persist, please contact
Poly Glide, Inc. at (800) 921-1722.
Happy Shuffling!
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