The Mayday Games Blog

If you're the new owner of a Crokinole board, congratulations! This tabletop game is a wonderful pastime you can share with family and friends at all of your get-togethers. Crokinole was initially invented in Ontario, and while the World Crokinole Championship is still hosted annually, this game has developed an international following. The rules are simple, but play requires a certain dexterity that makes it a more challenging game. Children as young as six can play the game (after all, it was invented as a five-year-old's birthday present), and people of all ages can readily participate. You can enjoy a game of crokinole as a date night activity with your significant other, or you can play with more people and form teams. Crokinole boards can be found just about anywhere, but true quality ones are made of hardwoods like maple or rosewood. Crokinole board maintenance is essential for quality gameplay. Read on for five tips to keep your crokinole board in competition shape.

1. Keep Crokinole Board Maintenance Simple

Crokinole is played in a group over several rounds, usually, until someone reaches one hundred points. This means that the board gets a lot of use every time you bring it out for an event. You may notice that after a few months of heavy use, the discs won't slide as smoothly. This will be frustrating in a game where directionality matters. Improve your crokinole board's playability by simply cleaning it off. First, wipe it down with warm, soapy water. Without saturating the board, wipe off any visible dirt and grime that has collected on the surface. Then, follow it with a dry towel, being careful to remove all moisture. If nothing else, regularly cleaning your crokinole board with soap and water will keep it looking nice.

2. Use Wax for Crokinole Board Care

The next step in crokinole board maintenance is to wax the surface of the board. Wax improves the speed of the game and the ability of your disks to move smoothly over the surface of the board in the direction you intend for them to go. There are many types of wax, so it is best to refer to the manufacturer's guide for your specific board to determine which wax is recommended for your board. Apply wax to your board according to the package instructions. Typically, this means that you apply a thin layer of wax all over the board. Then, you rub the wax in, as you would on a car so that the board shines and does not have any visible streaks or clumps of wax. Some people also recommend that you wax each of the discs as well for the smoothest possible play.

3. Remove Play-Related Stains with Everyday Products

Any game that is used frequently ends up with marks of some kind. Whether someone accidentally gets a pen mark on the board while keeping score or a crokinole cue leaves a trail, there are some everyday crokinole board maintenance options to keep your board in tip-top shape. If you have a stray pen mark on the board, spray some hairspray over it. Allow it to sit for a minute or two, then rub it away (you'll need some elbow grease!) with a paper towel or soft cloth. Lemon oil is also a good stain remover. Just like you might use a dusting spray with lemon oil on your other wood furniture, lemon oil can remove rubber marks and other stains from your hardwood crokinole board. Use caution, however, when using the oil. Since it is acidic, it can cause damage to your board when used in large amounts.

4. Maintain Humidity Levels for Crokinole Board Storage

Most crokinole boards are quite large, measuring twenty-six inches in diameter. It likely won't fit on your bookshelf with your other games, so what is the best crokinole board storage option? One popular choice is to hang the board on your wall. A quality board made of hardwood is beautiful and makes for attractive wall decor when not in use. However, don't hang your crokinole board directly across from a window where it will get a lot of sunlight. The heat from the sun's rays can cause the board to dry out and crack. Similarly, avoid hanging your board directly over a heating vent or near a fireplace. Consider using a humidifier to maintain a consistent humidity level in your home. This will not only benefit your crokinole board, but most people are comfortable with a humidity level of approximately thirty percent, which can be difficult to achieve without a humidifier during the winter months in a dry climate.

5. Complete Crokinole Board Maintenance Regularly

When it comes to crokinole board care, the best thing to do is to care for it regularly. If you are an avid crokinole player, you may need to clean it every couple of weeks or once a month to keep your board game day ready. For more infrequent play, consider cleaning it after each use before you store it away. A clean board lasts longer in storage since there aren't foreign elements on the hardwood vying for moisture and drying it out. If regular board game maintenance seems tedious to you, you can get a more basic version that requires less upkeep. 

However, if you own a high-quality game board, it's likely that you understand how play can be impacted when a board is not correctly maintained. At the very least, you want crokinole to be a fun activity for everyone, and if the board and discs are ready at game time, then everyone will have a more enjoyable experience.

As the proud new owner of a tournament edition, hardwood crokinole board, you're ready to master this game. Proper crokinole board maintenance is key for quality play, so be sure to keep up with cleaning and waxing to ensure great gameplay for all.