If you have ever had to move a pool table from room to room or even to a new house you know that a pool table weighs a ton!
But contrary to common belief there are many different pool table sizes so a pool table can range in weight. Here are some of the more common pool table sizes and their respective weight.
Tables Made With A Wood Table Surface:
- 6 Foot Table: 170 – 250 lbs
- 7 Foot Table: 250 – 320 lbs
- 8 Foot Table: 320 – 400 lbs
- 9 Foot Table: 400 – 450 lbs
- 10 Foot Table: 450 – 600 lbs
Tables Made With A Slate Table Surface:
- 6 Foot Table: 400 – 500 lbs
- 7 Foot Table: 500 to 800 lbs
- 8 Foot Table: 800 to 1000 lbs
- 9 Foot Table: 1000 to 1200 lbs
- 10 Foot Table: 1200 – 1500 lbs
- 12 Foot Table: 1500 – 2500 lbs
Remember these are typical weights because each pool table manufacturer can modify the style and materials a pool table uses. Also, if you are buying second hand the original owner could have had it customized per his requirements so the table weights found above could vary!
Read on below to learn more about pool table weighs.
What contributes to Pool Table Weights
MDF vs Slate Pool Tables
One of the largest contributing factors to a pool table’s weight is how the bed is constructed. If the pool table bed is manufactured with slate you will see the weight of the pool table double!
Slate, as described by the encyclopedia Britannica is a fine-grained clayey metamorphic rock that has great tensile strength and durability.
Slate is what the pros want to play on and they have the keen ability to identify if they are playing on a pool table that does not use slate.
With slate tables, the thickness used can affect the weight significantly. If you are playing on a table that is one inch thick there could be three separate pieces of slate that make up the bed of the table. Some professional tables can reach up to 2 inches to achieve perfection for tournaments.
The other material used to manufacture pool table beds is wood typically in the form of MDF, medium density fibreboard. MDF is not to be confused with plywood.
The MDF offers the pool table a significant reduction in weight but it also has its drawbacks. MDF tables have the ability to deform and not provide the flat playing performance that slate provides. One positive for some consumers is that it is budget friendly!
We have more of a write up on MDF vs Slate tables here for you to check out.
Pool Table Size
Another large contributor to how much your pool table weighs is the area.
From a review of the table above sizes run in 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 foot lengths. The most common sizes out of these are 7 foot, and 8 foot tables.
- 7 foot tables are the most commonly found in your neighborhood bar
- 8 foot tables are typically found in your homes
- 9 foot tables are typically used in professional tournaments.
Describing a table by this size is a little deceiving because when you take measurements you are not going to get to be exact. That is because measurements are taken from table cushion to table cushion and not from the outside of the table.
- So a 7 foot table’s playing field could measure up to 39 inches x 78 inches. They round that 78 inches up to 84 inches and call it 7 foot.
- 8 foot table: playing field = 44 inches x 88 inches (round 88 inches to 96 inches and you have 8 feet)
- 9 foot table: playing field = 50 inches x 100 inches ( round 100 inches to 108 inches for 9 feet)
So just be aware that if you are looking to put a pool table in your room that you will need to add the width of the top rails to understand if a table is going to fit. You will need to add 4 to 7 inches of width on all sides of the table for complete understanding. Of course, these widths vary because manufacturers and requirements vary.
Legs or Supports
How your pool table is supported can also affect the overall total weight. Nowadays pool tables can look like something from history’s past or can look like a modern piece of art. They can be made from steel or wood.
So if supports are going to be supporting a slate pool table bed then there are going to need to be either more supports or larger supports. This can add significantly more weight to the table. Typically smaller tables have four legs and larger tables will have six legs of varying sizes.
Options
There are many pool table options that can add weight to your pool table. Here are some of the top accessories:
- Pool cue racks that store under the table
- Pool balls if stored within the table, Check out our post how much does a pool ball weigh?
- Pool racks
- Pool Ball Returns
Install a Pool Table Upstairs?
Many pool table customers are concerned when they want to install a pool table on a stick built floor and not the basement. This would concern me as well when looking at some of the weights the pool tables can get to.
But if your house has been recently built there should be no problem with your floor supporting the pool table weight. If there is any concern then you should first contact a pool table installer and then next contact a structural engineer.
In checking with the 2018 International Residential Code the floor cannot exceed a dead load of 20 lbs per square foot. I believe most home construction builds to 30 or 40 lbs per square foot. So if you were to take the minimum 20 lbs/sq.ft X 100 square foot room that would be 2000 lbs. An 8 foot slate table and some furniture would be fine to be under the max requirements.
One thing that should be noted is that if you have new construction there could be some settling of the house under normal conditions and if you add a pool table right away that settlement could increase a bit. Your floor could get warped a bit depending on the quality of the materials used and the quality of the construction.
If you have an older house and you have access to the basement or crawl space it might not hurt to add a couple of supports for peace of mind.
How To Move a Pool Table
To simply move an object that is 150 lbs is hard enough now think about a pool table that is around 600 lbs and 7 feet long. That is no simple task.
Here are some helpful tips on how to move a pool table safely:
- Create a plan on how you are going to execute it and call a moving company or call friends and line them up for a certain day. Obviously, a moving company is an easier but more expensive option.
- Remove everything from the room that the pool table is in that could get in the way.
- Remove everything from the room that the pool table will be in that could get in the way.
- Double check the new room is adequate in size and will allow full play. Also, double check all doors and entryways to ensure the table will fit through them prior to making the move.
Disassembly
- Once everything is set, disassemble the pool table. Remove anything that can be easily detached which could include, a ball collector, pockets, storage items, and balls.
- The Pool table’s side rails are next. You may need a socket wrench and be sure to place everything in bags that are labeled to ensure nothing is lost and reconstruction is easy.
- If you must remove the slate slabs then you will have to remove the felt first. If you are careful enough then you can avoid having to replace it during reconstruction. The felt will be either glued or stapled on. The glue or staples should be on the side of the table and will be noticeable after the rails are taken off.
- Removing the slates is next. While the slate makes up the most heaviest part of the table the slate can come in sections so you and someone else can move it together. If it is one slab then your job just got harder! Just be sure to remove all the screws that hold down the pieces of slate. When moving the slate be sure to support it in every move. If it is ever unsupported then the slate could break very easily.
- With slate remove the table becomes much lighter and you can start to remove the supports from the table frame. If it is easier the table can be flipped over for removal. Padding should be placed on the floor to ensure no damage occurs to the floor or the table.
- Do not be frugal with padding and wrap on every piece of the table. Again make sure the slate is supported at all times and tied down.
- Move everything into a truck that can handle every piece and that can support the pieces of slate laying flat. Each piece must be laid flat and not allowed to move. This is critical. If one piece moves across the others and is unsupported then you could be buying more slate. The moving truck should be driven slowly and carefully. Probably by the owner of the pool table!
- Once you are at the location be sure to reassemble everything back in reverse order from above.
If you are stressed out from the tasks above it is probably necessary to hire a professional or just leave the table in the exact location it is and buy a new one.
If your table is a once piece slate table then it’s probably best to leave it up to the professional pool table movers with insurance. The companies that sell pool tables will typically also have a professional moving service. Another thing to think of is if the pool table needs new felt you will probably have to hire that out as well.
If you wish to proceed check out this video below for more exact guidance from a pro!
How Much Does a Pool Table Weigh – Wrap Up!
A good pool table can weigh a lot! When you are purchasing one take that into account because for some people once they have it moved into a room it could stay there a while.
Understand that a lighter weight pool table sounds positive but that could mean it is of lesser quality. Remember, Slate pool tables are heavier, more expensive, and play better than MDF pool tables. But those MDF pool tables are going to be a little lighter!
Top Pool Table Manufacturers
Here is a list of some of the best pool table manufacturers out there and we provide a little info about the company. Typically all of these can be found in a major city sold by an approved dealer.
Olhausen is a 50 year old company that started in the pool table business and has now expanded into many different types of games. They offer your traditional pool tables along with some sleek modern tables as well as some flashy licensed tables.
The licensed models include Jack Daniels and Harley Davidson. From our perspective, these would be cool in a flashy motorcycle bar unless you love your Harley!
Olhausen is top of the line so expect to pay up for one of their tables. They can reach up to $6,000.
Brunswick Billards have been at it for even longer! For 170 years they have been creating pool tables and have taken it global.
They use top of the line materials so their pool tables are top of the line. You can expect to pay even more for a Brunswick depending on the model. Currently, you can find some tables up to $7,000, and even used you could be looking at $4,000 to $6,000.
If all that is chump change for you then check out the Birmingham model!
Hathaway Pool Tables
Hathaway pool tables have to be mentioned amongst the giants because they make pool tables affordable for everybody. While the cost is lower you must recognize that the materials aren’t going to match the two companies above.
The lower end tables are created from engineered wood and metal but they are still sturdy robust tables. If you just can’t accept the prices above then Hathaway is a great company to pick.