Training or playing on the best ping pong table gives you the advantage of improving your skills over those poorly designed tables. Other than being able to enhance your skills, good tables also offers you the best experience of enjoying the sport. It is due to this reason why it is important to choose the best ping pong table for you to play.
There are actually two ways for you to own a ping pong table. First is to buy a readymade or premade ping pong table in the market. And second, you can either build it yourself or hire a professional carpenter to do it for you.
Build your own Ping Pong Table
If you have the time, tools, skills and materials (for the construction which can be purchased) then you can build your own ping pong table. Otherwise, you can hire a professional carpenter to build the table for you. You just have to provide him the needed materials and the design (with the dimensions) of your preferred ping pong table. If you are a serious player (who wants to join competitions someday) then it is important for you to follow the standard table dimensions recognized by the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation).
Buy a Readymade or Premade Ping Pong Table
When you do have enough extra money that you are willing to spend then you may choose to buy your own readymade or premade ping pong table. Unlike building it, there's no need to wait for your table to be fully constructed. Once you buy it, take it home then set it up and you can play right away. Although, it is not a good idea to just randomly choose any available ping pong tables on sale.
There are actually some important factors that needs to be considered when buying a ping pong table. And, they are the following:
1. Playing Area or Room
The official standard dimension of a ping pong table (ITTF Standard) must be 5 x 9 feet. Such size of table can take too much space. So if you intended of setting up your table inside a certain room, make sure that there is enough extra-space for the players to move around.
If it happens that the room is also being used for some other type of activities (such as a family gathering), you should choose the "portable type" which allows you to assemble and disassemble it. One good advantage of a portable ping pong table is that, you can set it up outside your house (perhaps in your empty backyard). And when you are done playing, you can simply disassemble it for safe storage.
What is a portable ping pong table?
A portable ping pong table is a type of table that can be easily folded. With its foldable feature, you can set it up anywhere. In fact, you can even pack it up and bring it along with you on your vacation trip.
Just to let you know, most portable ping pong tables does not follow the standard dimensions issued by the ITTF. Most of them are actually smaller in size.
Anyway, here are the following qualities that you need to check when buying your own portable ping pong table:
a. Portability
- You should choose a table that can be folded in a well-compact form where it does not take too much space or room.
b. Lightweight
- Make sure that the frame support are made of light but durable materials (such as aluminum). An average weight of a good portable ping pong table is around 18 lbs.
The advantage of a lightweight table is that, you can easily carry it around.
c. Handling
- After folding the table on its compact form, there should be a handle for easy-carrying. The handle should be made out of aluminum tubing and not just some piece of fabric or plastic that has been strapped around.
d. Height Adjustment
- Anyone should be able to play and enjoy. This is the reason why you must choose to buy the type of portable table where you can adjust the height of the table's surface. Considering that you have kids, you can adjust the height of the table's surface at their preferred playing level.
e. Accessories
- It is actually a part of our human nature that we tend to forget things. As an example, there might be some cases where you brought your portable table to a certain distant vacation place but you forgot to bring the paddles, net and the balls. Thus, you may want to choose a portable ping pong table with compartment that allows you to store the accessories.
2. Table Surface must be at least 1 inch thick
The thickness of the table must be at least 1 inch thick. It's due to the reason that table boards with less than 1 inch thickness tends to bend naturally in due time. You have to know that when the board suffered even just a slight bend, this can really affect the way how the ball bounces off.
Playing outdoors can actually contribute to the damage of the table surface of your ping pong table. The damage are often caused by natural elements such as extreme heat, cold or moisture which are common to most environments.
If you really intend to play outdoors, it is highly suggested that you should choose the type of table that is equipped with the so called "protective aluminum coating". But even though, it is still suggested that once you are done playing, you should keep it indoors.
3. Table Support
It is very important that your ping pong table remains stable right on its spot. An unstable table that is even slightly moving (which can be due to natural causes such as winds or vibration) can affect the ball to bounce at some random directions. Thus, you should choose a table with sturdy leg support.
4. Net Setup
The Net of a ping pong table can be setup either by a "permanent bracket" or "removable post". If the table you bought has the permanent bracket then you get to tie the ends of the net on it. As for the removable post, you have to attach them first on the sides of the table before you can tie the net. And most importantly, you should be able to setup the net at a height of exactly 6 inches.
5. Avoid Cheap Ping Pong Tables
If you are going to search the web, you can find several cheap ping pong tables with interesting features (as compared to the top brands) on their product description page. But based on experience, most of them are unexpectedly bad tables that you need to avoid at all possible cost.
You are probably thinking that by buying a cheap table, it can save you money. This is a complete "wrong notion" common to all individuals. In fact, you are actually wasting your money.
A cheap ping pong table may have the required ITTF standards but the quality of the materials used for the construction are surely of low qualities. In short, it won't last long enough. And as a result, you will end up spending for the repairs or worse, you need to by a new replacement.
What if you just want to have some fun?
If your main purpose of buying a cheap ping pong table is just to have some fun or to check if you have the interest in playing this particular sport then you may do so. But as a suggestion, you should choose the table that follows the ITTF standards. Take note, there are many tables out there that does not follow the official standards.
There are so many places to check around for ping pong tables that are being sold at affordable prices. One among them is to search the internet. You can really find a lot of table products online with positive and negative feedbacks from the previous buyers or customers. However, buying a ping pong table online is highly not recommended because you won't be able to inspect if it really passes the quality requirements.
The best advice to buy a good ping pong table is to go out and visit the actual market place or shop.
Sport Shops
- A sport shop should always be your first option because they display their available ping pong tables for their customers to test and inspect.
Prices from Sport Shops ranges from $100 to $700.
Classified Ads
- You can check the classified ads and contact the nearest seller from your place. Do not agree to buy the table yet (on the phone) where you have to visit the place of the seller to conduct your inspection. Once the table passed the quality requirements then that will be the time for you to buy it.
Prices from Classified Ads ranges between $100 to $500.
Garage Sale
- If you do not have enough extra money then your best option is to check garage sales. Although, you will have a hard time in finding the a good table unless you are lucky.
Prices from Garage Sales ranges from $100 to $300.
Some people think that they can save more money if they are going to construct their own ping pong table. If you do then you will be surprised to know that the materials will costs more than buying a premade table from the market. Assuming that you choose high quality materials, it will surely cost you around $1000. In addition to the expensive construction materials are your time to be spend on building your table.
Moreover, owning the best ping pong table can actually save you both money and time. There are actually many cheap table products out there but most of them do not meet the qualities of a good table as discussed on this post. Overall, choose your ping pong table wisely.
There are actually two ways for you to own a ping pong table. First is to buy a readymade or premade ping pong table in the market. And second, you can either build it yourself or hire a professional carpenter to do it for you.
Build your own Ping Pong Table
If you have the time, tools, skills and materials (for the construction which can be purchased) then you can build your own ping pong table. Otherwise, you can hire a professional carpenter to build the table for you. You just have to provide him the needed materials and the design (with the dimensions) of your preferred ping pong table. If you are a serious player (who wants to join competitions someday) then it is important for you to follow the standard table dimensions recognized by the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation).
Buy a Readymade or Premade Ping Pong Table
When you do have enough extra money that you are willing to spend then you may choose to buy your own readymade or premade ping pong table. Unlike building it, there's no need to wait for your table to be fully constructed. Once you buy it, take it home then set it up and you can play right away. Although, it is not a good idea to just randomly choose any available ping pong tables on sale.
There are actually some important factors that needs to be considered when buying a ping pong table. And, they are the following:
1. Playing Area or Room
The official standard dimension of a ping pong table (ITTF Standard) must be 5 x 9 feet. Such size of table can take too much space. So if you intended of setting up your table inside a certain room, make sure that there is enough extra-space for the players to move around.
If it happens that the room is also being used for some other type of activities (such as a family gathering), you should choose the "portable type" which allows you to assemble and disassemble it. One good advantage of a portable ping pong table is that, you can set it up outside your house (perhaps in your empty backyard). And when you are done playing, you can simply disassemble it for safe storage.
What is a portable ping pong table?
A portable ping pong table is a type of table that can be easily folded. With its foldable feature, you can set it up anywhere. In fact, you can even pack it up and bring it along with you on your vacation trip.
Just to let you know, most portable ping pong tables does not follow the standard dimensions issued by the ITTF. Most of them are actually smaller in size.
Anyway, here are the following qualities that you need to check when buying your own portable ping pong table:
a. Portability
- You should choose a table that can be folded in a well-compact form where it does not take too much space or room.
b. Lightweight
- Make sure that the frame support are made of light but durable materials (such as aluminum). An average weight of a good portable ping pong table is around 18 lbs.
The advantage of a lightweight table is that, you can easily carry it around.
c. Handling
- After folding the table on its compact form, there should be a handle for easy-carrying. The handle should be made out of aluminum tubing and not just some piece of fabric or plastic that has been strapped around.
d. Height Adjustment
- Anyone should be able to play and enjoy. This is the reason why you must choose to buy the type of portable table where you can adjust the height of the table's surface. Considering that you have kids, you can adjust the height of the table's surface at their preferred playing level.
e. Accessories
- It is actually a part of our human nature that we tend to forget things. As an example, there might be some cases where you brought your portable table to a certain distant vacation place but you forgot to bring the paddles, net and the balls. Thus, you may want to choose a portable ping pong table with compartment that allows you to store the accessories.
2. Table Surface must be at least 1 inch thick
The thickness of the table must be at least 1 inch thick. It's due to the reason that table boards with less than 1 inch thickness tends to bend naturally in due time. You have to know that when the board suffered even just a slight bend, this can really affect the way how the ball bounces off.
Playing outdoors can actually contribute to the damage of the table surface of your ping pong table. The damage are often caused by natural elements such as extreme heat, cold or moisture which are common to most environments.
If you really intend to play outdoors, it is highly suggested that you should choose the type of table that is equipped with the so called "protective aluminum coating". But even though, it is still suggested that once you are done playing, you should keep it indoors.
3. Table Support
It is very important that your ping pong table remains stable right on its spot. An unstable table that is even slightly moving (which can be due to natural causes such as winds or vibration) can affect the ball to bounce at some random directions. Thus, you should choose a table with sturdy leg support.
4. Net Setup
The Net of a ping pong table can be setup either by a "permanent bracket" or "removable post". If the table you bought has the permanent bracket then you get to tie the ends of the net on it. As for the removable post, you have to attach them first on the sides of the table before you can tie the net. And most importantly, you should be able to setup the net at a height of exactly 6 inches.
5. Avoid Cheap Ping Pong Tables
If you are going to search the web, you can find several cheap ping pong tables with interesting features (as compared to the top brands) on their product description page. But based on experience, most of them are unexpectedly bad tables that you need to avoid at all possible cost.
You are probably thinking that by buying a cheap table, it can save you money. This is a complete "wrong notion" common to all individuals. In fact, you are actually wasting your money.
A cheap ping pong table may have the required ITTF standards but the quality of the materials used for the construction are surely of low qualities. In short, it won't last long enough. And as a result, you will end up spending for the repairs or worse, you need to by a new replacement.
What if you just want to have some fun?
If your main purpose of buying a cheap ping pong table is just to have some fun or to check if you have the interest in playing this particular sport then you may do so. But as a suggestion, you should choose the table that follows the ITTF standards. Take note, there are many tables out there that does not follow the official standards.
How much does a Ping Pong Table Cost?
There are so many places to check around for ping pong tables that are being sold at affordable prices. One among them is to search the internet. You can really find a lot of table products online with positive and negative feedbacks from the previous buyers or customers. However, buying a ping pong table online is highly not recommended because you won't be able to inspect if it really passes the quality requirements.
The best advice to buy a good ping pong table is to go out and visit the actual market place or shop.
Sport Shops
- A sport shop should always be your first option because they display their available ping pong tables for their customers to test and inspect.
Prices from Sport Shops ranges from $100 to $700.
Classified Ads
- You can check the classified ads and contact the nearest seller from your place. Do not agree to buy the table yet (on the phone) where you have to visit the place of the seller to conduct your inspection. Once the table passed the quality requirements then that will be the time for you to buy it.
Prices from Classified Ads ranges between $100 to $500.
Garage Sale
- If you do not have enough extra money then your best option is to check garage sales. Although, you will have a hard time in finding the a good table unless you are lucky.
Prices from Garage Sales ranges from $100 to $300.
How Much does it Cost to Build A Ping Pong Table?
Some people think that they can save more money if they are going to construct their own ping pong table. If you do then you will be surprised to know that the materials will costs more than buying a premade table from the market. Assuming that you choose high quality materials, it will surely cost you around $1000. In addition to the expensive construction materials are your time to be spend on building your table.
Moreover, owning the best ping pong table can actually save you both money and time. There are actually many cheap table products out there but most of them do not meet the qualities of a good table as discussed on this post. Overall, choose your ping pong table wisely.
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