furniture
How to Choose the Right Ping Pong Table
You should consider several factors when purchasing a ping pong table. Many people buy their first table before they are familiar with the sport, so they may not have a good understanding of what they need and what to look for. Furthermore, you may want to consider who will be using the ping pong table, and where it will be located. Take a look at your budget, your personal wants and needs, and what is available in your area when you shop.
One of the first considerations when shopping for a ping pong table is whether you will be leaving your table set up all the time, or whether you will need to fold it up and put it away. You can find affordable and good quality tables in both styles. A fold up model with rollers and brakes will be the easiest to set up and break down should you need to choose one that will not be up and available at all times. You may even want to choose one of these in case your living situation changes at a later time.
While manufacturers want to sell you the best and most expensive ping pong table, the majority of people who play for fun will find a less expensive ping pong table completely adequate for their needs. What is critical? An even top with no warping is absolutely essential. While a 1 inch (25 mm) thickness is a competition standard, a less expensive and thinner tabletop may be quite adequate for home use and provide you with a good playing experience. If you play table tennis competitively, you should splurge for the competition thickness; however, the rest of us can save by choosing a nice, but less expensive table. Look for strong and sturdy legs, preferably with levelers. Many people end up setting up their tables in the garage or basement, and irregular floors are commonplace.
Your table should meet the international standard. If you drop a ping pong ball from a height of 30 cm, it should bounce to a height of 23 cm. An even bounce all over the table will insure that your ping pong table provides a good and standard playing experience. A smooth and even finish, padded net clips, and a table with a good overall feel will all make your introduction to ping pong a great one.
How to Build a Full Size Ping Pong Table For Under $70
The Basics to Building a $70 ping pong table
Table Tennis, better known as ping pong requires two people, two bats, and a table. The problem is, tables can cost anything up to $3,000!
Why not build your own?
To start with, you need to get your measurements right, if you want a professional sized table, it will need to be 9ft x 5ft, and be at least 30 inches above ground level. The net will need to be placed in the central reservation of the table and measure 6 inches high. The specification of materials is slightly less strict, the surface can be made of any surface, although you need to test the surface you are using, as ping pong balls should bounce around 4 inches, if you drop it from a height of around 6 inches.
The basics are that you'll need around $50-70 of materials to build your table, and by cutting the pieces to around five foot wide, and making them meet in the middle, you'll use a mixture of glue and clamps to secure the table properly. In order to start this project, you'll need to make a base for the table from scratch. Two by two lumber will do the job nicely. Measure and cut two pieces that are nine feet long, and two pieces that are five feet wide. Lay the wood out into a rectangle, and then secure the corners together with wood screws. The easiest way to construct the table is with plywood, and then, using equal in length legs, piece together the legs with the tabletop with wood screws, and as an extra precaution, add some glue.