How to Move a Pool Table

How to move a pool table

Pool tables are very heavy, with a standard 8-foot table weighing between 700 and 1,200 pounds, according to a couple of billiard sellers. If you decide not to hire movers to help you move it, ask for help from at least four family members and/or friends who are capable of lifting hundreds of pounds. Preparation will be key to preventing injuries and damage to your pool table and your residence. Then, follow these steps to move your pool table safely.

1. Check your slate configuration

The slate is the flat stone playing surface beneath the felt. Before deciding to move your table yourself, it's helpful to know whether your table has one or three slate pieces for two main reasons:

• A one-piece slate is heavier: The one-piece slate for a standard 8-foot table weighs between 300 and 400 pounds, while each piece of a three-piece typically sits between 200 and 250 pounds. Ensure you have plenty of help and take safety precautions when moving a one-piece.

• A three-piece slate is harder to re-level: Your table will most likely need to be re-leveled once it's in its new home. It's possible to do this yourself with a one-piece, but with a three-piece, it's recommended to have a professional reassemble the table, since each piece will need to be leveled individually and joined with beeswax.

2. Gather necessary supplies

Before you get started with moving your pool table, gather all of the supplies you’ll need to do so. You’ll likely need basic tools to disassemble it, including:

• Power drill, socket wrench and a flathead screwdriver

• Staple remover or utility knife

• Small to medium-sized plastic bags to store loose parts

• Permanent marker to label bags

Additionally, make sure you have a measuring tape to measure doorways, stairs and other obstacles in your moving path.

For the move itself, you’ll need a moving van or truck large enough to transport the pool table. Collect moving blankets, bubble wrap, a dolly and lifting straps for protecting and securing the pool table for transit.

Learn more: 11 things to do when moving into a new house

3. Disassemble your pool table

In order to load your pool table onto a moving truck, you’ll need to disassemble it first. There are how-to videos available online that can guide you with step-by-step instructions. Also, be sure to read over the owner’s manual that came with your pool table for tips and warnings.

For your safety, wear closed-toe, nonslip shoes to prevent injury.

As you disassemble the pool table, put all screws and bolts in a bag. You can keep those items separate and label the bag based on the area of the table from which it came (i.e., rails or pockets).

You can follow these steps to take apart your pool table:

1. Remove all loose items from the pool table, like cue sticks and balls, and set aside.

2. Use a power drill to remove the rail bolts from underneath the table.

3. Remove the screws securing the pockets.

4. Carefully lift the rails off the table and place them upside down on the top of the table. The rails should come off as two halves.

5. Continue to disassemble the rail pieces by removing any screws or bolts that may remain in the pockets. Use a staple remover to take out the staples that may be securing other parts of the rail. Set aside the rail pieces and pockets.

6. Carefully pull out the staples securing the felt to the slate on top. You can roll up the felt to keep it contained during the move.

7. Using a power drill, remove the screws from the top of the slate. You’ll need help lifting the slate piece up and off the frame. Lay the slate flat until you’re ready to load up the moving truck.

8. While someone is holding up one end of the frame, remove the bolts and detach the legs from one side of the frame. Once removed, slowly rest that side of the frame on the floor. Follow the same process on the other end of the frame.

9. The top of the frame can be loaded and moved as one piece.

ConsumerAffairs based these steps on a video from Billiards of New Orleans, a servicer of pool tables in the New Orleans area.

What if the felt on my table is glued rather than stapled?

Since it has to be peeled off, a glued felt surface typically can't be reused unless it's very new or undamaged. If you want to take the chance, use a utility knife to ease the felt off, being careful not to dig into the slate. Have the table re-felted once it's moved, or re-felt it yourself to avoid the expense.

4. Protect and load your pool table

Once you’ve disassembled the table, you can prepare to move it. Doug Jiles, a former billiards professional with over 30 years of experience in the industry, recommends wearing leather gloves to move table parts and adds that you need to be able to lift about 125 pounds.

In your moving truck, you can stack the slate pieces on top of each other and cover them with a moving blanket. Make sure to lay them flat, not on top of the frame or any other items. Then secure them with a strap so they don’t slide around.

When you load the frame, turn it upside down so the bottom is facing up. Place other pieces, like the legs and the rails, inside the frame and cover them with a blanket and secure with straps.

5. Reassemble and level your pool table

When you’ve reached your destination, you can reassemble the pool table by reversing the steps you took to disassemble. You’ll also need to make sure that your pool table is level before you can play on it.

First, make sure you’ve chosen a flat, stable surface for your pool table to sit on. Carpet is not always the best surface for these purposes, as it can compress unevenly. Use a level in all directions to identify which corners of your pool table need to be adjusted.

Some pool tables have built-in levelers, in which case you can simply turn the mechanism to raise or lower the corner until it is in the proper position. If your pool table does not have this feature, you can place a shim (small piece of wood or metal) under one or more legs until you have a level surface.

Once you've completed the leveling, check the table's playability to make sure you don't have any issues like uneven ball roll or dead rail response. If you are having trouble, consider contacting a professional to help.

Tips for moving a pool table

Follow these tips to move your pool table successfully and safely.

• Wear nonslip shoes to help avoid injury.

• Have a lot of plastic bags on hand to store loose parts.

• Take pictures of how things are put together for help when you reassemble the table.

• Use lifting straps when loading.

• Use moving blankets and ties to protect and secure parts.

• Verify that you rent the right-sized truck to fit the table and its pieces.

• Check the moving route at both locations, making sure the moving equipment can meet weights; the table can clear any doorways, halls, or stairways; and the pathways are free of obstacles.

• Consider hiring movers to help disassemble the table and load it onto a truck, especially if you aren’t comfortable lifting heavy items.

How much does it cost to move a pool table?

Costs to move a pool table professionally generally range from $300 to $800. Some estimates put this price even higher. For example, Chris Sosa, a representative at Solo Baltimore Pool Table Movers, said the average price to move a pool table within a 30-mile radius is $1,050, but the cost depends on how many flights of stairs are involved. Prices may be higher if the pool table is oversized, he added.

FAQ

Bottom line

Moving a pool table is daunting, so it may be best to hire professional movers. However, if you have four strong people willing to help out, you could try to do it yourself. In this case, you will need to be well prepared for the task ahead of time and carefully follow all of the recommended steps for disassembly.