5 Tips for Moving a Pool Table:

For some people, life just doesn’t seem to provide a sufficient amount of challenge. This kind of people, provided that they are in possession of a pool table and are planning to move from their current home, may come to the decision to move that table on their own. Is it a good decision? Of course not. Pool tables are incredibly heavy and surprisingly delicate, and moving them requires both technical skill and lots of muscle power. With so many professional movers available, it really makes little sense to take the DIY approach when it comes to a pool table. But if your mind is made up and you have some technical know-how and a few strong armed friends, we will take you through the necessary steps in moving that table on your own. And may God have mercy on us all.

1. Taking It Apart
   To move a pool table, you need to take it apart. You may be tempted to move the table without disassembling it, maneuvering doorways and stairwells, but how about no. This might not only lead to serious damage to the table but will also put you and your friends in danger.
   Take your table apart ever so carefully, and pay extra attention to how you catalogue and pack all of its components. Labeling is key here. Trust us- the last thing you want to be doing is rummaging through every box and crate looking for that one missing bolt.

2. You wanted a challenge? You got it!
   Removing the felt from the slate is the trickiest part of moving a pool table. Taking the felt off is important because it significantly reduces the chances of it being damaged during transport. If you don’t intend to reuse the felt you can just tear it off, but if getting new felt isn’t on your to-do list your only option is to remove it. It’s time consuming and tedious, and if you hire specialized movers they probably throw in new felt for free but hey- you wanted a challenge!

3. She’s So Heavy
   For this part of the moving process you are going to need some very buff friends. The slate could weigh up to 800 lbs. Even if it’s comprised of several detachable pieces, each one could still weigh a few hundred pounds, so make sure you have enough strong arms on your team. However, strength alone is not enough- your team needs to be very gentle and careful as any tiny dent to the slate could throw off your game for good.

4. Make Room
   The most important factor in placing a pool table is obviously the size of the room. Another point to consider is carpeting. It’s very difficult to level a pool table on any kind of carpet, and the thicker- the trickier. The table needs to be perfectly levelled in order for the game to be both fun and fair, so choose a non-carpeted room or remove the carpeting before moving in your pool table.

5. Get It Together
   Start by reassembling the frame and the legs. It’s best to do this while your table is upside down, so make sure you have somebody around to help flip it over when you’re done. Then you will need to place the slate back in the frame, and level it according to the floor using a carpenter’s level and shims. Complete this step by applying beeswax to the seams and screw holes. Put the felt back on and use a metal paint scraper to smooth out any wrinkles. As you put the rails back together you will need to make sure no creases appear in the felt- you need your table to have a smooth, level surface.