No wonder playing pool is everyone’s favorite pastime. Whether it’s pool, billiards, or any other cue sport, it’s an amazing way to foster social connections, enhance your mood, and develop mental concentration.
If you have one at home and are learning how to move a pool table properly, your main concern will be how to transport a table that weighs between 650 and 1,000 pounds.
Because pool tables are both heavy and delicate, each component should be handled with care and precision.
Furthermore, arranging equipment and tools, as well as disassembling, reassembling, and lifting the table, are tasks that you probably can’t imagine doing on your own.
This is when you should seek professional help. In this step-by-step guide, we will show you how to move a pool table safely, load it onto a moving truck, and reassemble it once you reach your new home.
How to Properly Move a Pool Table: 9 Steps
Moving an oversized item requires specialized tools and techniques, which certainly indicates that moving a pool table by yourself is a bad idea. Here’s how you transport it the right and safe way.
1. Take Measurements for Easy Access
Pool tables come in different sizes. However, the standard size of a pool table is between 7-8 feet long.
The playing area is 88 inches long and 44 inches wide, allowing it to fit into a medium-sized room.
To move the pool table safely, grab a measuring tape and measure the width of the doorways, entryways, corridors, and staircases ahead of time.
This will give you a clear picture of how to maneuver this heavy item through complex entry and exit points.
Tip: To avoid scuffing and chipping furniture, secure the edges of the pool table with foam sleeves or towels.
2. Arrange the Right Tools and Moving Supplies
Due to the complex structure of a pool table, it is not advisable to transport it in one piece except for short distances, as this may pose a risk of injury.
You should move a pool table by disassembling it into its felts, rails, slates, and legs before reassembling it at the new location.
To take apart the table, here are the necessary moving supplies and tools you will need:
- Drills
- Moving blankets, bubble wrap, and foam sheets
- Staple remover
- Flathead screwdriver
- Furniture dollies and sliders
- Socket and ratchet wrench
- Measuring tape
If you are confident enough to do it yourself, try considering an instructions manual when taking your pool apart or hire professional pool table movers.
3. Remove Pockets and Rails
Detach the pockets of the pool table that are secured to the rails by screws and staples.
Use a screwdriver to unhook the screws and a staple puller or remover to remove the staples around the pool table felt (cloth).
Once done removing pockets and staples, try locating rail screws underneath the pool table.
You would need a socket wrench to safely remove the rail bolts from the frame. This allows you to remove the rail gently in an upward direction.
Tip: Please ensure to keep the screws, bolts, and rails secure by wrapping them in bubble wrap.
4. Remove the Felt of the Pool Table
The most common question people ask is how to remove the pool table fabric without damaging it.
Most often, the felt of the pool table is either glued or stapled.
If it is glued, you can simply rip the cloth off, but be gentle and avoid wear and tear.
If it is stapled, carefully remove the staples using a staple puller and roll the felt as you go.
5. How to Move a Pool Table Slate
Moving a pool table and its oversized slate panels requires teamwork.
First, remove the screws securing the slate to the table frame with a power drill.
Then, carefully lift the three slate tabletops with the assistance of a partner or friends, as they weigh around 300 lbs.
Make sure to keep the screws in a bag and the slates safely wrapped in moving blankets, as they can be quite expensive.
Tip: You can enlist the help of your friends or hire professional local movers to transport your pool table slates safely.
They can stack the slates and secure them with adhesive straps to prevent jolting during transit.
You can also opt for a climate-controlled storage unit to store your slates when moving your pool table for longer distances.
6. Detach the Legs of the Pool Table
When you are moving a pool table or billiard table by yourself, reach out to your friends or family, as the next step requires heavy lifting.
Taking their help, flip the pool table and remove the legs of the table.
You would need a power drill or a socket wrench to unscrew the bolts attached to the frame.
Tip: When loading the table legs onto the moving truck, secure them with bubble wrap and then secure them with heavy-duty furniture straps.
7. Pack and Label Small Pieces
When relocating with a pool table, you have to ensure that its parts are in pristine condition when you reach the new location.
Arrange a container or moving boxes from the best places to keep the heavy parts and bags or bubble wrap to pack screws, bolts, and pool table legs, among others.
Tip: Pack the blinds (Aprons) in sturdy boxes and pool table felt safe to prevent them from becoming debris.
In addition, use the best labeling techniques to spot the right screw during resassembling the parts.
8. Load the Pool Table onto the Truck
Transporting a pool table requires patience and precision.
However, with the help of experienced movers, arranging a moving truck and loading the table becomes a breeze.
If you move your pool table yourself, transport the table and its components safely using lifting straps or tie-downs to protect them from damage.
9. Unload and Reassemble the Pool Table
The most common apprehension after reaching your new location is how to reassemble a pool table.
First, carefully unload the pool table frame and its components into your new home. Next, repeat the steps in reverse to put the pool table together.
Here’s how reassembling a pool table look like:
- Unpack the small pieces, read the labels, and arrange them in order.
- Flip the pool table and attach all the legs using a power drill.
- Once done, attach the frame, slate panels, and slate screws gently. To maintain a balance between three slates, use level and align them together before you drill them down together.
- Unfold the felt and lay it down. If it was previously glued, use the same method: apply glue and secure the felt smooth. If it was stapled, staple it as before, ensuring the felt is free of creases or wrinkles.
- Install rails and pockets that fit the pool table securely.
Moving a Pool Table a Short Distance
If you want to move a pool table a few feet, perhaps within the same house but to a different room, you don’t need to disassemble it.
Here’s how to move a pool table a shorter distance:
1. Use a Floor Runner
Before pulling your pool table, ensure your floors are protected against scuff marks and unwanted scratches.
Lay the floor protector to create a slip-proof surface when moving valuable items safely.
2. Slide in Your Dollies or Furniture Sliders Underneath the Pool Table
When moving your pool table a short distance, you can simply pull it using dollies or sliders to the next room.
Place the dolly under the pool table’s leg by slightly lifting the table upwards. Enlist the help of a family member to slide it through to the new location.
3. Hire Pool Table Movers
Even if you’re relocating your billiards table only a short distance, it’s essential to hire professionals, especially when the pool table feels heavy.
Compare various quotes from moving companies to estimate your moving costs and get their assistance when moving any type of table.
Sinking the 8-Ball
Understanding how to move a pool table involves several steps and precision.
Rushing through the disassembly and reassembly of furniture can damage this delicate centerpiece and your home.
Given the delicacy and size of its components, it’s crucial to find the right moving company experienced in handling specialty items.
Remember, dismantling a pool table requires the right moving equipment, a guide, and ample time before moving day.
Therefore, create a moving checklist and plan your relocation at least three weeks in advance.
FAQs
1. How much does it cost to move a pool table?
The average cost to move a pool table ranges between $300 and $1,200.
The final moving cost depends on various factors, such as size, weight, assembly and disassembly, stairs and access points, and distance.
2. How do you move a pool table without taking it apart?
Furniture dollies make transporting an oversized pool table without dismantling its components possible.
Their sturdy wheels help move the table without disassembling its components.
3. How heavy is an 8-foot slate pool table?
A standard 8-foot slate pool table weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds, depending on the material, design, and built-in features.
4. How much does it cost to refelt a pool table?
The average cost to refelt a pool table ranges from $250 to $650, depending on the table’s size and the quality of the fabric. Refelting a 7-foot pool table typically costs between $265 and $450, while an 8-foot table usually costs between $300 and $550.
