Purchasing a pool table can be a major investment, but it provides lots of fun playing billiards with your friends and family in your recreation room. However, there are many who would also like a ping pong table but, for want of space, cannot have both. A ping pong conversion top is a great way to have twice the fun without taking up too much space.
The good news is that you can easily transform a standard pool table or billiards table by just adding a ping pong table top for pool tables.
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What To Look For in A Ping Pong Conversion Top
Many people who want to purchase a ping pong table for home use or practice, often have questions concerning the ping pong tabletop, and with good reason. The thickness, smoothness, and material of a ping pong table top can all affect the quality of play. It is important to do your research depending on your requirements. Is it just for recreation or trying to improve your game to play at a tournament?
Fortunately, we’ve put together a list of some of the best ping pong table tops for pool tables, making your job easier.
Pool Table Dimensions
Billiards tables come in multiple sizes, anywhere from seven feet up to 9 feet. The choice of what to get can depend on a few factors. Firstly, what is the reason for buying a pool table? Is it for bar-style play or home recreational play?
Most major pool tournaments use nine-foot tables, while bars and pubs have eight and a half or eight-foot tables, and seven-foot tables are found exclusively in homes. Smaller rooms may have some difficulty accommodating larger pool tables, so choose accordingly.
You Have Many Options
Today, you can find a wide variety of pool tabletops and table tennis conversion tops for pool tables on the market. They are readily available to accommodate a wide range of distinctive billiard and pool table sizes. In essence, a table tennis top for a pool table uses the body and frame of a pool table so everyone can enjoy playing whenever they want to. Most models are similar, though some may have some unique features.
Playing Surface Thicknesses
With all these different models available, it is important to measure, the thickness of the ping pong table top to ensure the best quality and level of gameplay. Your ping pong conversion top comes in different thicknesses. Conversion tops with an extra thickness have a better bounce rate that resembles a real ping pong table. They are also more resistant to cracking.
For outdoor use, aluminum is a common material for a ping pong table top, although those that are made of wood and have a waterproof coating provide for better levels of play and a more realistic bounce.
Most indoor ping pong tables have a wood or wood composite ping pong table top, including the newer ping pong table conversion tops that are suited for swapping your dining room table or existing pool table into an indoor ping pong table.
If you plan on using a ping pong table conversion top outside, make sure that the top is always brought inside when you are done playing. Another option is to properly weather-proofed for protection from moisture.
Before buying your ping pong conversion top, you’ll need to measure the surface you plan on using it on, as well as the dimensions of the room to ensure that there is adequate playing space.
Installation
The table tennis tabletop installation is rather easy. You just need to place 2 half of the tables on the top of your billiard table and lock them up, and you are good to go.
The Best Ping Pong Conversion Tops for Billiards Tables
1. STIGA Duo Ping Pong Table Conversion Top
Features:
- Surface: 1/2″ dark green top supported by 30″ center-mounted steel stiffeners
- Dimensions: 5′ W x 9′ D playing surface
- Weight: 110 lbs while the shipping weight is 118 lbs
- Fits 7′ and 8′ pool tables
- Side stripes help align the top properly
- Sponge
rubber strips protect rails and hold the top firmly in place
This is an easy and convenient way for you to convert your billiard table to a table tennis table in a matter of seconds. Some vendors will only sell you the sole table tennis top without all the relevant equipment for you to play the game.
The equipment is inclusive of net, posts, paddles, and balls. When making your purchase, check with the vendor if these items are provided with your purchase. If not, you will need to pay extra for all this equipment.
For this STIGA Table Tennis Conversion Top, it comes with 2 models which are T814 and T814N. The difference between these two models is that the T814 comes without net and posts, while the T814N includes them.
2. Joola Conversion Table Tennis Top for Pool Tables
Features:
- Surface: 1/2″ blue top
- Dimensions: 9×5 feet playing surface
- Weight: 109 lbs
- Minimum table dimensions for placement is 7×3 feet
- 10 EVA foam pads act as a cushion between underlying table and surface
- 1.5″ steel tube aprons to support the playing surface
This ping pong pool table top is from one of the most well known table tennis equipment manufacturers: Joola. The Joola conversion table tennis top is a high quality conversion top that features a regulation size plating surface. It’s thickness is better than some of the other ping pong conversion tops on this list, and it’s a solid product overall.
It’s actually one of the lighter ping pong conversion tops for pool tables at 109 pounds – but it’s still quite hefty. Still, it’s great if you want to turn your pool table or even a picnic table into a ping pon table!
3. Butterfly Pool Table Conversion Top for Billiard Table
Features:
- Surface: 3/4″ green or blue top
- Dimensions: 9×5 feet playing surface
- Weight: 150 lbs
- Fits 8 feet pool tables; removable apron for larger tables
- Foam sheet that protects the table underneath
- 3 year warranty
The Butterfly pool table conversion top is a high-quality product from one of the world’s most renowned table tennis table manufacturers. And that shows, with a 3 year warranty and robust 3/4″ thickness. it also features a removable apron for larger tables.
But perhaps what’s best is the fact that it is super easy to assemble as you can just place this ping pong table top on any surface. However, it does need an extra pair of hands, as it weights 150 lbs. It also includes a clip net set.
4. STIGA Premium Table Tennis Conversion Top
Features:
- Surface: 5/8″ black top
- Dimensions: 9×5 feet playing surface
- Weight: 110 lbs
- Foam pads to help protect the table underneath
The second STIGA ping pong table top for pool tables on this list is the STIGA Premium table tennis conversion top. Coming in a sleek black color, this regulation size ping pong top for pool tables has a roller coat painted playing surface with silk screen play field lines.
It’s one of the pricier ping pong conversion tops on the list, but with STIGA, you are guaranteed a certain level of quality. If you really want to invest in a good conversion top, then this might be a good choice for you.
5. Martin Kilpatrick Ping Pong Conversion Top for Billiards Tables
Features:
- Surface: 3/4″ blue, green or grey top
- Dimensions: 9×5 feet playing surface
- Weight: 110 lbs
- Foam pads that protect the table underneath
- 1.5″ protection rails that provide stability and protection
- Includes 2 table tennis paddles and 3 ping pong balls
- 3 year warranty
The Martin Kilpatrick ping pong conversion top sits nicely in between the more expensive and affordable models on this list. At the same time, it does not compromise on any of the features. This is a good middle-of-the-road option for a ping pong table top for pool tables.
And unlike the other models on this list, you also get 2 table tennis paddles and 3 ping pong paddles with a net set to get started right away! This is what sets it apart from the other tables on this list, which do not include paddles and balls.
Read for more references on related topics:
- Various Table Tennis Conversion Tops In The Market
- Portable and Foldable Table Tennis Conversion Top
Warren Davies
