It’s highly likely that your pool table already holds a special place in your home and heart. No wonder why you are referring to this article and planning to move your pool table to your new house. You’re probably wondering whether it’s wise to go DIY with moving something so huge and delicate. If you ask us, hiring a moving company would be the ideal thing to do.
That being said, it is possible to do this by yourself and a few helping hands. We are here to help you with just that so that you can move that big boy without putting in Herculean effort. So read our guide on how to move a pool table and get started.
Preparations To Move A Pool Table
Before you start collecting tools to carry out this task, sit down and make some calls. It is better to call your friends and do this together, an average size pool table is 300 pounds and needs a minimum of 4 people to move it. If you think you can figure this out within your family, you are mistaken, never involve kids in moving a pool table, as there are several hazards involved. Only move it with the help of 4 or more adults.
Tools Needed To Move A Pool Table
Before you settle down to the main task, collect all the equipment you will need. It is better to have everything in place, because the parts of a pool table are complicated, and running around the house looking for tools once you begin dismantling is going to create confusion. So keep everything from a screwdriver to sticky tape ready. Here are a few tools you will need at hand.
Screwdriver: A pool table is held together with lots of screws, each part has several screws you need to loosen and then tighten back firmly while reassembling your pool table. Sometimes, working on the screws of larger or stubborn pool tables can be difficult with a basic screwdriver. So getting an electric screwdriver, in this case, is not a bad idea. It will be a one-time investment you can use for many purposes in the future.
Socket Wrench: There can be several parts in the entire pool table structure that are held together with nuts and bolts, keep a socket wrench handy in your toolbox to work on these nuts.
Staple Remover: You need to take off the felt cloth on the slate which rests on the table, this felt cloth is held firmly to the slate with glue and staples. Though you can take off these staples with the help of a screwdriver and a wire cutter, a heavy-duty staple remover will lessen your work.
Staple Gun: While reassembling your pool table after it reaches your new home, you need to put the felt cloth tightly back on the slate. For which you need a quality staple gun.
Safety Goggles: You will be removing lots of staples, which can fly or snap and hurt your eyes, having safety glasses will keep hazards at bay.
Spirit Level: You will need this to check if your pool table surface is leveled when you assemble it back on after reaching your new house.
Resealable Bags: A number of screws and nuts are going to come off the complicated structure of a pool table, and since they will be of different sizes for each different part, there are chances of someone jumbling them up. Keep each set of screws and nuts in separate zip lock bags to avoid this. And with a marker, write the name of the parts these screws came off.
Furniture Pads: Securing the bigger parts of your pool table with furniture pads/moving pads will ensure they don’t endure scratches while your pool table is in transit. These thick blanket-like pads keep the fragile but heavy parts safe, especially the slates.
Bubble Wrap: The smaller parts which don’t require moving pads to protect them can be wrapped up in bubble wraps. Rather than buying new bubble wrap, you can easily find it in any retail store or local business that regularly receives shipments.
Plastic Wrap: This secures the furniture pads you put on your slates, as packing tapes/ shipping tapes cannot fully keep the pad material in place.
Shipping Tape: Get thick shipping tape/packing tape to hold the bubble wrap together after you pack all parts of your pool table.
Once everything is in place and your friends arrive, get down to actually dismantling, packing, moving, and reassembling your pool table. The process is going to be long, so remember to take breaks and enjoy the move. Because this move is going to be a fun anecdote your friends will remember every time they play billiard at your new house. So let’s get started!
Also Read: Best Packing Materials And How To Use Them | How to Disassemble And Reassemble A Pool Table ?
Packing And Moving A Pool Table
Dismantle it → Pack the parts → Move the parts → Unpack and Reassemble
Begin With Dismantling
- Take Off The Pockets: Remove the ball pockets of your pool table, there will be 6 in all. They could be attached to the pool table either with screws or with staples, this depends on the model or your pool table. Get under your pool table and start unscrewing the pockets or just use a staple remover if the pockets are stapled to the table.
- Detach The Rail Line: Get under the table once again and locate the screws or bolts holding the rail lines to the table. There are usually 4 rail lines you have to unfasten, but if your pool table is longer, each rail line will be divided into 2, making 6 rail lines in total. So get working with your screwdriver or socket wrench and remove the screws/bolts one by one. Then, place them in a zip lock bag and name them as rail line screws just so you remember where they belong. Once this is done, pick each rail line and place them on the furniture pads or stand them up against a corner of the room.
- Release The Felt Cloth: Now comes the tricky part, you have to be very careful here if you don’t want to ruin the felt cloth. This material is attached to the pool table either with staples or with glue, or sometimes with both. So start at a corner of the table with your staple remover and take off the staples one by one. Make sure you keep putting these pins in a disposable bag so they don’t lie around and hurt anyone. Once you go around the table and remove all staples, ask your friends to double-check if all staples have been removed.
Now try taking the felt cloth off, if it comes off easily, then it’s a smooth sail, if not, that means it is stuck firmly with glue. Now be very patient and slowly start pulling it off from a corner, pull it in a backward motion so you don’t stretch out the cloth. It is better if you and a friend pull it from two corners in unison and keep going until it comes off in its entirety. Now fold the cloth carefully and keep it aside for packing, or just roll it up, this avoids wrinkles and folds which can spoil the look.
If it has been more than 3 years since you last changed your pool table felt cloth, this is the right time to do so. And if you are planning on a felt cloth replacement, then keep your worries aside, just rip the felt cloth apart and dispose of it. Just remember to take off the staple pins and dispose of them carefully.
- Remove The Slates: When that felt cloth comes off, you will see the slate underneath, it is at this point you will know how many slates your pool table has, the more the better. If there is just one, then it is going to be tough picking and moving it, if there are two or three, they will be around 150 pounds each. So arm up with that electric screwdriver because these slates are fixed to the pool table quite tightly. If there are 3 slates, there will be 4 screws for each slate, that makes 12 screws in total. Once the screws come off, with the help of your friends, pick each slate one by one and place it on the moving pad/furniture pad.
Be very careful here because it is going to be like picking up rocks, not kidding but pool table slates are actually made out of rocks. They are heavy and delicate and stand the risk of breaking or shattering as the rock structure is brittle. As you pick them up, be extra careful about the safety of you and your friends. If your pool table has a single slate, it is going to weigh 400-450 pounds, you might want to rethink if you want to do it by yourself, there is still time to call for professional handlers.
- Work On The Table Frame: After placing the slates on moving pads, take a short break and then get to disassembling the table. With the help of your friends, turn the table upside down so it gets easier to work on it. Divide the work if you have more screwdrivers available. There will be some nuts holding the frame together that will require a socket wrench, once all screws and nuts are off, remember to pack them in separate zip lock bags and name them. Place the table legs that have come off on moving pads or bubble wrap and secure the wrap with tape.
Packing The Pool Table
Now get all that bubble wrap together and let’s get packing. Make a checklist you have to pack, everything from the largest slates to the smallest pool ball should be securely packed. If there are not enough moving pads, bubble wrap can do the work. Wrap the pool triangle and diamonds, cue rack, and table care brush. The pool balls can go in a cardboard box if you didn’t preserve the box they came in.
Just remember to tape everything so no packing comes off. Remember to cushion all the delicate parts of the pool table well, so that they will be secure during uploading on the delivery truck. For the smaller parts, keep them in zip lock pouches to keep them from getting lost in transit.
See Also: How To Make Packing Easier | Best Packing Service Companies
Moving A Pool Table
Even though you have disassembled the pool table, moving it is going to be challenging, since the slates are difficult to carry and load in a truck. Don’t underestimate this part of the process, since there are chances of injuries if taken lightly. Coordinate with your friends and get a good grip before you pick it and start carrying it. If you are going to carry it down a flight of stairs, be cautious of the steps, also keep communicating with your friend who is holding the other end. The tricky part apart from stairs will be doorways, be careful to watch out for low arched doorways. If the slate you are carrying dashes against an arch, it could suffer damage. Tread carefully while uploading it in the truck and unloading it when you reach your new house.
Also See: How to Pack and Load a Moving Truck?
Unpacking A Pool Table And Reassembling It
So now that your pool table has reached its new home, it’s time to unpack each part and start assembling it. This will be smooth if you had organized the screws, bolts, and small parts properly when you had disassembled the pool table. You have to now work in reverse, but there is a catch, once you have put the table frame and legs back on, when you place the slates in their position, you must level them. Keep a spirit level in the middle of the slates and then in the corners to make sure your slates are in level. If it is slightly off, it is going to affect your game of pool. In case you find the level is off, try adjusting the table legs.
Once you have leveled the slates, put the felt cloth back on. Be careful of air pockets that can form, ruining the smooth texture of your pool table surface. Just work with a rolling pin as you put the felt cloth back on to avoid this, then firmly staple the felt cloth to the table with the staple gun. Next, put the rail lines back on carefully so as to not ruin or wrinkle the felt cloth. Now get the 6 side pockets out of their bags and start attaching them one by one to the table frame.
Costs Of Moving A Pool Table
It costs around $700 to $1000 to move your pool table if you hire professional help, as the specialists will level and expertly fit the felt cloth. It is better to get movers to shift your pool table as moving it by yourself can be hazardous. Additionally, professional movers have the necessary equipment and expertise to move pool tables.
Factors That Determine The Costs
In case you are planning to get professionals on board to move your pool table, you must consider these costs and set aside a calculated budget for it. Since moving homes can cost you an arm and a leg and you don’t want your pool table to add to it.
Type Of The Table
The sizes of pool tables usually vary between 7 feet to 9 feet, and the longer your pool table, the heavier it will be to move because the slates are tougher to move for larger tables. A heavier table means more work of disassembling and moving which adds to the costs.
Difficult Path
From this, we mean the path from your pool table area to the loading truck, and then from the truck to its new location in the new home. If there are stairs, low arched doorways, tight corners, or narrow entrances, then the costs are bound to go up. If your home is in an apartment, then the relocation costs will shoot up according to your floor.
Distance Of The Move
The further your delivery location is from your pickup point, the higher will be the relocation cost. If you are moving within your town, then it will ideally cost you anywhere between $300 and $500. And if you are moving to another state or across the country, then it will cost you between $600 and $1000. The costs will increase if you opt for insurance for your pool table.
Read Also: Best Cross Country Movers in the America
Additional Services
There are some professional pool table movers that provide additional services like changing the pockets or replacing the felt cloth. They can also suggest refurbishing the wooden frame or legs. The costs for this up-gradation can go up to $500 depending on the services you choose. This is any day better than getting a brand new pool table for your new home.
FAQs
Can I move my pool table without disassembling it?
No, pool tables are originally designed so that they can be moved only after disassembling. It is simply impossible to move it in one piece, because of the weight and also because it won’t pass through doorways. But if you are moving it in the same room or in the same space, you can use furniture sliders to move it in one piece.
Should I buy a new pool table for my new house?
This depends on how far you are relocating, if you are moving across the country, then it is better to buy a new pool table. This saves your disassembling effort and the shipping expense, because relocation charges, especially for heavy pool tables are quite expensive if you are moving cross country. If you are moving within the town, plan to retain your pool table as moving it won’t be as expensive.
