Learning how to make your own ping pong table can be a great project for the whole family and it will only cost you a fraction of the price you’d pay if you purchased a manufactured table. If you and the kids loving playing ping pong, and you’re handy with a saw, with the right instructions, tools, and materials, you can make a table in just a few days. Below, I’ll include two plan options, both of which are very budget-friendly.
Project One
If you want to do the job right, then I recommend making a regulation size table, which measures in at thirty inches high, five feet wide, and nine feet long. To save on costs, make the table out of plywood.
Frame
In order to make the base, you’ll need to a couple of pieces of two by twos, measuring in at nine feet long each. Cut a couple more pieces at four feet by eight inches. Place one of these pieces between the longer pieces at the top, and the other piece at the bottom end. This will form a triangle that measures in at five feet wide and nine feet long. You’ll need to drill a guide hole through the bottom and top ends of both long pieces and both the short pieces. Next, you’ll attach each of the corners using screws that are driven into the ends of the shorter pieces and the sides of the longer pieces.
Tabletop
Cut some plywood sheets five feet long and four feet wide. Next, you’ll cut a couple more pieces. The first piece should be two feet wide and five feet in length. The next piece will be just one foot wide and five feet long. The two larger pieces should be placed side by side, leaving a one-inch space between them. Next, place the narrower piece between the larger pieces. Once fastened these pieces will make a nine-foot-long, five-foot-wide piece. Use the wider of the narrower pieces as a plate, which will span the middle of the tabletop. You’ll need wood screws to fasten these three pieces and the plate in order to make a solid tabletop. The screws should be countersunk. If you’re familiar with table tennis rules, then you know a regulation-sized table measures in at five by nine feet.
Attaching the Frame
To attach the frame use some clamps, wood screw, and wood glue for the bottom surface of the tabletop.
Legs
Take a two by two and cut four legs, each of which is twenty-nine and a half inches in length. These can be attached to the table with some screws.
Paint
Fill any cracks in the table with some wood putty. Once the wood putty is dry you can sand the joints. You can paint the tabletop any color you choose or go for the standard green. When the paint has had time to dry you can use some masking tape and mark off the border of the table using white paint. If you want to weatherproof the table, you’ll need to apply a protective coating to the table’s surface and frame, once the paint dries. While it may not be a pro-quality table, you now have your own custom outdoor ping pong table.
If you need table tennis accessories, be sure to stop by and visit my ultimate guide on ping pong paddles.
Project Two
The first step is creating the base, so you’ll begin by cutting a couple of nine-foot pieces of wood in half and laying them end to end in order to form half a rectangle. Add a couple of five-foot pieces to form a complete rectangle. This will be the base of your table.
Legs
Next, you’ll make the table legs. Each of the legs will again be twenty-nine and half inches tall. You can use a couple of two by two pieces, cutting them into four pieces. Attach the legs to each corner of the table using screws or nails. Some people will prefer using screws since they have a reputation for holding up for a longer period of time.
Hinges
This table is designed to fold in half for easy storage. Since it’s a foldable table, you’ll want to add some hinges. Use a total of four hinges and be sure to place four hinges in equal intervals on the bottom side of the table folds. You’ll use the hinges to connect the two large pieces of wood that are each four and a half feet in length. After screwing the hinges on, you’ll attach them to the frame.
Plywood Surface
Use plywood, which offers a nice responsive surface that will allow the ping pong ball to bounce at a decent height. Attach the plywood to the wooden surface and be sure to cover any nails that may be showing after you’ve attached the hinges and legs. To attach the plywood surface you’ll use wood glue and place is all over the bottom of the plywood surface, then carefully set it on top of the other wood surface. Use clamps to press both surfaces together as the glue dries.
Paint
Like any standard ping pong table, this one should be painted a medium green. However, since you’re building this table yourself, feel free to paint it whatever color you or the kids want. Make sure you use a paint roller and not a brush since the brush will leave stroke marks behind.
If you need to find a net for your new table, click here to see some of the leading models of ping pong table nets on the market.
If you plan on using the table as a multi-game table, make sure you use the correct colors and color patterns for the game you will play the most.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, learning how to make your own ping pong table can be a fun and rewarding project for the whole family. Creating a custom table doesn’t have to cost a fortune, in fact, you can make one of these tables for as little as one hundred dollars. While they’re not pro quality, with proper care, it’s a table you and the whole family can enjoy playing on at home, year-round.
