Table Tennis Table

Humble parlour beginnings

Originally a parlour game in the 1880s, tennis players adapted their game to a smaller format so they could play indoors in the winter. An Olympic sport since 1988 table tennis is played by either 2 or 4 players. Aside from the serve, the rules are that a ball played has to be allowed to bounce once before hitting it back and it has to bounce once on the opposition's side before they hit it back. A point is scored if the ball cannot be hit or it does not land on the table. The scale is small and the game is fast.

Table tennis table build

The table tennis table is standardised by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to the degree of bounce response, a ping-pong ball dropped on it from 30cm should make it bounce to approximately 23cm. This has to be uniform for the whole table which is why it has to be of uniform material. The table's dimensions are to be at 9 feet long, 5 feet wide and 2 feet in height. The surface has to be a dark colour and matte finished. The table is divided by a net which is 6 inches in height. The tabletop can be made of various materials but wood or derivatives of wood are the best, also the material used at international competition levels. Metal and concrete versions are also used but more in public spaces.

Thickness of table

A thicker table is better, but those are also usually available at a higher price. The thinner ones work fine too and are affordable.

Indoor versus outdoor tables

As for size, both are the same. Outdoor tables are built more sturdy and the top has layers protecting it from the sun and rain. If wooden tables get wet and exposed to the sun they get damaged. The surface becomes uneven and bubbled possibly making it impossible to play. The outdoor tables would cost a little more as more goes into making one.

Butterfly, DHS, Stiga, Dunlop and Joola are some of the top brands that produce table tennis tables; with a variation in price depending on brand and build material.