What wood for a ping pong table?

[Mark Gibney]

I've been asked if I can make a ping pong table using real wood.

I'm guessing the wood should be smooth and dense. Maple comes to mind, but the client has a dark table in mind. I suppose it could be dyed, but I'd prefer to not have to do that.

What would you make that table from?

thanks, Mark

[Doug Hepler]

Mark,

I usually try very hard to give a client what he asks for. That's what custom furniture means to me. But in this case, function should trump form, so to speak. Doesn't a ping pomg table need to be dead flat? So -- a little pushback. A beautiful, functional ping pong table can be made as a torsion box. The skin on top should(?) be 1/4" plywood. Is plywood real wood? Is a lamination, say, of 1/4" solid wood over 1/4" plywood acceptable? Also, how heavy can it be? does it need to be foldable, portable, etc? Need more details about what the client wants

Doug

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Doug...using solid stock for something like this isn't likely going to provide the "long term" satisfaction that would be expected for a game table where a change in the surface can materially affect play. The torsion box idea is a good one, IMHO, because you can construct something that's truly flat and will tend to stay that way. And using quality veneer sheet goods (or shop-made veneer over quality sheet goods) will give the desired look without the downsides of using solid wood. Doug's point about portability is also important. "Stationary", like a pool table would be, would be advantageous since you can better accommodate a very solid underpinning for the play surface.

[John TenEyck]

A real wood base with a veneered torsion box playing surface would be how I would propose the design, based on that input. It could be as light or heavy as desired.

John

[Mark Gibney]

Doug, Jim - thank you for your replies, and I agree with all what you say. However the client sent me a picture of a table made with real wood, and I think this is part of what tickles his fancy. So I think I have to run with that idea for now.

Right now I'm thinking the top will be 1" to 1 1/4" thick, the apron will be in from the ends a good deal, not so much on the sides.

And yes I had better make sure a large table can get into the client's home.

[Jamie Buxton]

Dark wood could be walnut. But walnut is a little softer than, say, maple, so it might show dings from paddle hits. I'd try a sample before I committed to it.

[Mark Gibney]

I just thought of sapele for the table. Any votes yay or nay?

[David M Peters]

As an avid table tennis player a hardwood table would be a real novelty! High quality tables have 1" thick plywood tops with a melamine-like coating that is a not slick but is a bit grippy. A table tennis ball, when rubbed across the table shop, should grab a bit. Ball spin is a big part of the game, the grippy surface lets a spinning ball kick off more forcefully. Hopefully your client wants this for fun & looks and not for a perfect recreation of a good table.

A maple inlay for the lines with any kind of darker wood for the main area would be beautiful.

[Jesse Brown]

I saw some nice ones in Portland--sorry the picture isn't better, but the first is veneered plywood, and the other two are solid walnut. IIRC, they were around 1.25" to 1.5" thick, $5k-$7k, and they weighed over 400 pounds. It looked like the plywood one was two sheets joined underneath the net. All of them had metal bases.

IMG_6290.jpg


This designer has one pictured on his website, and I believe he built a version for a reality TV show called "Framework":

http://www.jorybrigham.com/mackenrow

[Bill Adamsen]

I played on some of the solid wood tables similar to what Jesse shows in the photo (the chamfered edge). They were on a ship in Norway (very humid) and fabricated from solid Honduran Mahogany. They were drop dead gorgeous and dead flat. As a lifelong table tennis player, I was taken aback. They played beautifully.

[Mitchell Ristine]

Would the client be open to a butcher block type construction? That may move less than larger wider boards. It'd look like a big bowling alley.

[Jesse Brown]

I found the website for that place in Portland: https://www.thegoodmod.com/collectio...nference-table

[Jamie Buxton]

Sapele flatsawn is gorgeous - full of chatoyance - but it sometimes has stresses built in so it moves a lot when you rip it or plane it. It might be challenging for a ping pong table. Quartersawn sapele is much more stable, but it is not as pretty IMHO.

[andrew whicker]

Who knew people loved table tennis so much?

Really cool stuff out there

[Mark Gibney]

Mitchell - if the job happens I'll probably use boards 6" - 7" wide. The table would be 60" wide, not sure I want to glue up so many narrower strips.

Jesse - thanks for the link. Impressive work.

Jamie - I agree. I prefer flatsawn sapele over QS.