How to take apart a pool table

Q: What tools do I need to take apart a pool table?

Youll need a drill, socket wrench and a screwdriver tool set to take your pool table apart. A staple remover for the pool tables felt. Moving blankets and bubble wrap are essential to preventing damage during your move.

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Things You'll Need
References
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
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What tools do I need to take apart a pool table?
How do you move a 3 piece slate pool table without taking it apart?
Do pool tables come apart?

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Disassembling a pool table takes the right tools and a fair amount of muscle. A standard home pool table has a wood frame, heavy slate bed, and leather drop pockets. Coin-operated tables, tables with ball return mechanisms, and tables with a fiberboard surface are much harder to take apart.

1
Detach the pockets from the table. Remove the pocket liners if present. Remove the screws or staples that attach the pocket straps to the table. If you don't have a staple remover, pry the staples out with a flathead screwdriver. Leave the pockets in place for now.
- This is usually easier from under the table. Wear goggles to protect against falling staples.[1]
2
Remove the rail bolts underneath each rail. There are usually three or four bolts under each rail.[2] Remove them with a socket wrench.
- Old pool tables may have special bolts with two holes. To remove these, order a forked tool from a pool table supply store.
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3
Remove the rails and pockets. Pull apart any rail sections that detach easily and set them aside. If two rails are attached at a corner, flip them over onto the table with another person's help, then pull apart the two sections. Set aside the pockets as well.
- Set the rails down carefully when flipping them, and take care to avoid bashing the side pockets.[3]
4
Detach the felt from the slate bed. The felt is usually either glued down or stapled to the wood backing of the slate. If it is stapled, remove each staple carefully to avoid tears. If glued, pull the edge of the felt backward very gently (never up or forward), working your way around the table.[4] Once you've removed the felt, fold it carefully. To avoid wrinkles and creases, do not press the fold lines.[5]
- If the felt is wearing out, consider tearing it off and installing new felt during reassembly.
5
Remove the slate screws with a drill. These screws are usually at the corners of the table, but could be along the sides and center beam as well.[6]
- If you find beeswax or putty over the screws, carefully scrape it off with a screwdriver to reveal the screw head without scratching the slate.
6
Lift each slate and place to the side. Most tables have a playing surface made from three slate slabs, and each one can weigh 250 lbs (110 kg).[7] Get a couple friends to help out and move them as carefully as possible. A scratch or chip in one slate could ruin the table, requiring an expensive replacement for all three slates.[8]
- One-piece slates can weigh up to 800 lbs (360 kg).[9] Enlist several strong people to help you move these.
7
Disassemble the frame. Flip the table over and unbolt the legs. Take apart the final lightweight pieces, and you're ready to go.
8
Transport the slate carefully. The most difficult part to transport is the slate tabletop, which is both heavy and fragile. Recruit several strong people to load the slate onto a furniture dolly, on its side. Fasten the slate in place tightly with a furniture strap. If transporting by truck, fasten the strap around the slate and onto the truck slats.[10] If at all possible, load it into the truck using a liftgate.
- If you put the pool table in storage, choose a climate controlled storage unit, or a room with minimal variation in temperature and humidity. Lay the slate onto plastic sheeting, and tape more plastic sheeting over it. Store the carefully folded felt in a sealed plastic bag, and all other components in moving blankets or other protective materials.

1
Remove only the rails and legs from a coin-operated table. Remove the rail bolts with a socket wrench and detach them from the table. If two lengths of rail are connected at a corner, you may need to flip them over before you detach them gently. Carefully flip the table over and unbolt the legs. Do not attempt to disassemble the rest of the table without professional help, since removing the coin-operated mechanism can make reassembly difficult or impossible.
- Some Valley Dynamo coin-operated tables have a metal trim covering the rail bolts. Remove the screws holding the trim in place, slide the trim toward the corner, then lift them up and out.
2
Use caution with ball return systems. Most tables with a ball return system are also coin-operated, but some tables from the 1970's or '80's have a simpler mechanism.[11] In some models, removing the mechanism without damaging the table is difficult.[12] Unless you have a manual for your model, leave the ball return mechanism attached during transport.
- You can usually disassemble the rest of the table as described in the standard slate table instructions.
3
Transport non-slate tables in one piece. If your pool table surface is made from fiberboard (MDF), wood, or any other non-slate material, it is most likely a low-cost "disposable" table. These are not usually meant to be disassembled, not even by a professional.[13] Transport the table in one piece.
- Some of these tables have folding legs to make transport easier.

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Question
How many slates do I need for a pool table? How much do they weigh?

Generally pool tables will have 3 pieces of one-inch slate, weighing 100-300 lbs each.
Question
What does the ball return configuration look like on a coin operated table?

It varies by manufacturer, but generally open chutes fashioned from metal rails or troughs that mount on the wooden table pieces or other location-designed braces to keep all the troughs at the correct angles to feed the balls to the return tray. Once the upper playing bed is removed, the chutes can be removed, repaired, or disassembled; but, every piece should be labelled as to it's exact orientation and placement to be able to reassemble it. It's not recommended, as any bending of the rails or misalignment of the attachment points can cause problems such as balls jumping the rails or getting stuck during play. Not fun.

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Keep resealable bags handy to hold screws and bolts as you remove them. Label each bag to make re-assembly easier.
Most pool tables either have adjustable legs, or small wooden shims to level out the playing surface. You will need to level the pool table again after moving it. Some tables also require shims glued to the side of the slate, to hold it level despite a weak or warped frame.

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Glossary

Bumpers: The rubber part of the rail. They are covered with felt.
Rail Assembly: Contains the wooden rail, the cushion or bumpers and to which the apron attaches to.
Felt: The cloth that covers the playing surface and the rail bumpers. Usually it is a 75% wool 25% nylon blend.
Aprons: The wooded segment that attached to the rail assembly.
Slate: The playing surface of the pool table. Usually comes in (3) pieces. Can either be wood backed or unbacked.
Frame: The base of the pool table which the slate sits on.

Things You'll Need

Socket and socket wrench (usually 9/16")
Philips screwdriver
Flat head screwdriver
Marked sandwich baggies to place screws and bolts.
Drill with screwdriver bit

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To disassemble a standard slate pool table, start by detaching the pockets by removing the screws or staples holding them in place. Then, remove the rail bolts underneath each rail using a socket wrench, and lift the rails off of the table. Next, remove the felt on the table by pulling out the staples or carefully peeling it off if it's glued down. Finally, unscrew and lift off the slate bed before disassembling the wooden frame. To learn how to disassemble a mechanized or non-slate pool table, scroll down!

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Reader Success Stories

"Thank you for posting this info. My owners have a table in the basement, we think installed in 1950 during..." more

Did this article help you?

What tools do I need to take apart a pool table?

You'll need a drill, socket wrench and a screwdriver tool set to take your pool table apart. A staple remover for the pool table's felt. Moving blankets and bubble wrap are essential to preventing damage during your move.

How do you move a 3 piece slate pool table without taking it apart?

You can use bubble wrap and cushioning to wrap each pocket, rail, and leg. The slate can be secured using moving blankets. Then, you can use packing tape or wrap to keep the cushioning and blankets secured. With everything wrapped and ready to move, write some labels for them so you know which part is which.