How to Build a Competition Ping Pong Table

Ping pong became extremely trendy in the United States after President Nixon opened up relations with China, where it is a national game -- and it has remained popular ever since. Tournament quality ping pong tables (also called tennis tables), available through many retail outlets and websites, are usually quite expensive, ranging from $300 to $1,500. However, if you are just a little bit handy, you can build your own for a fraction of the cost.

Instructions

How to Build a Competition Ping Pong Table

1

Sand the HDF boards. HDF board is very smooth, so you are sanding to create a surface that the paint will stick to.

2

Sand the edges of the boards to remove any burrs that may be sticking out.

3

Use the paint roller to paint the surface of the top and edges of the HDF boards.

4

Allow the boards to dry, and then add a second coat.

5

Turn the boards over and place so that the two 5' sides are touching.

6

Space out the four hinges evenly on the underside of each of the boards, and make pencil marks for each screw hole.

7

Drill a hole for each screw you marked. The hole must not go through the board but should be deep enough and wide enough for your 3/4 inch wood screws.

8

Screw the hinges to the underside of the ping pong table top. You should now have one board that is 5 feet wide and 9 feet long divided in the middle and held together by the hinges.

9

Return your board to its upright position.

10

Mask off a 2-centimeter edge around the entire top and a 2-centimeter strip down the exact middle of the ping pong table's top.

11

Paint the edge and center strip using the edging brush and white paint, being careful not to get any paint on the playing surface. Remove the masking tape when the paint has dried.

12

Place your ping pong table on whatever base you wish to use. A simple base made out of 2 x 4s would be adequate, but you can buy a pre-made base that will make storing and moving your table convenient. No matter what you choose for your base, it can't be higher than 29 inches, as Table Tennis Association rules require that the top be exactly 30 inches high

13

Attach your net and you're ready to go.