Wildcat Movers Explains How To Move a Billiards Table
People in Texas love Billiards. This may explain why our moving company in Plano, Texas has moved a lot of pool tables over the years. Don’t sell an integral part of your man (or lady) cave out of frustration. Use our tips to get your table safely to your new home.
By far the easiest way to move a pool table is to hire a team of professional Plano movers to disassemble, move, reassemble, level, and refelt your table in your new home. Some people opt for the DIY route, so here is our guide on how to safely move what was likely a sizeable investment.
Although your pool table seems like the sturdiest thing this side of the Alamo, it’s actually quite delicate. It is easy to damage, although it’s probably one of the heaviest things you own. Resist the urge to move it as a single unit; you will need to take it apart. Gather the necessary tools, including a staple puller, flathead screwdriver, power drill, and socket wrench. Zip lock bags and masking tape also come in handy for labeling components.
The pockets are the first thing to be removed. Often they are secured to the rails with screws or bolts. Next you will need to remove the rails. From underneath the table you can use a socket wrench to remove the bolts that secure the rails to the slate.
Billiard experts recommend re-felting your table at least every few years, or more often depending on use. If it’s time to re-felt, save yourself the headache of painstakingly removing the staples (after you have taken off the pockets and rails!), and go ahead and rip that sucker off. If not, be sure not to stretch it, or rip a hole in it while removing the staples, or it will become unusable.
Usually tables have either a single piece of slate, or multiple pieces that fit together. Either way, remove the screws, and gather your friends (or your Plano movers!) to take off the slate. Seriously – it will weigh hundreds of pounds. If it becomes scratched, dented, or broken, you will have to replace it, so make sure to wrap it well before loading it onto the truck.
After that, detaching the frame and the legs should be a breeze. Be sure to label each piece with the masking tape before wrapping it. When you (or the movers in Plano Texas) get to your new home, try to choose a room with enough space to maneuver, and one with hardwood or tile flooring. Carpet can cause the table to settle, meaning all the hard work you’re about to put into leveling your magnificent beast will be for naught.
After the perfect space is selected, and the base is reassembled you will need to reattach and level the slate. The first step is leveling the base with shims underneath the feet. You will want to use something strong that won’t flex or give over time. Next you will need to level the slate on top of the frame. Regular laminated playing cards care ideal for fine leveling adjustments. They do not compress very easily, and are very thin for fine tuning.
Once leveled, the next step is to use wax to fill in the seams and screws. Again, it’s a good idea to have someone experienced walk you through this, since you will be using a propane torch to melt the wax, and then a metal scraper to get rid of the excess once dry (don’t scratch the slate!).
Leveling and re-felting is a tedious process, and if you wish to do it yourself take your time, and be sure to take plenty of breaks if you get frustrated. Putting on the felt you saved, or new felt, you will need to make sure there are no bubbles, wrinkles or creases as you put back on the rails.
Moving a pool table is a labor intensive process that for most people is best left to a moving company in Plano, Texas. If you choose to undertake the task on your own, we hope our guide has served as a helpful starting point in your billiard journey.