Can You Put a Pool Table on Concrete?

Can You Put a Pool Table on Concrete

Got a pool table? Considering getting a pool table? Wondering where you should be putting that pool table in your home? A lot of people consider concrete. Can you put the pool table there?

You absolutely can put a pool table on concrete. Concrete is one of the preferred locations to put a pool table. This is because concrete tends to be pretty flat, making it ideal for placing a table that you need to be perfectly flat.

We want to expand upon this a little bit for you. This is because we want to ensure that you prepare your surface correctly (to stop damaged balls, etc.). Don’t worry. You don’t have to do that much. 

Can a Pool Table Be Put on Concrete?

If the concrete is flat, then absolutely.

Concrete is one of the best places to put a pool table. This is because most concrete tends to be laid quite flat. It is also a very stable surface. While it may have a few issues, they can (mostly) be dealt with.

You don’t have to worry about the pool table damaging the concrete either. Concrete is incredibly solid and layered quite thick. There is no chance that even the heaviest of pool tables will be able to ruin it.

Related: How Big Is a Pool Table?

Can Concrete Damage Pool Balls?

This is going to be the main issue with concrete.

If the balls fall off the table, then the balls will likely get chipped. If the pool balls are chipped, you can’t play with them again. This is because the chips, even the smallest ones, will have a huge impact on how the ball rolls around the table. 

There aren’t really any balls that are ‘concrete-proof’ either. All of them have the potential to be damaged when they bounce off the table. Obviously, the harder they bounce, the more damage will be caused. A light bump on the concrete is unlikely to do anything too serious.

The same applies to your pool cue. If you drop your cue on the floor, there is a risk of damage to the cue. The worst part is that a lot of this damage will not be easy to spot. The cue may bend ever so slightly, which can throw your shots off.

Of course, none of this is going to take away from the fact that concrete will still be one of the best surfaces to put your pool table on. It just means that you will probably need to take a little bit of extra care when you are using it.

This means that you will need to prepare the area underneath the concrete to reduce the risk of damage to your pool balls and the cues by as much as possible, although there is still only so much that you can do here.

Should You Put Something Underneath Your Pool Table?

You can put a pool table directly onto concrete. However, as you saw from the previous section, this may not necessarily be the best idea. If you do that, you run the risk of damaging the pool balls or the pool cues, and we are 100% positive that you don’t want to be forever replacing your game equipment.

Our suggestion is that you get a large rug that you can place underneath the pool table. A piece of carpet will also do the trick.

You want to ensure two things.

The first is that the rug is fairly level. This means none of those fluffy rugs that may cause the pool table to sit a little bit unevenly.

The second is that the rug extends a good distance beyond the pool table. Remember, one of the main reasons why you are putting that rug under the pool table is because you want to ensure that the balls and your cue are not damaged.

If you are unlucky enough to knock a ball off of the table, the chances are that it isn’t going to land right underneath the table. Instead, it is going to shoot across the room. You need something that is going to break its fall. Otherwise, you run the risk of the balls getting chipped.

Alternatively, you can purchase rubber mats that you can place under the table. While these do tend to do a better job, they are not going to be that aesthetically pleasing. 

Do try to ensure that whatever you do place under the table is secured firmly to the ground. This will ensure that it doesn’t move when somebody puts their weight on the top of the table.

Related: How Much Room Do You Need for a Pool Table?

What Is the Best Surface for a Pool Table?

Anything that meets these two criteria will be good for a pool table:

  • Flat
  • Solid

Concrete really is going to be the best thing that you can put your pool table on. As we said earlier, this is a surface that is going to be almost impossible to destroy. Properly laid concrete will also be incredibly flat and ensure that your table plays nicely.

If you have a decent wood floor, then this is also going to do a fantastic job. However, we cannot stress enough that it must be a solid wood floor. Nothing made from softwoods. The pool table is likely to damage it!

We would steer clear of putting the pool table on a carpet unless the carpet is incredibly flat. Of course, the carpet should always be placed on a solid surface e.g., wood or concrete. 

Final Thoughts

You can put a pool table on concrete. in fact, concrete is one of the best places to put a pool table. It tends to be fairly solid and level.

The one issue with concrete is that it can damage your balls when they hit it. Therefore, you will want to place a rug or a mat underneath the pool table.

Remember, you may need to adjust the table legs, even if the surface appears fairly level. Most quality pool tables will have levelers to assist with this.

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