If you are looking at buying a pool table for your home, you will be aware that pool tables naturally are very heavy pieces of furniture and the question may have passed your mind: "Will my floor be able to withstand the weight of a pool table?". If you've read through some of our other guides, you will alrerady know that depending on the pool table that pool tables can be exceptionally heavy (over 800 kg in the most extreme cases) and may be wondering whether certain floors will be able to withstand these kinds of weights.
This guide will only be general, so the most relevant and important piece of advice we can give is to check the manufacturer’s guidelines to find the weight allowances, so seek more professional advice if you want to be extra safe. The following guide assumes the pool table being installed is a fairly standard 230 kg in weight.
Concrete and Linoleum: No Major Considerations Necessary.
Concrete and linoleum floors are definitely the strongest floors that a pool table can be installed onto, and pose little threat of damage to the floor itself. This makes a concrete floor suitable for any weight of pool table, from the lightest of MDF tables to the heaviest of competition pool tables and snooker tables. There may be some very slight indentation if being placed onto a linoleum floor, but this will not be noticeable if the table is not to be moved from where it stands. Pool tables installed on these floors also require very little in the way of re-levelling once installed, given that the pool table doesn't need to "settle" once installed.
The only real consideration should be given to whether the pool table is going moved by sliding. Heavier pool tables may run the risk of lightly scuffing the surface, but again the risk of a bad mark being left are very slight indeed.
Long Pile Carpets: Some Considerations Required
With a pool table placed onto a long pile carpet for extended periods, the long pile directly under the feet will end up becoming crushed over time, usually over the course of a few weeks before settling in its final position. Once the table is in its ‘settled’ position, it may require re-levelling to ensure the table continues play without any ball drift (caused by a table leaning to one side, causing balls to drift in that direction when moving). There is nothing particularly harmful to consider for pool tables going onto a long pile carpet in the short term though. If placing a pool table onto a long pile carpet for only a short amount of time, the pile will recover without too much issue.
It is very, very difficult to slide a pool table over long-pile carpet though, so it is recommended to use either furniture sliders, or simply picking the table up if the carpet's pile is particularly long.
Short Pile Carpets and Carpet Tiles: Minimal Considerations Required
On a short pile carpet, similar occurs with long pile carpets in that the carpet’s pile will once again be crushed, leaving a compressed indentation where the feet were resting over time. This is fine if the pool table is not to be moved after installation, but will be noticeable if the table is moved from it. The shorter pile however means that it is unlikely to require re-levelling once the table has become ‘settled’. Again, there is nothing particularly harmful to consider for pool tables going onto a short pile carpet or carpet tiles in the short term. If placing a pool table onto a short pile carpet for only a short amount of time, the pile will recover without too much issue.
Moving aids like furniture sliders work excellently on short-pile carpet, allowing you to move most pool tables with relative ease should you need to move them.
Laminate Flooring: Some Considerations Required
Most laminate flooring is generally fine to place a pool table onto, but be aware that some laminate flooring spaces could contain hollow spaces in their construction that could be weak spots if a pool table foot was placed directly on top. If you have any samples of your flooring to hand, you can test individual pieces to better ascertain their construction and whether or not they are likely to fail. Equally, asking the manufacturer directly is a great way forward.
Laminate flooring is liable to scuffing if you try to slide a pool table over it, so it is recommended that a pool table is picked up rather than sliding it.
Solid Wood Flooring: Minimal Considerations Required
A solid wood floor will be able to carry the weights of most pool tables without a problem. The only consideration to really consider with solid wooden flooring is the possibility of the table's feet scratching the floor if the table is attempted to be moved over it by sliding. In rare cases, if a pool table is much heavier than usual and the floor isn't correctly treated, it is possible for some floors to partially split from the weight, but this is an exceptional circumstance that rarely happens.
Ceramic Tiled Flooring: Considerations Needed
Tiled flooring can be strong and be unmarked by a pool table's weight in many cases, but extra care needs to be taken with larger tiles. The way tiles are normally affixed to the floor is with a hollowed out area beneath the tile that is filled with cement to fix it to the floor. Where this cement is applied, the tile is undoubtedly strong enough to withstand most weights, however it is common for small void spaces to be left when being applied. For general day to day use (such as people walking or regular furniture) these void spaces are relatively harmless. A large concentrated weight in the middle of a ceramic tile however may be enough to shatter the it if the void space is large enough. Therefore, we recommend setting a pool table down like the image above, on the grouting (where tiles meet) if possible. This will provide the best support possible for your pool table.
Can a Pool Table be Installed Upstairs?
In most cases, it is just fine to install a pool table onto most upstairs level, and onto the same type of flooring that we have covered above. A regular pool table (distributed over two or more legs) has a weight comparable to about 3 adults, which is typically going to be no trouble at all for any upstairs floor. However, it is worth consulting a structural engineer if you are looking to install a particularly heavy pool table upstairs.
We actually have a complete guide to upstairs pool table installations that you can read and view here.
Have any other questions? Our sales team are well versed in pool table installation and have indeed installed pool tables in a huge number of different locations. Drop us a line and ask us about your requirements. We'll be happy to advise - 0800 622 6464
