How to Make a Folding Ping Pong Table

Two ping pong paddles and a ping pong ball on a table.
  • 2-6 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 200-300
What You'll Need
Two 2x2 lumber pieces, measuring nine feet
Four 2x2 lumber pieces, measuring five feet
Circular saw
Screws
Screw drivers (or drill)
Two solid pressed wooden pieces measuring 4 1/2 by five feet, half an inch thick.
Four door hinges
Plywood
Wood glue
Clamps
Paint
Paint roller
Detail paint brush
Masking tape
Six-inch tall net (with mounting kit)
What You'll Need
Two 2x2 lumber pieces, measuring nine feet
Four 2x2 lumber pieces, measuring five feet
Circular saw
Screws
Screw drivers (or drill)
Two solid pressed wooden pieces measuring 4 1/2 by five feet, half an inch thick.
Four door hinges
Plywood
Wood glue
Clamps
Paint
Paint roller
Detail paint brush
Masking tape
Six-inch tall net (with mounting kit)

Many people love to play table tennis, but purchasing your own ping pong table can be expensive, and it can be cheaper to build a folding ping pong table from scratch. Most of the materials needed to build your own folding ping pong table can be found at your local hardware store and at home.

Step 1 - Lay Down the Base

Cut your two nine-foot pieces in half and lay them end to end to form the sides of a rectangle. Add in two of the five-foot piece to form a rectangle. This will be the base for your ping pong table.

Step 2 - Make the Legs and Attach Them

Each leg for the table needs to be 29 1/2 inches tall. Cut the two 2x2 pieces into four 29 1/2-inch pieces. People who are good with woodwork can also carve intricate designs into the wood for decoration. Attach the legs to the four outer corners on the base of the ping pong table using either nails, or screws. Some people prefer using nails over screws, but screws tend to hold for a longer period of time.

Step 3 - Adding the Hinges

To ensure that the ping pong table folds, make sure to put four hinges in equal intervals on the bottom side. Use these to connect the two pressed wood pieces that are 4 1/2 feet long. Carefully screw the hinges to the bottom side these pieces, and attach them to your rectangular frame.

Step 4 - Adding Plywood

The plywood needs to be added to the wooden surface in order to ensure that the ball will bounce, and to cover the nails that may be showing after attaching the legs and hinges. A bounce of 8 3/4 inches is required by the international authorities in table tennis. To get this, take a good measure of glue and add it on the two wooden pieces. Very carefully put the plywood sheets on top of the surface, then apply the clamps in order to keep the pieces together while allowing the glue to dry.

Step 5 - Paint Your Ping Pong Table and Add a Net

Standard folding ping pong tables are green, but since this particular ping pong table is custom, you can paint the table any color you wish. You should use a paint roller as opposed to a paintbrush to give the table its solid color. Then, to paint the lines, you can use the white paint or any custom color to replace white. Also, make your lines cleaner by using masking tape. Allow the paint to dry, and add a six-inch net to complete your table. Finally, buy or make some paddles, buy a ball, and enjoy.