How to Build a Table Tennis Table
If you are short on funds but still want to play table tennis, or ping pong, you may want to think about building your own. The cost to build a ping pong table is considerably less than it would be if you purchased it; and the table can be built in an afternoon.
Step 1
Lay one of the pieces of plywood on a flat building surface. Measure 2 inches from one corner toward the center along the 60-inch edge and draw a line across the board with the pencil. Repeat this for the opposite corner. You will have two 48-inch-long lines running across your board.
Step 2
Measure 6 inches from a corner toward the center along the 54-inch side and make a mark. Repeat for the opposite corner. Draw lines across the board at these marks. These lines should be perpendicular to the first set of lines you drew. The lines will cross in four places. Repeat this for a second piece of plywood.
Step 3
Stand one of the pieces of plywood up on its edge. Place the end of a piece of 28 1/2-inch 1-by-4 against the plywood at a point where the lines cross. This is a leg piece. Attach the leg to the table by driving a screw through the plywood into the top of the 1-by-4. Attach a leg to both pieces of plywood at the all the cross marks. The 4-inch sides of the 1-by-4 should be parallel to the 60-inch sides
Step 4
Measure 1 foot from the plywood down the legs and make a mark. Place a piece of 42 inch 1-by-4 between the legs at these marks and screw them into place. Repeat this for all four sets of legs.
Step 5
Place a piece of 46 inch 1-by-4 in between the pieces of 42-inch 1-by-4 to create a support beam which holds the legs together. Screw this into place by driving a screw through the 42-inch 1-by-4 and into the ends of the 46-inch 1-by-4. You should not have two table halves with four legs connected by cross beams.
Step 6
Stand the tables on their legs. Cover the top surface of the plywood with wood glue. Paste the other two pieces of plywood to the tops of the original pieces. You should now have a table top which is 1 1/2-inches thick. Allow the glue to dry.
Step 7
Push the two halves of the table together. Attach them together by placing open hinges along the seam underneath the table by the legs. The hinges should be placed approximately 12 inches from either edge. Drive screws through the holes in the hinges and into the plywood.
Step 8
Paint the entire surface of the table green with the green paint and the brushes. Wash the brushes out before using them for the white stripes. Allow the paint to completely dry, for approximately one hour.
Step 9
Draw two marks on the center of one of the 48-inch sides that are 1/8 inches apart. Draw two 120-inch pencil lines the length of the table at these marks. Place a strip of painters tape along these marks so you are left with a 1/8-inch space. Paint the space white to create a center line. Remove the tape when the paint is dry.
Step 10
Draw two marks 3/4 inches apart in the center of the 120 inch side so they straddle the seam. Draw two 48-inch lines across the table and place painter's tape along the marks to create a 3/4-inch space. Paint this space white to create a second center line perpendicular to the first center line. Remove the tape once this line is dry.
Step 11
Draw a rectangle set 3/4 inches in from all four table edges. Place tape along this rectangle so there is a 3/4-inch space between the tape and the edges of the table. Paint this rectangle white to give yourself a border around the table perimeter. Allow the paint to dry and remove the tape.
Step 12
Attach the net to the table. Each net is slightly different so follow the directions to make sure you have a secure fit.
Things You'll Need
Four Pieces of 3/4-inch plywood, 48 inches by 60 inches
Eight pieces of 1-by-4, 28 1/2 inches long
Four pieces of 1-by-4, 42 inches long
Two pieces 1-by-4, 46-inches long
Two hinges
Measuring tape
Pencil
1 1/2-inch long wood screws
Drill with screwdriver bit
Wood glue
Green paint
White paint
Paint brushes
Masking tape, 1/2-inch wide
Table tennis net, 6 feet long
Tip
The dimensions of a standard ping pong table are 60 inches by 108 inches. Because 3/4-inch plywood comes in sheets of 48 inches by 96 inches, you can't make the table this size using standard sheets of plywood. This table is slightly narrower and slightly longer than a standard table.
