How To Successfully Pack & Move A Pool Table

Packing up your everyday household belongings is a huge challenge in and of itself, but when high value items come into the equation, this is when things can get tricky. If you have a pool table that has been sitting in your basement or bonus room since you originally moved into your current residence, then chances are you don’t exactly remember how to move it.

Our professional movers have packed and moved more than our fare share of pool tables and we’re here to tell you that it can be tricky and does involve multiple steps. Below is a rundown of how to disassemble, pack, and move your pool table.

How To Pack A Pool Table

1. Remove All Pockets. Before anything else, make sure to remove all 6 pockets from the pool table. This will require a few simple hand-held tools such as a philips head screwdriver.
2. Remove The Rails. The rails are the (usually) wooden frame that surrounds the felt. You will need a wrench to unscrew the bolts in the rails. Be sure to carefully wrap each rail in bubble wrap so that they do not dent or scratch during the move.
3. Remove The Felt. This is the tricky part as some felt is glued instead of stapled. If the felt is stapled, then a staple remover will get this job done. If the felt is glued, then we recommend detaching the entire board from the table and wrapping it in packing materials such as bubble wrap and placing it in a properly sized moving box or custom wood crate.
4. Remove The Base. Using hand-held tools or light power tools, loosen and unscrew the bolts that hold base of the table together. At this point you may want someone to help you lift the base and set it aside as this section is quite heavy and normally made of wood.
5. Remove The Legs. After removing the base, you will see that there is an underlying frame to which is attached the legs of the pool table. To detach the legs from the frame, you will again need handheld tools to loosen any screws.
6. Pack Each Part. At this point your pool table should be in separate pieces: the pockets, rails, felt, base, frame, and legs. Make sure you stop and take inventory first to ensure you have each part. Next, grab bubble wrap and boxes and start packing. Try and find boxes that have similar shapes as the object that is to go in them.
7. Pack Accessories. You’ve focused all of your attention on the pool table itself, but now it’s time to pack up all of the accessories. If you have saved any of the original boxes that the accessories came in, then be sure to place the items in their rightful box. If not, you will need to wrap each pool ball and stick in bubble wrap. Don’t forget to put the chalk in a plastic bag to prevent it from ruining your other items.

Now that you’re all packed up, the next step is to secure the pool table in the moving van. Be sure to use moving pads to protect the boxes or pieces of the table that didn’t fit inside the boxes. We recommend using any ties that the moving van has within to secure each item. If you can, do not stack the pieces and do not place other items on top of the pool table pieces. Once the van is packed, don’t forget to drive carefully to your new home and unpack the pool table items first and foremost.

Having trouble disassembling your pool table or do you need the proper packing materials? Contact Mastodon Moving today for a free moving estimate.