Disassembling a pool table prior to moving isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
A few household items require extra attention when moving residencies. Whether families are going through a temporary relocation, an upsize or a downsize, they have to deal with cumbersome furniture and appliances. For those who do their fair share of entertaining, one of these items may include a is full-size pool table.
Despite its size and weight, a pool table can be disassembled and moved with relative ease if the adequate steps are taken. Listed below are five easy steps to taking apart a pool table prior to a move:
- Remove staples from underneath pockets: This process can be accomplished by using a staple remover or a basic flathead screwdriver. You may need to get down and dirty for this one, so wear old clothes and eye protection so nothing lose can impair your vision.
- Unscrew bolts holding the rail: Once the pockets are removed and stored away, the next step is to remove the bolts holding the side rails to the table. There are usually three bolts for each rail, according to home improvement website Do It Yourself. The appropriate-sized socket is required, but once that has been resolved, simply unscrew each bolt and lift the rail as one piece, if that’s how it’s designed. Some tables may have two horse-shoe shaped rails on either side, which can be lifted separately.
- Take the felt off: After the rails have been lifted from their respective sides, the next step is to remove the felt – or the colored fabric that’s covering the hard rock layer beneath it. This isn’t as easy as unscrewing something because the felt is likely glued or stapled to the slate. If it is in fact glued down, it can be peeled off, but it has to be done very carefully. Do It Yourself recommends doing this with a backwards hand motion.
- Remove the slate: This step is very important because the slate ultimately determines the integrity of the billiards game being played. The rock layer always needs to be smooth, otherwise the pool table is ineffective. Once the felt is removed, you’ll be able to see whether the slate is one giant piece or three pieces, according to Dallas Pool Table’s website. After that’s determined, the mover can then carefully pull the screws from the slate. A stripped screw may be the make or break in moving the whole thing.
- Disconnect the legs: After the heavy lifting is done and the slate is successfully off of the body of the table, the next step is to simply unscrew the legs. You can leave them on the body, but for easy moving ease and to avoid damaging the legs, Do It Yourself recommends removing the legs altogether.
Once the separate pieces have all been disassembled, organized and packed, you can begin your trip comfortably knowing that your pool table was broken down successfully.
