How to Dismantle a Pool Table and Break It Down for Moving

If you need to move a pool table, you’re likely wondering how to take it apart so that it will physically fit through the door. We’ve got your back! We spoke to billiards expert Michael Lin for clear and simple instructions for disassembly. This process should take roughly an hour or so, and you will need a drill, screwdrivers, and a few friends to help you carry the pieces out. With that said, it’s important to figure out if your table is natural slate or not. If you have a slate table, it’s going to weigh at least 800 pounds (360 kg) and moving it is going to be a serious challenge both practically and safety-wise. In these scenarios, we highly recommend hiring a professional crew. But even if you do want to give it a shot yourself, we’ve still got you covered.

How to Take Apart a Pool Table

Billiards expert Michael Lin says to start by removing the protective cover over the pockets and the rubber within pockets. Then, to finish the job:

Detach the pockets from the table by hand and with a flathead screwdriver.
Unlock the railings from below with a socket wrench.
Lift the railings up and remove the felt.
Remove the slate by taking it apart (if possible) and use help to lift it up.
Disconnect the legs and frame using a screwdriver or drill.

Section 1 of 4:

Should you disassemble a slate pool table?

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We highly recommend hiring a pro instead of dismantling it yourself. There are professional pool table moving crews who are trained and experienced in moving slate tables, and we really suggest you use one if you have a real slate table. Slate tables typically weigh 1,200–1,500 pounds (540–680 kg), and the slate itself is extremely fragile when in transit.^{[1]
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Research source} Beyond that, the seams on a slate table are sealed, and unsealing them the wrong way can permanently damage the table. Lin says it can be dangerous and difficult to disassemble and move a slate table on your own.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Michael Lin
Billiards Expert

Expert Interview}
- It typically costs $200-800 to hire a moving crew for your pool table. If you have a real slate table, it probably costs at least $5,000, so this is a worthwhile investment!
- If you want to disassemble everything on your own except the slate, go for it! You may save some money with the moving crew.
- When it’s totally okay to move a table on your own:
  - You have a table with an MDF, wood, or non-slate playing platform.
  - You have a bar box (7-foot table) that you can lift off the ground without help.
  - You have a slate table, multiple friends, and don’t mind potentially destroying the table.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Michael Lin is a billiards expert based in Rochester, New York. He owns Billiard Breakdown, a pool hall in Rochester, and is the creator of the Billiard Breakdown YouTube channel.

Section 2 of 4:

How to Determine if Your Table Is Slate or Non-Slate

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Tap your knuckle on the table platform to see what noise it makes. Lin says to gently tap the table–a slate table will sound solid, like you're hitting a rock.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Michael Lin
Billiards Expert

Expert Interview} If your knuckle tapping produces a hollow or “soft” noise, you do not have a slate table.^{[4]
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- According to Lin, if you look under the table, you can usually see the slate.^{[5]
  X
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  Michael Lin
  Billiards Expert
  
  Expert Interview} Slate is literal slate stone, so it’ll look like a smooth, dark gray material.
- The weight will also give the table away. Lin says you can lean on the table back and forth to get a feel for the weight. “If it feels like 4 guys can't lift it, it's a slate table,” he says. “Wood is a lot less sturdy and will move and squeak when pressure is applied.”^{[6]
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  Michael Lin
  Billiards Expert
  
  Expert Interview} You can also try lifting one side of the table 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) off the ground without help. If you can get the table to budge, it’s not a slate table. If it won’t move, it’s 100% slate.
- Lin notes you can also tell if a table is slate when you’re shooting pool. “If balls are rolling in odd or unpredictable directions during a slow roll, it's probably warped wood,” he explains.^{[7]
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  Michael Lin
  Billiards Expert
  
  Expert Interview}

Section 3 of 4:

Disassembling the Table

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1
Detach the pockets from the table. Lin says to begin by removing the protective cover over the pockets and the rubber within pockets.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Michael Lin
Billiards Expert

Expert Interview} Remove the screws or staples that attach the pocket straps to the table. If you don't have a staple remover, pry the staples out with a flathead screwdriver. Leave the pockets in place for now.
- This is usually easier from under the table. Wear goggles to protect against falling staples.^{[9]
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2
Remove the rail bolts underneath each rail. Lin says to remove the rails, you’ll need to remove the screws on the bottom of the table first.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Michael Lin
Billiards Expert

Expert Interview} There are usually three or four screws or bolts under each rail. If there are bolts, remove them with a socket wrench.^{[11]
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- Old pool tables may have special bolts with two holes. To remove these, order a forked tool from a pool table supply store.
- Lin notes that some tables may require you to remove the ball return system before you can remove the rails.^{[12]
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  Michael Lin
  Billiards Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
3
Remove the rails and pockets. Lin says if the rails connect together forming a rectangle, remove the whole rectangle together and then disassemble them individually. If not, removing the rails one by one is easiest.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Michael Lin
Billiards Expert

Expert Interview} Pull apart any rail sections that detach easily and set them aside. If two rails are attached at a corner, flip them over onto the table with another person's help, then pull apart the two sections. Set aside the pockets as well.^{[14]
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- Set the rails down carefully when flipping them, and take care to avoid bashing the side pockets.
4
Peel up the felt from the slate bed. According to Lin, you can just pull the felt up since it will either be glued or stapled.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Michael Lin
Billiards Expert

Expert Interview} If it is stapled, remove each staple carefully to avoid tears. If glued, pull the edge of the felt backward very gently (never up or forward), working your way around the table.^{[16]
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Research source} Once you've removed the felt, fold it carefully. To avoid wrinkles and creases, do not press the fold lines.
- If the felt is wearing out, consider tearing it off and installing new felt during reassembly. The felt dramatically impacts play, so if it’s damaged, roughed up, or has an uneven texture, it really is best to buy new felt.
- If you do end up buying new felt and you pick something nice, like Simonis cloth, it’s best to have a professional install it for best results.
5
Remove the slate screws with a drill. These screws are usually at the corners of the table, but could be along the sides and center beam as well.^{[17]
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- If you find beeswax or putty over the screws, carefully scrape it off with a screwdriver or putty knife to reveal the screw head without scratching the slate.
6
Lift each slate piece and place it to the side. Lin explains that some tables may require you to unscrew the slate from the base first. Then, you can remove the slate from the base. He says this job requires at least 2 people, maybe more, to do it safely.^{[18]
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Expert Source

Michael Lin
Billiards Expert

Expert Interview} Get a couple friends to help out and move the slate pieces as carefully as possible.^{[19]
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Research source} A scratch or chip in one slate could ruin the table, requiring an expensive replacement.
- For slate tables: Lin says you can use a box cutter or something similar to cut through the adhesive between the slates.^{[20]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Michael Lin
  Billiards Expert
  
  Expert Interview} If the adhesive is too hard to remove, use a heat gun to melt it before scraping and wiping the adhesive away. Then, enlist 3-4 friends to help you move each individual slate portion. Be very careful and only set the slate down on a flat and stable surface.
- For non-slate tables: Enlist 1-2 friends and lift the entire surface up in one piece. If there are seams that are covered with Bondo or putty, you’re totally fine to leave them as they are, so long as there is no give between the individual slate pieces. If you feel any movement, scrub the Bondo or glue off with a flathead screwdriver to take the pieces apart.
7
Disassemble the frame. Lin says you’ll need to unscrew the pieces to disassemble the frame base.^{[21]
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Expert Source

Michael Lin
Billiards Expert

Expert Interview} Flip the table over and unbolt the legs. Take apart the final lightweight pieces, and you're ready to go.
- Do not try to unscrew the legs from below. You must flip the table on its side or put it upside-down to safely remove the legs.
- If you have a cheaper MDF table and you don’t see any leg fasteners, try turning each leg as a single piece to see if it comes free. Some of these designs involve legs that screw directly into the table.
- On some models, the legs don’t disconnect from the frame. If there’s no way to remove the legs that you can see, don’t force it.
8
Transport the slate extremely carefully. The most difficult part to transport is the slate tabletop, which is both heavy and fragile. Recruit several strong people to load the slate onto a furniture dolly, on its side. Fasten the slate in place tightly with a furniture strap. If transporting by truck, fasten the strap around the slate and onto the truck slats. If at all possible, load it into the truck using a liftgate.
- If you put the pool table in storage, choose a climate-controlled storage unit, or a room with minimal variation in temperature and humidity. Lay the slate onto plastic sheeting, and tape more plastic sheeting over it. Store the carefully folded felt in a sealed plastic bag, and all other components in moving blankets or other protective materials.
- Even if your slate is made of cheap MDF, it’s important to handle it with care. The playing surface on a pool table must be perfectly flat and pristine in order to play correctly.

Section 4 of 4:

Disassembling Mechanized, Coin-Op, and Small Non-Slate Pool Tables

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1
Remove only the rails and legs from a coin-operated table. Remove the rail bolts with a socket wrench and detach them from the table. If two lengths of rail are connected at a corner, you may need to flip them over before you detach them gently. Carefully flip the table over and unbolt the legs. Do not attempt to disassemble the rest of the table without professional help, since removing the coin-operated mechanism can make reassembly difficult or impossible.
- Some Valley Dynamo coin-operated tables have a metal trim covering the rail bolts. Remove the screws holding the trim in place, slide the trim toward the corner, then lift them up and out.
- Coin-op tables are heavy, but you should be able to move them with the help of 3-4 friends without removing the rails or legs if you’d like. You do typically have to remove the legs at least to fit the table through a door, though.
2
Use caution with ball return systems. Regardless of the type of table you have, it’s best to not mess with the ball return system if you have one. In some models, removing the mechanism without damaging the table is difficult. On others, the ball return must be leveled in a way that’s so tedious that it’s not worth taking it apart for transport. Unless you have a manual for your model, leave the ball return mechanism attached during transport.
- You can usually disassemble the rest of the table as described in the standard slate table instructions above.
3
Transport non-slate tables in one piece if you can. If your pool table surface is made from fiberboard (MDF), wood, or any other non-slate material, and it’s an 8 ft (2.4 m) in length or shorter, you may have an easier time just transporting the table in one piece without disassembling it. Enlist a few friends to help and try moving it without doing any disassembly.
- Really cheap MDF “practice” tables often have folding legs to make transport a breeze.

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Question

How many slates do I need for a pool table? How much do they weigh?

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Generally pool tables will have 3 pieces of one-inch slate, weighing 100-300 lbs each.

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What does the ball return configuration look like on a coin operated table?

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It varies by manufacturer, but generally open chutes fashioned from metal rails or troughs that mount on the wooden table pieces or other location-designed braces to keep all the troughs at the correct angles to feed the balls to the return tray. Once the upper playing bed is removed, the chutes can be removed, repaired, or disassembled; but, every piece should be labelled as to it's exact orientation and placement to be able to reassemble it. It's not recommended, as any bending of the rails or misalignment of the attachment points can cause problems such as balls jumping the rails or getting stuck during play. Not fun.

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Tips

Most pool tables either have adjustable legs, or small wooden shims to level out the playing surface. You will need to level the pool table again after moving it. Some tables also require shims glued to the side of the slate, to hold it level despite a weak or warped frame.

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Keep resealable bags handy to hold screws and bolts as you remove them. Label each bag to make re-assembly easier.

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Glossary

Bumpers: The rubber part of the rail. They are covered with felt.
Rail Assembly: Contains the wooden rail, the cushion or bumpers, and the apron that they attach to.
Felt: The cloth that covers the playing surface and the rail bumpers.
Aprons: The wooden segment that attaches to the rail assembly.
Slate: The playing surface of the pool table. Usually comes in (3) pieces. Can either be wood-backed or unbacked.
Frame: The base of the pool table that the slate sits.