How to Make Your Own Ping Pong Tabletop

Ping pong is a paddle sport that nearly everyone can play. Ping pong tables are large, and you may not have the space in your home to permanently dedicate to one. Solve this by building your own ping pong tabletop that can instantly convert an old table or pool table into a ping pong table.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 5-by-9-foot sheet of 5/8-inch medium density fiberboard (MDF) plywood
• Masking tape
• Forest green paint, flat finish
• White paint
• Ping pong net

1. Paint the top of your plywood forest green. Make sure the surface is flat and even so the ball bounces true and straight. Do not use glossy paint, It doesn't have enough of a grip for the ball to bounce properly.

2. Tape edges for white lines. Stretch the masking tape around the perimeter of the table to create a white line ¾ of an inch wide approximately half an inch in from the edge of the table. Tape a line running down the vertical center of the table. This line should be 1/8 of an inch wide. This line separates each half into two sides to use when playing doubles.

3. Paint the taped off lines white. After the paint is dry, remove the tape.

4. Install the net across the center of the table. Regulation ping pong nets are 6 inches high. Most ping pong nets come with c-clamps that attach to the table without nails or screws.

5. Position your ping pong tabletop over an old table, a pool table or on two sawhorses.

Tips & Warnings

• Ping pong nets are available at sporting goods stores and discount stores. Sawhorses are available at home improvement stores.