Can You Fold Table Tennis Tables? (Quick Answer)
Whether you are a table tennis player, ping pong enthusiast, or simply a curious person, it is common to ask the question, are table tennis tables foldable at some point in your life.
In this article, I will teach you everything you need to know about table tennis tables’ folding feature, how it works, and some additional information about them that is always important to know. But first, are table tennis tables foldable?
In general, most table tennis tables fold because it is easier to move them around when they are folded. However, there are fixed table tennis tables that don’t fold because they aren’t meant to be moved around as much. For example, many outdoor table tennis tables don’t fold.
Usually, it’s important that a table tennis table can fold for many reasons, such as moving it around and storing it. All ping pong tables that I have encountered in table tennis clubs, competitive matches, and seen on the Olympics have been foldable because they are so much easier to move. In addition, when table tennis is foldable, it is included with wheels that allow easy transportation!
Second, imagine if you would need to store a dozen table tennis tables. That would be insanely hard, and it would take so much unnecessary space if the tables don’t fold. When you can easily fold the tables, you can place them next to each other, minimizing the needed space for them. This comes in handy in every home as well if you would own a ping pong table.
Finally, as I quickly mentioned above, many outdoor table tennis tables don’t fold, which is true. These kinds of tables you can find in parks, schoolyards, resorts, and camps. This is because these tables aren’t meant to move around probably at all. A good example of such a table is the Kettler Eden weatherproof table tennis table.
However, there are outdoor table tennis tables that do fold, such as the Joola Nova table tennis table. These outdoor table tennis tables are meant mostly for private persons to move them around more easily.
You probably get the idea why it is so important to have a table tennis table that can be folded, in most cases. That is why most table tennis tables out there do fold. Now, let’s take a look at how to do ping pong table fold.
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How do ping pong tables fold
Ping pong tables fold by first removing the net from the table, then locating the folding arms under both table pieces and pushing them up from the joint until they become loose. After this, both table pieces can be pushed up. Once they’re up, each table has its own locking mechanism to keep the table up.
The specific method varies between tables, but the core principles hold, and all tables fold in the same manner. The locations of where to push, turn, and pull are only different.
Read also: Can You Play Ping Pong On a Glass Table?
Do all ping pong tables fold
Despite the ease of transportation and storage convenience, all ping pong tables don’t fold. There can be many reasons why a ping pong table won’t fold. For example, outdoor ping pong tables that aren’t intended to move around don’t fold, and beautiful designer ping pong tables won’t fold either.
For example, ping pong tables that are fully wooden, glass, iron, or concrete don’t usually fold up. However, regular ping pong tables do fold in most cases.
What should I look for when buying a table tennis table
There are many things that you always need to know before purchasing a new table tennis table. Some factors are cosmetic preferences, and other factors greatly affect how the table will benefit you and what you can do with it. Let’s start with the most important things!
The most important thing to look at in a table tennis table is the table’s surface. Material and thickness are crucial things to get right if you want to confirm their quality.
Most table tennis tables are 12mm-25mm thick, and the thicker it is, the better. Generally, you wouldn’t want to purchase a table with a lower than 16-18mm thick surface because the ball doesn’t bounce as well as it should. When you move closer to the 20mm range, you will find quality tables, but the price will increase.
When it comes to the material, there are a few materials over the others. Wood is a great material for a table tennis table’s surface, specifically plywood, spruce, and pine wood. Wood enables a good bounce to the ball, which is extremely important that a table doesn’t slack in that matter. Also, fibreboard is a fine material as well; in fact, many high-quality tables are made from fiberboard these days.
Some other features that you might want to look at are the brand, whether it folds or not, and the color of the surface. Let’s talk about them for a while.
Generally, I wouldn’t buy a table that isn’t from a reputable table tennis brand such as Killerspin, Butterfly, Stiga, Joola, and Nittaku. Don’t get me wrong; there are many other great brands out there where I would definitely purchase; however, I don’t recommend getting one that you or any of your table tennis acquaintances haven’t heard.
Second, if I were to purchase a new table tennis table, I would need it to have the folding feature. This is because it allows you to practice table tennis alone by lifting the other half of the table up. Also, if I would need to move and store it easily, folding does come in handy. This is really a question of preference, and maybe it isn’t such a big thing for you. In that case, you can definitely get one that doesn’t fold.
Finally, there are different colors to table tennis tables which is really cool. The most common colors are the blue we all know, black, white, brown, and green. The only thing about the color you should consider is the contrast between the area you intend to place it in and the ball. All the colors above support either the white or orange ball and can be placed in most environments without contrast. Personally, I have always wanted a brown ping pong table made out of wood such as this one.
My Favorite Table Tennis Equipment
Thanks for reading this article. I hope it brought you great value that you can implement into your own life! Here you can find my preferred table tennis equipment that I believe you could benefit too!
- Racket: My favorite racket choice is the beautiful Killerspin Jet800 because it fits my offensive and speed-focused playstyle. The two carbon layers, 2.1mm sponge, and 190g weight makes this racket powerful.
- Ping Pong Balls: New technology and design have made the JOOLA Flash Seamless 3-Star Balls stand out from the other balls. These balls are seamless, meaning they are more durable than any ball with a seam! Even when these balls come at a higher price, they will pay themselves quickly. As a bonus, the design makes me excited!
- Table Tennis shoes: The famous Butterfly Lezoline Rifones is my choice as it is for many others because they are designed specifically for table tennis standards. I like the excellent support, comfortable cushioning, and lightweight sole with great traction, which gets you exploding fast to whatever direction you need to.
- Fan Equipment: If you’re a fan more than a player, you don’t want to miss Fan Equipment by Fanatics. You can find items from various sports that bear your favorite team’s logo, such as jerseys, gift ideas, or other surprising things.
Conclusion
As we can see, most table tennis tables are indeed foldable and for a good reason. However, if you spot an outdoor ping pong table in a park or a campsite, likely, the table isn’t foldable. Also, it’s good to know what you should look for when thinking about purchasing a new table tennis table because you wouldn’t want to buy a pig in a poke.
I hope that this article gave you value and you now know more about table tennis tables and their folding feature than before finding yourself reading this article.