Pool table moving

A pool table is not a single piece of furniture. It is a frame, several heavy slabs, a cloth surface, rails, pockets and legs, and it plays correctly only if it is level to a very small tolerance. That makes the move different from a dining table, and the details worth asking about before you book.

At a glance

• Slate and non-slate tables
• Moved alone or with a household move
• Estimate lists what is included
• Reno, Sparks, Carson City and the surrounding area

Why pool tables need a plan

Most full-size tables have a slate bed in three pieces, and each piece is heavy enough that two or more people are needed to carry it. The slate must stay flat and dry. The cloth, rails and pockets are fragile and are packed separately. Because the table is built from parts, the way it comes apart and goes back together decides whether the game plays true afterward.

Questions the estimator will ask

The estimator wants to know the brand and size, the room it is in, and how many stairs or turns lie between the table and the truck. Basement rooms, upstairs bonus rooms and garage game rooms all have different challenges. At the new house, the estimator needs the room size and the path from the door.

Ask whether the estimate includes taking the table apart and setting it up in the new room, and have the answer written down. The itemized estimate is the place where the scope is listed.

• Brand, size and slate or non-slate
• Floor and stairs at both addresses
• Door and hallway widths
• Whether you want it set up in the new room

Getting it level

A new floor is never the same as the old one. After the table is assembled, it is leveled with shims and checked. If the felt has been stretched or worn, a pool table specialist can replace it later. Plan to have the room clear and the floor ready before the table arrives, so the crew is not working around other deliveries.

With a move or by itself

Customers book a pool table as one line of a larger move or call only for the table. In the first case, the table travels on the same truck with the rest of the house. In the second, a smaller crew handles it. Either way, the estimate tells you what the table costs to move before you agree. See the other specialty moves such as hot tubs and pianos, or the main local moving page.