Pool Table Ping Pong Combo: Best Tables and Tops
There are two ways to get pool and ping pong out of one table. You can buy a pool table and ping pong combo, which ships with a table tennis top cut to fit it, or you can lay a separate ping pong top over a pool table you already own. The difference that matters most is size. A regulation table tennis table is 9 by 5 feet. The top on a combo is only as big as the pool table under it: the Hathaway Spartan 6 ft combo gives you a 72 by 38 inch ping pong surface, about half the area of a regulation one.
So the decision comes down to which game you care about more, and how much room you have. This page covers the combos worth buying, the ping pong table top for a pool table you already own, and the height, space and cloth questions that come with both.
Combo table or a top for the pool table you own?
| Pool table and ping pong combo | Ping pong top on your own pool table | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A pool table sold with a matching table tennis top | A two-piece or folding top you set on the rails |
| Ping pong surface | Same footprint as the pool table (6 or 7 ft long) | Up to regulation 9 by 5 ft |
| Pool bed | Engineered wood or MDF on the combos we checked | Whatever your table has, slate included |
| Switching games | No tools; the top sits on the frame | Two people lift two halves on or off, a few minutes |
| Storage | The top still has to live somewhere when you play pool | Same, and a 9 by 5 top is bigger |
| Pick it if | You're furnishing a family room from scratch and nobody plays either game seriously | You own a decent pool table, or ping pong is the game people will actually play hard |
One case the table doesn't show: if you own a 9 foot pool table, a conversion top is harder to fit. JOOLA rates its best-selling top for tables up to 8 feet, and we couldn't confirm a 9 foot fit for any top we checked. Our conversion tops guide covers that case and the full sizing chart.
How big is the ping pong surface?
This is the number most product pages bury. Sizes below are from each maker's listing or store page.
| Setup | Ping pong surface | Versus regulation 108 x 60 in |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation table tennis table | 108 x 60 in (9 x 5 ft) | Full size |
| JOOLA conversion top | 108 x 60 in | Full size |
| Legacy Classic conversion top | 108 x 60 in | Full size |
| Brunswick CT8 (for its 8 ft tables) | 106.8 x 60 in | Nearly full |
| Garvee 8 ft folding top | 96 x 48 in | About 71% of the area |
| Brunswick CT7 (for its 7 ft tables) | 92.3 x 54 in | About 77% |
| Hathaway Spartan 7 ft combo | 84 x 46 in | About 60% |
| Hathaway Spartan 6 ft combo | 72 x 38 in | About 42% |
Kids won't mind a 6 foot surface. Two adults who rally hard will, because the ball runs off the end of a short table on any shot with pace. If ping pong is likely to be the main game in the room, that row in the table matters more than anything about the pool side.
The best pool table and ping pong combos
Hathaway Spartan 6 ft: the best seller, for kids and small rooms
The Spartan 6 ft was one of the two best-selling pool and ping pong products on Amazon when we checked (the other was the JOOLA top). It measures 72 by 38 inches with a 64 by 30 inch pool playfield on an engineered wood bed, K819 cushions and drop pockets. The table tennis top sits over the frame on an included support board, with no tools. Pedestal legs have 3.5 inch levelers.
Read the kit list before you buy for adults: it ships with 48 inch cues and 2 inch balls. Most full-size tables use 2.25 inch balls, and an adult with a 48 inch cue is choking up on every shot. For kids that's a feature. For a teenager getting into pool, plan to move up.
Hathaway Spartan 7 ft: same idea, more table
The 7 ft version is 84 by 46 inches with a 75 by 37 inch playfield and an 84 by 46 inch ping pong surface. Same engineered wood bed, K819 cushions and accessory kit (48 inch cues, 2 inch balls), same 180-day warranty. It's the better buy if the room fits it, since both games get noticeably bigger.
Hathaway Maverick II 7 ft: the combo we'd pick for adults
The Maverick II is a 7 foot table with a removable tennis top, and the kit is the one an adult wants: 2.25 inch balls, two 2-piece 57 inch cues and K-66 cushions, the cushion profile common on home tables. The body is MDF with a PVC laminate. Hathaway's listing is thinner than the Spartan's on dimensions, so check the current listing for the playfield size if a few inches matter in your room.
GoSports 7 ft 3-in-1: when the table also has to be a dining table
The GoSports top is a two-piece MDF panel that flips between table tennis on one side and a dining surface on the other, and lifts off for pool, no tools. The table weighs 291 pounds, which keeps it from creeping when people lean on it, and GoSports asks for a 16 by 13 foot room. If dinner is the main use, read our dining pool tables guide first; for more 3-in-1 pool tables, including ones that add air hockey, see best multi-game tables.
None of these combos has a slate bed. That's fine for family games and a real limit for league practice; slate vs MDF explains what changes.
A ping pong table top for a pool table: what to buy
If you already own the pool table, buy a full-size 9 by 5 foot top with foam padding on the underside. The JOOLA conversion top is the one shoppers buy most: two halves of 15 mm MDF, 115 pounds in total, full foam padding, a net and post set, and JOOLA's recommendation of tables up to 8 feet. It is heavy enough that it doesn't slide around in a rally, and heavy enough that moving it is a two-person job.
Three things decide whether a top works on your table:
- Size. Measure the outside of your rails. A 9 by 5 top overhangs a 7 foot table by a lot and an 8 foot table by less; both are normal.
- Thickness. The tops we checked run from 12 mm (folding tops) to 15 mm (JOOLA) and 18 mm (Brunswick's CT8). Thicker plays with a livelier, more even bounce and weighs more.
- Two halves or a folding top. Two halves give one seam, at the net. Four-piece folding tops store in a closet but add hinge seams across the playing surface.
Our table tennis conversion top guide compares the tops by size, thickness, weight and fit, including the maker-matched tops from Brunswick and Legacy.
Why ping pong on a pool table plays a little high
A regulation table tennis table is 30 inches (76 cm) tall. Pool tables run taller: the Hathaway Spartan is 31 inches, Legacy's Baylor II is 31 inches, Escalade's Atomic Hampton 3-in-1 is 31.5 inches and Barrington's Slate-Tech 3-in-1 stands 32.75 inches. Put a top on any of them and you play 1 to 3 inches higher than a real ping pong table, plus the thickness of the top.
Family players won't notice. A club player will, mostly on serves and short balls, and nothing fixes it short of a dedicated table. That is the honest ceiling on any pool table and ping pong setup.
Room for both games
The pool table sets the room size, because cues need space on all four sides. Brunswick's chart calls for 13 by 16 feet around a 7 foot table with standard 58 inch cues, and 11.5 by 14.5 feet with 48 inch cues. The Spartan's 48 inch cues are part of why it fits small rooms.
Ping pong needs its room at the ends instead. Do the math for your space: a 9 foot top in a 16 foot room leaves 3.5 feet behind each end, which is enough for friendly rallies and cramped for anyone who backs off the table to loop. For scale, ITTF rules call for a playing space of at least 14 by 7 meters (about 46 by 23 feet) in competition. Nobody's basement meets that, and nobody needs to, but it explains why a ping pong table always feels tighter than the pool table it sits on.
Plan one more space: where the top goes when you play pool. A 9 by 5 top in two halves is two panels of about 4.5 by 5 feet. Stand them upright on padding in a dry spot, or use a caddy like Brunswick's, which rolls on casters and holds its CT7 and CT8 tops. Our room size guide has the full pool chart.
Is a pool table cover for ping pong the same as a dust cover?
No. When people search for a pool table cover for ping pong, they want a hard top you can play table tennis on, which is a conversion top. It does keep dust and spills off the cloth while it's on, and the foam pads underneath keep it off the rails, but it isn't made to stay on for months.
For everyday protection, use a fitted cloth cover (see best pool table covers), and for a rigid lid that protects more than it plays, see hard pool table covers. Brush the cloth before any top goes on, so grit isn't pressed into it.
Will a clip-on net turn a pool table into a ping pong table?
Not really, though the search results suggest otherwise. The products that sell most under searches like ping pong top for pool table are paddle sets with retractable nets that clamp to any table. On a pool table you'd be bouncing a ball on cloth, which deadens it, over a 7 foot table's playfield of about 76 by 38 inches, with six pockets waiting to swallow it.
The paddles in those sets are a fine buy. The net is for a dining table or a desk. For a pool table, you still need a hard top.
Paddles: the cheap upgrade most combos need
Combo kits are built for two players. The Spartan ships with two paddles and two balls, and the Maverick II lists two paddles. Balls crack and roll under furniture, and doubles needs four paddles, so a set is worth adding on day one.
The PRO-SPIN set has four paddles, six balls, a retractable net and a zip case. The STIGA Performance set has USATT-approved rackets and 3-star 40 mm balls, the better choice once someone in the house starts caring about spin. Either set costs far less than the table and gets used every time the top goes on.
Our pick, plainly
Own a 7 or 8 foot pool table: buy the JOOLA top and a paddle set, and you have full-size ping pong without giving up anything on the pool side. Buying new for kids: the Spartan 6 or 7 ft. Buying new for adults who want both games to feel real: the Maverick II, or put the money into a slate table and add a top later.
Sources
- Wikipedia: table tennis (ITTF table size, height, bounce and playing space)
- Brunswick Billiards: CT8 table tennis conversion top
- Brunswick Billiards: CT7 table tennis conversion top
- Brunswick Billiards: conversion top caddy
- Legacy Billiards: Classic table tennis conversion top
- Escalade Sports: Atomic Hampton 3-in-1 specs
- Brunswick Billiards: room size requirements
- Manufacturer specs from the Amazon listings for the Hathaway Spartan 6 and 7 ft, Hathaway Maverick II, GoSports 7 ft 3-in-1, JOOLA conversion top, Garvee 8 ft top and the PRO-SPIN and STIGA paddle sets
Our picks
Links open the current selection and price on Amazon so you can compare real reviews before buying.
JOOLA Table Tennis Conversion Top
Adding ping pong to a pool table you ownA full regulation 9 by 5 foot surface in two halves of 15 mm MDF, with full foam padding underneath and a net and post set. It weighs 115 pounds, so it stays put in a rally and takes two people to move. JOOLA recommends it for pool tables up to 8 feet.
Check price on Amazon
Hathaway Spartan 6 ft Pool Table and Ping Pong Combo
Kids and small roomsThe best-selling pool and ping pong combo when we checked: a 64 by 30 inch pool playfield, a 72 by 38 inch table tennis top that goes on without tools, and 48 inch cues that fit tight rooms. It uses 2 inch balls, so it's a family table, not league practice.
Check price on Amazon
Hathaway Spartan 7 ft Pool Table and Ping Pong Combo
More table in the same simple packageA 75 by 37 inch playfield and an 84 by 46 inch ping pong surface on an engineered wood bed with K819 cushions and drop pockets. Pedestal legs with 3.5 inch levelers handle uneven floors. Choose it over the 6 ft if the room fits: both games get bigger.
Check price on Amazon
Hathaway Maverick II 7 ft Pool Table with Table Tennis Top
A combo for adult playersShips with 2.25 inch balls, two 2-piece 57 inch cues and K-66 cushions, the kit an adult actually wants, plus a removable tennis top, paddles and a net. Hathaway backs it with a 180-day limited warranty.
Check price on Amazon
GoSports 7 ft 3-in-1 Pool, Dining and Table Tennis Table
Pool, ping pong and a dinner tableA two-piece MDF top flips between table tennis and dining and lifts off for pool, with no tools. At 291 pounds in dark oak veneer, it stays planted when people lean on it. GoSports recommends a room of at least 16 by 13 feet.
Check price on Amazon
PRO-SPIN 4-Player Ping Pong Paddle and Ball Set
Doubles and spare ballsFour paddles, six balls, a retractable net and a zip-up case. Combo tables ship with two paddles; this makes doubles possible and keeps a spare ball handy when one rolls under the couch.
Check price on AmazonFrequently asked questions
Can you put a ping pong top on any pool table?
Most 7 and 8 foot tables, yes. JOOLA rates its regulation 9 by 5 foot top for pool tables up to 8 feet, and Legacy rates its top for 7 and 8 foot tables. Nine foot tables are harder: we couldn't confirm a fit for any top we checked, so ask the top's maker before buying.
Is a pool table and ping pong combo worth it?
For a family room, yes: one footprint, two games, and the top goes on without tools. The catch is size. The ping pong surface is only as big as the pool table, 72 by 38 inches on a 6 ft Spartan, and the pool beds on these combos are engineered wood or MDF, not slate.
What size ping pong top do I need for a 7 foot pool table?
A full 9 by 5 foot top works on most 7 foot tables and gives regulation size. Smaller options exist, such as Brunswick's CT7 at 92.3 by 54 inches made for its own 7 foot tables, but a full-size top plays better if you have the room.
Will a ping pong top damage my pool table?
Not if the top has foam pads underneath, you brush the cloth first, and you lift the halves on and off instead of sliding them. Don't sit on the top or leave heavy things on it.
How heavy is a ping pong top for a pool table?
The JOOLA regulation top weighs 115 pounds in two halves, and Legacy's Classic top weighs 100 pounds. Folding tops are lighter: the Garvee 8 ft top is about 66 pounds. Plan on two people for any full-size top.
Is a ping pong top on a pool table the right height?
It plays a little high. Regulation table tennis height is 30 inches, and the pool tables we checked are 31 to 33 inches tall before the top goes on. Casual players won't notice; club players will.
Can I leave the ping pong top on the pool table?
For a weekend, sure. For daily protection, use a fitted pool table cover instead and store the top upright on padding in a dry spot, or on a caddy, so neither the top nor the cloth carries a load for months.
How much room do you need for a pool table and ping pong?
Size the room for pool first: Brunswick calls for 13 by 16 feet around a 7 foot table with 58 inch cues. A 9 foot ping pong top in a 16 foot room leaves about 3.5 feet behind each end, enough for casual play.
Related guides
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