Pool table in garage?

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wbweld0

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have a big detached garage and am going to put a pool table in the loft of this garage. My question is how will the environment affect the pool table...meaning that this room will not be environmentally controlled 100% of the time, only when I am in there, and wondering what effect this will have on the table? Looking for someone with experience here, preferably Billy Bob because I think that he has a pool table in his garage.

Should I maybe leave the air conditioner or heater on low to keep the room a constant temp. while I am not playing?

I know that the environment will effect it but just wondering how much?
 
i play at a local bar that hardly uses heat in the winter and leaves the doors open (big doors front and back) all summer long and they dont have any problems with tables going bad. the worst thing that happens to tables there is when idiots bring drinks to the table
 
Not knowing the climate you live in will have a big bearing.
I had a table in a garage in Florida. It had A/C when I was in there playing, that was ok but on a humid day it definatelly affected the rolls. temperature isn't the big problem , it is on those days that you can see a vapor trail on your draw shots that makes you go ?????!!!
 
The worst thing is humidity. You might consider a heating element for the slate. That will keep the humidity down and lessen the amount you have to heat or cool the area when you are not using it.
 
I turned my carport into a garage. Then I sealed every possible crack. I insulated the door some what like the kits at this site http://www.texasgarages.com/insulation.htm.
I bought 4x8x1/2 sheets of insulation at home depot and did it myself. It works great! I have a window unit that I leave on energy saver set at 78. I just lower it when I want to shoot. It doesn't come on very often otherwise, and it gets pretty warm here in New Orleans. So far I have had no problems. Go for it!

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Steve
 
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I live in Indiana also but my table is in the house. When I leave the patio doors open (which are 5ft. from the table) on a humid/hot day, the cloth does things you wouldn't believe. I have had to restretch it twice already. I finally said screw it last weekend and turned the AC on. Haven't had a issue since.
Myself. I would move the living room, bedroom or the kids to the garage before I would my tables.:D
 
daytonajoe said:
Not knowing the climate you live in will have a big bearing.
I had a table in a garage in Florida. It had A/C when I was in there playing, that was ok but on a humid day it definatelly affected the rolls. temperature isn't the big problem , it is on those days that you can see a vapor trail on your draw shots that makes you go ?????!!!
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Sore_Aintya said:
I live in Indiana also but my table is in the house. When I leave the patio doors open (which are 5ft. from the table) on a humid/hot day, the cloth does things you wouldn't believe. I have had to restretch it twice already. I finally said screw it last weekend and turned the AC on. Haven't had a issue since.
Myself. I would move the living room, bedroom or the kids to the garage before I would my tables.:D
Click to expand...
Well it is a loft that I would insulate and everything...I was first thinking of making this an apartment up there and then I got the idea for the pool table. I would put up insulation and drywall and basically turn it into a room. I also will probably just leave the AC on energy saver to keep it cool and constant in the summer and get an a couple of electric heater for the winter to keep it somewhat warm but more to keep it a constant temp.
 
I noticed the same thing one day when I had the ac on high. Ive been known to use this secret when the brother in law comes over.:o

Mantis
 
I have had my table in the loft of our shop/barn for about 4 years now, I think. There is no a/c in the summer, but we do have a small fan up in the loft, and a large fan in the shop space downstairs. It is a true loft type set-up, with only a 1/2 wall up front. A small section of this wall near the stairs, is molly-bolted to the floor. This made for a very easy delivery and set-up for the table, as the wall sectioned was removed and the table parts/slate were just slid onto the 2nd floor from a truck bed. Also....we actually added a slight 'crown' to the floor, to accomodate the extra weight of the table. With the table installed, the floor became more level with the weight of the table, instead of sagging the floor slightly. Works out great that way. Our 2nd floor can handle a lot of weight.

In the summer, we open the windows and let the place cool to a managable temp...ususally early evening...before we go up and play. The table plays great in the summer!
In the winter, we have a large wood stove installed downstairs, just forward of the 2nd floor loft. This allows for the heat to rise up to the loft. However, the loft needs to be heated for a good hour before the table is warm enough to play well on. It can take a while for the slate to come to room temp, and the cloth will play painfully slow, as a result, if you do not give it time to warm. If you have a cover for the table, be sure to remove it as soon as possible, to allow the cloth to 'breathe', that will allow any trapped moisture to escape while the table is coming to temp.

Keep the cloth clean....I brush before and after. And inspect it often. If you are having any kind of problems due to temp changes, it will usually show itself in the cloth first. Also, if you have drop-pockets, inspect the nails used to attach the pockets. Because of the temps changes, causing the wood to expand and contract, it can actually cause the nails to start backing out....and that's gonna chip some balls if you not careful!!

Lisa

Other than that, I have noticed no other problems...and we use the loft quite often, at least 2-3x a week.
 
My tables are in the garage, insulated except for the door. During the winter, I leave the heater set at 62 or so to keep the low temperature on the mild side. In summer I use a small window air conditioner. Sometimes I have to use a second heater to warm things up enough to play comfortably. The air con works great. My garage gets the afternoon sun and is usually about 20 degrees warmer than the house and sometimes 10 degrees warmer than outside. Try to minimize the temperature fluctuations over short periods of time. These will cause the most damage as the table ages. Humidity will affect play. It will also cause wood to crack, check, and warp as it expands and contracts from absorption. Most good quality tables should be constructed in a manner that reduces the risk from moisture incursion. I'd be most concerned about extreme temperature fluctuations, like during winter if the table were at or near freezing and you went out and turned the heater on. It won't happen right away, but over the years the cumulative affect could cause problems.
 
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If you have the money.

1. Insulate the room.
2. Put a window unit in.
3. Buy an air dehumidifier.

I closed in my garage and did all these things for under 1000 dollars.
 
If you are goiing to use a space heater in the winter---you may wnat to put it under the table. This will heat the slate and keep the rail rubber warm. It doesn't have to be on high, but warm enough for when you start to play.
 
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