Shoehorning a table into a slightly-too-small space

Rocket354

Rocket354

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've searched the forum looking for answers to my situation, but I figured it'd be best to just explain here.

I really want to get a table for my house. I'm looking at used tables < $1500. I love 9' tables, I'm okay with 8' tables, but I despise 7' tables (to the point that I'd almost definitely rather go without).

I have three areas in my house I could possibly fit a table.

Option 1: 16.5' X 12.5' room. I know recommendations for an 8' table would be something close to 18' X 14'. Is this close enough? How annoying would it be to have a table in an area that's just a little to small? The only experience with playing on a table in a somewhat tight room was when I first started playing back in high school so I didn't really care and have no clue how annoyed I'd be now as a much more dedicated and experienced player.

Option 2: 18' X 10' room. The 10' dimension I know would normally be way too small but this is an L-shaped upstairs loft where the space I'd play in is the vertical part of the L. The one "wall" (running along the 18' length, perpendicular to the 10' length) is only half there, and is only a 3' tall railing at that, so there would be plenty of cue room but a questionable amount of foot room. I hope that makes sense.

Option 3: 18' X 20' garage. It is currently unfinished. I live in Las Vegas where it gets quite hot. I'd prefer not to have to use the garage for a table since I like keeping my car there, but I'm potentially willing to make the sacrifice and park on the street. What's the bare minimum work I'd have to do on the garage to make it suitable for a pool table? I don't want to do anything permanent. I'd assume putting down some sort of rug. Then what, some kind of small AC unit to help keep it cool in the summer? Anything else?

What do people think? Thanks.
 
See ya sedan, hello Diamond!

Garage definitely, without question. The other areas you described are too small for even a barbox. There's nothing worse than trying to dedicate real practice time on a table that's confined by too small a space. You could get one of those portable A/C units that don't require a large hole, like a window, that would solve your heat issue.

IMHO.
 
In My opinion, options 1 and 2 should be out of the question. I wouldn't even put a seven footer in there. You will be forced to use a short cue almost any time you have a shot from the side of the table. It will become a bother. Nobody would want to play there and I'm quite sure you would get frustrated by having to alter your shooting routine constantly or having to shoot way jacked up all the time.
As an installer I have seen to many people do this and end up either never using the table or having it relocated.

just my 2 cents on the matter.

Rob
 
Rocket354 said:
I've searched the forum looking for answers to my situation, but I figured it'd be best to just explain here.

I really want to get a table for my house. I'm looking at used tables < $1500. I love 9' tables, I'm okay with 8' tables, but I despise 7' tables (to the point that I'd almost definitely rather go without).

I have three areas in my house I could possibly fit a table.

Option 1: 16.5' X 12.5' room. I know recommendations for an 8' table would be something close to 18' X 14'. Is this close enough? How annoying would it be to have a table in an area that's just a little to small? The only experience with playing on a table in a somewhat tight room was when I first started playing back in high school so I didn't really care and have no clue how annoyed I'd be now as a much more dedicated and experienced player.

Option 2: 18' X 10' room. The 10' dimension I know would normally be way too small but this is an L-shaped upstairs loft where the space I'd play in is the vertical part of the L. The one "wall" (running along the 18' length, perpendicular to the 10' length) is only half there, and is only a 3' tall railing at that, so there would be plenty of cue room but a questionable amount of foot room. I hope that makes sense.

Option 3: 18' X 20' garage. It is currently unfinished. I live in Las Vegas where it gets quite hot. I'd prefer not to have to use the garage for a table since I like keeping my car there, but I'm potentially willing to make the sacrifice and park on the street. What's the bare minimum work I'd have to do on the garage to make it suitable for a pool table? I don't want to do anything permanent. I'd assume putting down some sort of rug. Then what, some kind of small AC unit to help keep it cool in the summer? Anything else?

What do people think? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I had a similar situation when putting in my 4x8... I can't recall my exact room dimensions (also an L-shaped room), but I think the space its in is somewhere around 13.5 x 17, which fits just right, there's only one tight spot by the edge of the fireplace where you have to jack up a bit if the cueball is right by the corner pocket.

As far as the garage, I'd avoid it at all costs... I know Vegas is pretty dry weather, but there's always some humidity coming and going, and it'll kill your rails. Not to mention that it would require work just to make it comfortable. Anyways, I hope all works out for ya!
 
humdity/garage

Vegas is very dry. Humidity coming and going is the twice annual rainfall. Otherwise it's very consistent and ridiculously dry.

My main concern with the garage is 1) parking my car outside where the vegas sun and heat can really hurt it (and the car, while nothing special and depreciating daily, is still worth much more than any table I'd buy) 2) losing playability because of the long and hot vegas summers. November to March or so would be very playable weather but starting in April/May and running right through October it would be extremely hot, too hot to play even if the heat wouldn't have much affect on the table itself (I dunno, would it?). So I would have to go to the trouble of buying and installing a small AC unit and paying to have it run in an uninsulated garage...

Maybe I should take the opportunity to explain option #2 a little more. It is 18' north/south, which I think should be enough for an 8 footer, right? East/west is a different matter. The south-end is plenty wide, 16' wide. But it's an L shaped room, so the north end (half way up) is 10' wide but only at one's feet. It's upstairs and has a short railing overlooking the downstairs, so the "wall" is only 3' tall.

So there's plenty of cue room, the cues literally wouldn't run into anything. The only problem is foot space. If I were to put a table there, 5/6 of the circumference of the table would have adequate room, and only half of one of the long sides would be tight for someone standing (while they'd have plenty of cue room). Unfortunately, I guess I won't know just how annoying a setup like that would be until I actually put a table there and try it out...

Thanks for the opinions. Any others? Anyone with recommendations on what to do with the garage to make it playable?
 
Checking the space

Ok, if you want to check the space in 'real world conditions' so to speak, take a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood and a couple sawhorses and place in the room. Start moving around the 'table' with a cue at play level. That should let you know real quick if you ahve room or not.
 
Rocket354 said:
I've searched the forum looking for answers to my situation, but I figured it'd be best to just explain here.

I really want to get a table for my house. I'm looking at used tables < $1500. I love 9' tables, I'm okay with 8' tables, but I despise 7' tables (to the point that I'd almost definitely rather go without).

I have three areas in my house I could possibly fit a table.

Option 1: 16.5' X 12.5' room. I know recommendations for an 8' table would be something close to 18' X 14'. Is this close enough? How annoying would it be to have a table in an area that's just a little to small? The only experience with playing on a table in a somewhat tight room was when I first started playing back in high school so I didn't really care and have no clue how annoyed I'd be now as a much more dedicated and experienced player.

Option 2: 18' X 10' room. The 10' dimension I know would normally be way too small but this is an L-shaped upstairs loft where the space I'd play in is the vertical part of the L. The one "wall" (running along the 18' length, perpendicular to the 10' length) is only half there, and is only a 3' tall railing at that, so there would be plenty of cue room but a questionable amount of foot room. I hope that makes sense.

Option 3: 18' X 20' garage. It is currently unfinished. I live in Las Vegas where it gets quite hot. I'd prefer not to have to use the garage for a table since I like keeping my car there, but I'm potentially willing to make the sacrifice and park on the street. What's the bare minimum work I'd have to do on the garage to make it suitable for a pool table? I don't want to do anything permanent. I'd assume putting down some sort of rug. Then what, some kind of small AC unit to help keep it cool in the summer? Anything else?

What do people think? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Have you checked out the Diamond Bar Tables. They are a new dimension in bar tables, that offer the feel of a real pool table, using a regular cue ball. They are so far ahead of the competition, it isn't even close. They play just like a big table in nearly every respect. Try it, you may like it. And you have room for a 7'!
 
Hi Jay, thanks for the recommendation. I'll look into it. Which option do you think is best for the 7'?
 
I think I'd go for the L-shaped room. It is kind of a bummer not being able to get fully down in your stance, but not undoable. My snooker table and pool table are close enough together that my butt hits the rail on the other table when shooting off the rail. Basically, it turns a sure thing into an iffy thing, kind of like being jacked up. It just makes it harder to visualize the line of the shot and how you & the cue are lined up on it. I've had a table in an insulated garage for closing in on 5 years now. I don't think you'd like it in an uninsulated space in Vegas. A car cover would do a good job protecting the interior of your car, but with the wind and sand would probably do a number on your paint. I remember one time I was down there with my Camaro and couldn't help spinning the tires every time I took off or went around a corner. Finally realized that there was a layer of sand on all the roads.
 
Rocket354 said:
I've searched the forum looking for answers to my situation, but I figured it'd be best to just explain here.

I really want to get a table for my house. I'm looking at used tables < $1500. I love 9' tables, I'm okay with 8' tables, but I despise 7' tables (to the point that I'd almost definitely rather go without).

I have three areas in my house I could possibly fit a table.

Option 1: 16.5' X 12.5' room. I know recommendations for an 8' table would be something close to 18' X 14'. Is this close enough? How annoying would it be to have a table in an area that's just a little to small? The only experience with playing on a table in a somewhat tight room was when I first started playing back in high school so I didn't really care and have no clue how annoyed I'd be now as a much more dedicated and experienced player.

Option 2: 18' X 10' room. The 10' dimension I know would normally be way too small but this is an L-shaped upstairs loft where the space I'd play in is the vertical part of the L. The one "wall" (running along the 18' length, perpendicular to the 10' length) is only half there, and is only a 3' tall railing at that, so there would be plenty of cue room but a questionable amount of foot room. I hope that makes sense.

Option 3: 18' X 20' garage. It is currently unfinished. I live in Las Vegas where it gets quite hot. I'd prefer not to have to use the garage for a table since I like keeping my car there, but I'm potentially willing to make the sacrifice and park on the street. What's the bare minimum work I'd have to do on the garage to make it suitable for a pool table? I don't want to do anything permanent. I'd assume putting down some sort of rug. Then what, some kind of small AC unit to help keep it cool in the summer? Anything else?

What do people think? Thanks.
Click to expand...

18 X 14 will take a 9ft. table... 13.6 X 17 for an 8 footer.
 
I have the same problem as you. We only have one possible room, and that is 16' 4" by 11' 9". Terrible. And I, like you despise any thing smaller than an 8. Oh yeah, and did I mention that the room is currently 10' 3" because of the massive chimnie, and it would cost $3000-$4000 to remove? So I hope you don't think I'm too stupid when I decided to go with a 9 foot outdoor table. It's coming next week :D . Oh yeah, and to answer your question, I definately go with the garage. :)
 
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