How to Make a Beer Pong Table

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards.

There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 209,952 times.

Beer pong is a blast at most college house parties and allows people's competitive sides to come out. Beer pong is great for opening up the conversation, giving people the environment to be social, and as an activity to do while you're bored. While you can purchase a pong table at the store or online, making a beer pong table is fun and can serve as a unique conversation starter. You can create a simple table out of plywood or a more complex, foldable pong table, depending on how serious you are about it.

Making a Simple and Cheap Beer Pong Table

• If the plywood is cut to a slightly different size like 9x3 feet (2.74x0.91 meters), it's still suitable to use for your beer pong table.
• The average cost of a cheap, 8x4 foot (2.43x1.22 meter) piece of plywood can be anywhere from $13 to $20. [2] X Research source
• If the sales associate tries to get you to buy a more expensive type of plywood say, "I'm only using this as a beer pong table. Give me your cheapest stuff because I don't need a high-quality plywood."

• Advise people not to lean or stand on the beer pong table because it can quickly collapse.
• Fold up tables or dining room table tops are usually the most commonly used beer pong tables.

• You can also place heavy objects in the center of the table to hold it down.
• Do not use an expensive table when doing this because the duct tape could pull away some of the table's finish.
• To test the security of your table, softly push down on either end of the table to see if it tips over.

• Sealing your table will make cleaning it much easier and reduce the bad scent that often comes with spilled beer.
• Not sealing your pong table could result in mold growth if you don't clean up spills well.
• When using a waterproof sealant or paint, do it outside or make sure that the windows are open.

Making a Foldable Wooden Table

Purchase a thick plywood. A thick piece of plywood will add stability to your table. Buy a 4x8 foot (1.2x2.4 meter) piece of plywood, which will become the surface of your table. When looking for plywood, look for variations that are a 1/2 an inch (12.7 millimeters) or 3/4 of an inch (19.05 millimeters) thick.

Cut the plywood in half. Measure four feet from the end of either side of the table, lengthwise, and make a mark with a pencil in the center. Use a straight edge to draw a line width-wise on the plywood. The line in the center of your plywood will be where the table folds. Use a circular saw, miter saw, or table saw to cut your plywood in half. [4] X Research source

• If your wooden planks are too long, then you may need to cut them down with a saw.
• The frame will look like a shallow wooden box on top of your plywood.
• You can purchase the framing lumber at most hardware stores.
• For this project, a 2" x 6" (38 x 140 mm) piece of lumber could work for framing material.

Nail your frame together. Once the frame is set up, nail the pieces together so that it forms two frames that are 4x4 feet (1.2x1.2) meters big. Put two nails in each corner of your frame, attaching the two pieces of wood together to form an L. Once all sides of your frame have been nailed together, you should have a square made out of your lumber.

the frame to the plywood." width="460" height="345" />

Nail the frame to the plywood. Position the plywood over your frame and make sure that the edges run flush. Once it's in the correct position, put nails or screws into the surface of your plywood, attaching the frame to the plywood. You may need to put multiple nails along the surface of the plywood to safely secure the top of the table to the frame. [5] X Research source Repeat the process on the other piece of plywood.

Attach a four foot long piano hinge to the center. A piano hinge is a metal hinge that can be used to connect both sides of your table together. Flip the table over, so that the surface of the table is facing the ground. Bring the two piece of tables together so that the frames are flush with one another. Place the piano hinge to both sides of the frame and center it. Once the hinge is flush, put screws into each of the holes to firmly attach it to the table's frame. [6] X Research source

• Folding legs allow your table to be folded up and transported easily.
• Do not get legs that are longer than 3.5 feet (1 meter), or they may not fit inside of your wooden frame.

Decorating Your Beer Pong Table

• If you're designating where players put their cups, make sure to trace the top of the cup because your cups will need to fit next to one another when you play. If you trace the bottom of the cup, the circles will be too close together.
• Good ideas for designs include a favorite sports team, the university that you attend, or the fraternity, sorority, or club that you all belong to.

• If you want more accurate straight lines, lay down painters tape in the places that you want to make your line.
• Using a stencil is also another great idea to get more detailed images by using paint.

Let your guests decorate the table. Another idea is to allow your guests and party members to decorate the table over time. Start the fun by using some thick markers to draw all over the surface of the table. Encourage people at the party to join in and draw something of their own. Over time, your beer pong table should fill up and have a personality of its own.

Get creative with your table. There are other ways that you can alter or change your beer pong table. One example is a group that used LED lights to illuminate their table during games. [8] X Research source You can also engrave a wooden table, or can use graffiti paint to create a unique design or tag. Get creative and think of different methods that you can use to enhance the look of the table.

Expert Q&A

Tips

You Might Also Like

Beer Pong: How to Master the Ultimate Drinking Game

17 Drinking Games for Just 2 Players

How to Play the Drinking Game King’s Cup

The True American Drinking Game: A Beginner’s Guide

16 Drinking Games to Play with 3 People

How to Play Cheers to the Governor

The Ultimate Guide to Playing the Drinking Game Rage Cage

25 Movie Drinking Games

How to Play Stack Cup (Plus House Rules & Variations)

1. ↑http://www.rempros.com/dimensions/plywood_sizes.html
2. ↑http://www.ezwoodshop.com/plywood/plywood-prices.html
3. ↑https://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infwood/infwaterproofplywood.html
4. ↑http://www.bobvila.com/articles/cutting-plywood/
5. ↑http://www.reshareit.com/folding-beer-pong-table/
6. ↑https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxYn78YsvHc
7. ↑https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeNp4MgEti4
8. ↑http://www.complex.com/style/2013/09/beer-pong-tables/arcade-table

About This Article

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 209,952 times.

" To make your own beer pong table, first get a 4 by 8 foot (1 ¼ by 2 ½ meter) piece of plywood that’s ½-inch (1 ¼ cm) thick. Cut the plywood in half width-wise using a table or circular saw. These will be the two ends of your table. Next, cut 8 pieces of 2 by 6 inch (5 by 15 cm) framing lumber, and arrange them into two 4 by 4 foot (1 ¼ by 1 ¼ meter) square frames. Nail the pieces together, then nail a frame to the bottom of each plywood square. Flip both ends of the table over frame-side up, and push them together so they’re flush. Then, center a piano hinge over the flush frames and screw it into place. This will allow you to fold your table in half when you’re not using it. Buy folding legs for your table and drill them into the bottom of each end. Finally, sand and paint your beer pong table if you’d like to decorate it. For more tips, including how to make a foldable wooden beer pong table, read on!