About Poker Table Tops

What is a Poker Table Top?

A Poker Table Top is basically a poker table without the legs. It sits on top of an existing table such as your kitchen, dining room, or a folding table. They fold so they can be easily transported and stored and usually have a zippered, vinyl carrying/storage case with handles.

Why would I want a Poker Table Top?

Poker Table Tops add Realism & Fun!

Just like poker tables, table tops give you the look and feel of playing at a casino table right in your home! The chips sound better when hitting the table or "splashing the pot". If you are currently playing on a blanket thrown over your table, you will definitely feel the difference. The cards slide better and the colors and markings add an authenticity to your poker games.

They are much Less Expensive!

Since they have no legs or hardware, the cost is much less than a poker table. Poker tables can cost over $1000 depending on the features. If you really don't want to shell out that kind of money, but still get the benefit of playing on a poker table, then you would want to consider a poker table top.

They take up less room!

If you don't have a gameroom where you can keep a poker table, or if you currently play your poker games in your kitchen or dining room, you may want to consider a poker table top. You can just unfold them, put them on your table, and you are ready for a game.

You can bring them with you to a friends game!

If you often move your poker games from house to house, then you will definitely appreciate the lighter weight and size of a table top. Most of them include a vinyl carrying case with handles so you can toss it into the trunk of your car and go! Even folding poker tables are a little too large and heavy to transport easily. Even if you own a poker table, you still might want a table top for those traveling games.

You can store them easier!

Poker table tops fold up and can be stored under a bed or in a closet without taking up much room. If you are short on storage space, they are a very good option.

How do I choose a Poker Table Top?

There are a lot of variations in the Poker Table Tops being sold online and I know it can be confusing. There are many different features and prices, so how do you know what to get?

I have found that all poker table tops basically fall into 1 of 3 categories. Prices vary depending on the quality and features. Weight also varies depending on quality and can be a deciding factor as well. Some stores use these categories interchangably, adding to the confusion. If you find stores calling tops "Premium" that don't include the features below, they're not. You will also see table tops called "Deluxe" which are made of foam.

Let me break down these categories:

Premium Poker Table Tops

These are the most expensive and highest quality. They are always made of wood, not foam. If it doesn't say it is made of wood in the description, it isn't. Premium tops have Padded felt. Poker tables have padded high quality felt which adds that "muffled" sound when the chips hit the table (like in a casino), instead of an wooden echo like you would hear on your kitchen table without a table top. Premium table tops also have this padding. You can also feel the difference when you press your hand or finger into the felt. It's a very nice feature of premium tops. Other features are often padded vinyl arm rests and cupholders but this is not a requirement to be a premium table or table top.

Deluxe/wooden poker table tops

Just because a poker table top is made of wood, does not mean it is a premium top. Wood table tops are a step below premium if they dont have the padded felt. They are still very durable but since the felt is not padded, they tend to have that wooden echo when the chips hit the table. The felt should still be high quality and they often have other features you can't find on foam or premium tops like reversible (play on either side, usually holdem on one side and blackjack on the other), they usually do not have padded armrests but do have reversible chip trays. They tend to be lighter than premium tops so are easier to transport. All the ones I have seen include a zippered, vinyl carrying case (bag)with handles. These are a nice choice for high durability without the premium price if you are willing to give up a few bells and whistles, like padded armrests.

Foam (or multi-function) table tops

These are the lowest price and durability, but they also tend to have the coolest features like poker chip trays and cupholders, and bright casino markings, multiple functions like blackjack, poker, roulette, and since they are made of a foam material, they are the lightest and easiest to transport and store. I have never seen one of these without the vinyl case and handles since easy transport is what they are designed for. I personally have one of these that I use for my traveling games, but I use a premium top at home. Now when I say they are made of foam, I don't mean styrofoam! They are very durable but will not hold up as well if heavily used like wood tops. But for the price, they can be replaced very inexpensively.

Choosing a Poker Table/Top Chart

I have put together this chart to help you decide whether you should go with a poker table, or table top, and what grade of table top.
* Have a gameroom, want highest quality, cannot be be stored. (More like a piece of furniture): Choose a permanent poker table(permanent legs) or a folding poker table
* Have a gameroom, want best casino quality sound/feel, prefer to fold up and store: Choose a Folding poker table or Premium table top(if you have a table for it)
* Need to play on kitchen/dining table, want best look/feel/sound/heavy use: Choose a Premium table top
* Need to play on kitchen/dining table, want most durability but lower price, more transportable, reversible playing tops: Choose a wooden/deluxe top
* Need to play on kitchen/dining table, easy transport/low weight, low price: Choose a Foam top

Size matters

Once you have decided based on quality, durability, sound/feel, and weight/transportability, there is still one more thing to consider, the size of the table you want to put a table top on. Table tops come in various sizes in different categories.

You will need to see if the category of table top you are interested in, has the size you need. This is because if an edge of a table top extends beyond the table that supports it, someones elbows may cause the table top to upheave at the folds and disturb all your poker chips. This is mostly a problem with the lighter table tops such as foam.

To do this, measure the length and width of the kitchen or dining room table you want to play on. Use the following rule of thumb to see if a table top will work for your table:
* Wooden Premium tops can extend beyong the edges of your table up to 6 inches (on any side) with no problems (ie. 12 inches longer or wider total than the table).
* Lighter wooden table tops such as the Deluxe models, should not extend more than 2-3 inches. (so no more than 6 inches longer or wider than the table)
* Foam tops must be completely supported to the edges due to their light weight. They should not extend beyond the edges of the table more than 1 inch at any point where people will put their elbows on it. (ie. don't put a 48" foam top on a 36" round table).
* The table top should not be more than 3-4 inches inside the edge of the table or play may be strange, since you would have to reach beyond the table to get to the table top. (ie. a 35" wide table top would be inside the width of a 40" wide table by 2-1/2". You wouldn't want your table to be much wider than that)

Example: The table top you want is a 51" octogon premium. Your kitchen table is 48" round. 51-48= 3 inches. The table top will not extend over the edge of this table more than 1-1/2 inches on any edge so this is fine.

I hope this helps. Please send me an email with any comments or questions and I will be happy to assist you. info@pokerstuffonline.com

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Happy Gaming, John
http://www.PokerStuffOnline.com