Hey guys,

So I have been thinking of buying a poker table for a while now and have recently just started reading up on how to build one. The instructions I have read (from numerous sites) make it seem that it is not that difficult but just rather tedious. My biggest concern is the felt + vinyl/foam. I have read on some sites that this step is by far the hardest and some even suggested just bringing it to an upholstery store. Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with building a table from a novice level? That being, I haven't really built anything since like shop class back in grade 6.

Thanks

If you are good with your hands, have the tools & the space, it's not difficult to make a basic table on your own. There's a little bit of a learning curve with some of the more difficult parts like pulling the rail, but there so many resources available online nowadays, most "1st" tables I've seen recently look great. Spend some time reading up on each step and go for it, there's nothing like hosting a game on a table you built with your own two hands.

+1... some first builds I've seen are really impressive.

For some people it will be quite difficult, and others can make a quality, well-made and attractive table on their first outing. It depends on how well you can work with your hands, what tools or means to acquire them you have, and how much time you're willing to commit.

I spent about 30 hours making my first table. It came out great and has held up well. It was used weekly for about a year and every other year for the past two years. I did a lot of research and ended up spending more on tools than on supplies to make the table itself.

I definitely encourage you to try it. It's a lot of fun and you will have years worth of bragging rights.

Do it, its very rewarding!
There's a few really good sites out there with direction for the build.

I made the same table as Koko above. My neighbor/fellow player helped me. Ours came out great as well, and we've used it around 3 times/month for over 2 years now.

Thanks for all the tips guys. I am only young and will probably make a trip home to borrow my fathers tools to build the table. A few questions I have is roughly how much do people pay for the tables they make (rough estimate is fine)? I live in Canada so I assume there will be a little bit of disparity in prices. Also, I am torn on whether I would like to build a race track table or just a normal fully felted table. I have read up on the pros and cons of both and to my understanding it basically boils down to Looks (racetrack) vs functionality (normal). Anyone have any other opinions on table style and/or potential price? Thanks again!

Being in Canada (like me), you're probably going to pay extra for anything you get shipped, ie. foam and felt. You should be able to source most of the materials locally. Plywood in Canada is usually cheap-ish, you can get vinyl from most fabric stores for about the same price as you would get from yourautotrim.com. The rail foam is available at foam shops but it's hard to find any in large enough pieces and they're expensive so you're better off getting it online. You can usually find velveteen locally, but not suited speed cloth or gaming suede.

I would suggest no racetrack. More functional and easier to build a full felt table considering it will be your first table. To build a basic full felt table with folding legs, you should be able to spend less than $300 CDN not including cost of tools, but including supplies like screws, spray adhesive and staples.

Do it, do it, do it.

I had never built anything in my life and built a table that I love. Just read up and take the vinyl part slowly. Just remember too, you can unstaple and restaple if you need to.

I vote for non-racetrack.

Now...to talk my fiance into letting me build a second one...

Thanks again guys! I was leading towards the fully felted table for not only the functionality but I believe it will be a fair mount easier as well.

I have also heard that the foam and the vinyl are by far the hardest parts. One guide I read even went as far as saying to just bring it to an upholstery store...

Anyone else have any tips or tricks for someone considering building their first table? With virtually zero wood-working background.

Go for suede and skip the vinyl it will make the stretching part a lot easier.

Hmmm. That's a definite thought. Any other pros and cons to Suede vs Vinyl? I feel like Suede may feel more comfortable but also wear out faster and harder to clean a mess off of. What would be the difference in price, if any?

I didn't have too much of a problem working with either one. Just take your time, buy an electric stapler and use a ton of staples.

suede is better as long as you get some decent suede. it's doesn't wear out any faster than vinyl, it feels really nice and they're usually stain resistant. I would choose suede over vinyl 9/10 times. It's also much much easier to install. It's just more expensive but worth it.

Okay. So fully felted and suede. Anyone have suggestions as to some of the best instructional videos/articles? I know there are countless and some are better than others. Has anyone had positive results with a certain article(s)?

Also: recommendations for buying supplies? I hear YourAutoTrim a lot, would this be a good place even for Canadians? Thanks.

Alsox2: Opinions on cup holders?

Check out the forums of scottkeen. Not super active anymore, but a wealth of knowledge.

I happen to love the racetrack. I think is adds some class tot he table.

Sounds good, will do! Thanks.

Yeah I agree 100% that the racetrack looks much nicer. But I have read several reviews on the cons of the racetrack design. Most notably was the way chips interact with the racetrack opposed to felt.

The only issue I have with the table I made is that either the racetrack or the center piece is slightly warped. Maybe both. There is a slight lip and it can make it difficult to slide the cards back onto the felt if they're pitched onto the racetrack. I followed Mark Junell's basic design and he used anchors to hold the centerpiece flush with the racetrack and if I was going to build the table again I would definitely use them.

As far as chips go, the racetrack actually works really well because it's a hard flat surface and stacks don't fall over as easily as they would on a padded surface. They're easy to pick up and bet with.

Thanks!

Any opinions on cup holders?

I think they're worth the extra effort if they will get used. The host that I originally built the table for didn't allow alcohol or open containers so it wasn't worth it.

Yeah, considering my games will consist of 95% people in their early 20s... I think beer and alcohol in general will be a commonality.

Definitely invest in a hole saw then.

I would recommend doing the cupholder layout on paper first and make sure you realize that people will sit at the table based on cupholder location. Consider the legs so that someone doesn't get stuck banging their knees against them all night. Consider whether you will sometimes, always, or never have a dedicated dealer that needs to sit right in the middle of the table.

Also, whenever I am doing a wood-working project I can hear my dad's voice in my head: "Measure twice, cut once."

Get jumbo stainless steel cup holders. They'll fit any bottle or cup. If you use them, get a 3 5/8" holesaw. Though they're 3 1/2", a 3 1/2" holesaw is just barely too small. You can get them at texaspokersupply.com (another US company). There aren't really any Canadian suppliers that offer foam/felt/cup holders cheaper than getting it from the US, even after the extra shipping. I always buy my materials from the US and then pick them up over the border.

How so? Do you have a P.O. Box across the border or something?