What I want: 8 Ft table with betting line and folding legs, NO race track, NO built in cup holders. NO dealer spot, poker chip tray, etc... This is for a rake-free home game.

Supplier A: $860
Supplier B: $820

What questions do I ask to determine which is building the better table?

People with more knowledge than I have can probably give you more specifics, but this is how I'd assess any suppliers when I I don't know a lot about what they do.

First, I would ask for a list of past customers, people who you could call and visit to check out tables made by the same builder. Actually call and visit as many as you can.

Second, I would ask each builder what makes their table high quality. Let them tell you shat they do to build a better table. Compare answers, and don't hesitate to call both of them back with followup questions if you need to. Supplier A might say he uses some material, and B did not mention that. Call B and ask. He might tell you why he does or doesn't use the same material.

A table that simple, I would build myself. All sorts of plans are online for free and it sounds like both those suppliers are charging WAY too much for a bare bones, folding leg table. Home Depot for supplies and Gambler's General Store for the poker specific necessities.

Their past work should speak for themselves. Look for wrinkles in the rails, especially near the bottom as well as any lumps around the curves. Check to make sure they both use plywood, no MDF. See if they're both using the same custom cloths or not as well as what type of folding legs each one is using. Not all folding legs are made the same. There's other signs as well of one table being better than another, but without actually seeing any of them it can be hard to tell.

You're paying a hefty premium at those prices for a table with those specs. I can build one of those literally in the next 3 hours and if you were local drive it to you. As CMP says above, quality builders will not be using cheap lumber or MDF, and the upholstery will be well done. Custom cloths that are simple, with just a betting line should not run more than a couple hundred dollars max. If the rest of the table is as you described you should be paying a couple hundred bucks less IMO.

I was hoping you would respond slidey. I wish I had more options in Texas. I live in San Antonio but sometimes travel to Austin, DFW, and Houston. I'd love to receive supplier recommendations if that's allowed. I am not interested in building one myself.

PM me and we can talk in more detail if you'd like. I'll point you in the right direction if I can.

Speaking of poker tables, what is the standard size of a poker table in a casino? Do all casinos have the same size or do they have different size? I notice that each room uses different cards so I assume they use different size tables.

I would like to buy one but before I do, I need to know the official height and width of a casino poker table. I don't want to go and buy a poker table that's only 5ft in height and the width is an arm length, hope that makes sense. Thanks.

Only if they also use official 13.5g chips...

There is no standard across casinos/card rooms, but most casino tables are roughly 44" wide and range from 8' to 9' long.

If the tables in the OP are made with good quality materials, I think those estimates are in the right ballpark. If they're using home depot folding legs and cheap padding from someplace like Jo-anns, it's high. Get good pictures or ask to see an example of their work, and ask specifically what type of materials they are using. A good builder will have samples of everything for you to see/touch, should make the decision easier.

I can vouch 100% that Chanman knows his stuff when it comes to tables, construction, etc. One of the best in the biz. Built my killer final poker table using a lot of the advice off his forum.

IT

Please be advised that I did not pay him to say that. Much...

Slidey and Irish are among the top of the top, lots of great info comes from them.

I appreciate ALL the responses. I've decided to try to talk my father-in-law into building the table. When I first mentioned it, he seemed receptive. He is retired and has a neighbor friend who built his own house and is also retired. I'm sure they would do a great job. I'm going to start researching the subject with hopes of providing them with instructions and a list of materials. I'll start a separate post if I don't find exactly what I need online. I plan to pay them for materials + $300.

Yourautotrim has a lot of the stuff you will need at good prices.

Where do I buy the custom cloth with just a betting line? What material do you recommend?

Baltic birch plywood is sturdy for a table. If you want a cloth with a betting line your going to pay for custom cloth. If you don't care about the inlay you might be able to find a misprint or something from a printer for cheap but otherwise custom cloths are going to be more expensive than regular gaming suede or suited speed cloth. If your dead set on a betting line I would just get a design made up and go the full custom route.

I just sent an email to an online custom felt company asking if they had a mis-print with a betting line I could buy at a discount.

I also found a website that sells exactly what I am asking for but I'm concerned about the material. It says

"Give your poker table the high quality look of a real casino or card room table with this felt. The poker felt is made with a woven polyester material. The graphics are dyed into the felt with a dye sublimation process. The graphics will not peel or wear off of the felt.

Professional Look and Feel
Waterproof
Stain Resistant
The overall size of felt is 104" x 62" and is designed for a 4' x 8' poker table, but will work on any size that is proportioned to the betting line."

What do you think about this? It only costs $89.99.

Contact BBO, they have some pretty simple layouts that are on very nice gaming suede. I want to say it's about 115-150 bucks for a preprinted design or even something as simple as the single color and a betting line. Also as JZP stated Baltic birch is really nice lumber but a bit on the expensive side for full size sheets. Make sure if you're staining it to do a pre-stain condition as it is prone to blotchiness.

My father-in-law delivered the poker table today. This was his first build. I will provide photos once I figure out how.