A Folding Poker Table Top - As a Gift or For Home Use
December 29th, 2009
A folding poker table top is perfect for turning your dining table game into a casino night. I doubt you would play chess on a chessboard drawn on a piece of cardboard with bottle caps for pawns. It just takes something out of the game.
Well, felt cloths with poker graphics silk screened on them are an option if you don’t mind the folds and the slipping around.
A poker table top adds a nice casino feel to your game and really does make it a lot more fun. You can pick from many designs and shapes, so your needs will dictate which top you should choose. So you can make an informed decision, we will look at the most important considerations before you buy.
1. Size and shape: If you currently are playing on a kitchen or dining table that is either round or square, and around 48 inches plus/minus 8 inches, you would want to look at the octagon poker table tops. A rectangular or oval table top is used on non-circular or non-square tables. The size you pick and the base materials of the poker tops do make a difference. Foam tops should not extend over the sides of your table more than a couple of inches. For a wood based top it can extend over the edge four to six inches without issue. Why it matters is your chips could be disturbed when someone were to lean on the table or bump it. This can really irritate you.
Some have asked if a 3 foot card table would be ok to use, I would not do it. For one thing your game will be disturbed often as stated previously, plus the cheap flimsy legs on most of these card tables are not sturdy enough to hold the weight of the wood table tops.
Some people find they just don’t have a table that will work so you might want to check out a table that comes with legs like an octagon poker table. Where you have the space you can even use a permanent poker table.
2. Materials: There are 2 basic materials used to make poker table tops. The less costly, lower weight foam tops. If your game moves to other houses often, the storage case and the fact that they weigh much less make is a great benefit. These have easy portability due to their low weight and smaller folding size. Since the foam is not as durable as wood, you will need to replace these more often with wear and tear. They also make a great low cost gift for your significant other.
With more durability than foam, the wooden tops are made of 1/2 inch particle board or plywood. Many of the best features of genuine poker tables are also available on these like padded felt. Due to their heavy weight, you are not as likely to have your chips knocked over when someone bumps the table.
I personally have one of each of these types of table tops, the foam for my traveling games, and a wooden top for my home games. It won’t be talked about in this article but I also have a folding poker table.
3. Features: Once you have determined what size, shape, and material your table top should be, the most fun part is to select the colors and designs. Craps and other game layouts are additional parts of some of these tops so they can be used for more than Texas Holdem. Since the delivery is less expensive the foam tops cost less, but the color and pattern choices are actually interesting. With many of the same options as a poker table, the high-end tops are made of wood, felt with pad, and armrest. The quality of the felt is also better and more consistent with real casino tables.
The best wooden tops’ felt padding gives them a more realistic sound and feel. When the chips hit the pot or the table they have have a softer plinking sound and they tend to stay put better where they land. Since good felt materials are used the dealing is smoother also. For those long endurance games, I really have come to appreciate the padded arm rests. If you are willing to pay the extra for a premium top it is worth it, even though they lack the portability of the foam tops since they are so much heavier.
Whether you are seeking a folding poker table top for a buddy, spouse, or yourself, you should now be able to choose one appropriately. Never again will you revert to a blanket on the kitchen table after playing on this. Happy Gaming!