TL DR: I remember reading a review from a table manufacturer where they more or less broke down the pro's and con's, and they pretty much summed it up as you have two choices: Of course there are also things like the Fusion table that is meant to be excellent at converting between the two, but a lot of people say they're actually pretty mediocre dining tables, that turn in to mediocre pool tables (iirc they're 6' with 1' slate), that costs the same as getting one of each of the premium version of both. On top of that, your muscle memory will probably be a fucked up from the height difference (This difference you can test for yourself if you've got an ironing board and a cue/broom stick). The problem with that though is that if you're tall, your probably going to end up putting stress on your back bending that much further down to take your shots (I'm guessing here on this one). The other solution that keeps the tables integrity is that you get a table that is custom built to be lowered a few inches. Combined with an extra high top, it can risk you feeling like a toddler sitting at the adults table with things at almost navel to neck height especially if you're a smaller person. If you've already got some kind of table and some chairs, you can test this yourself by looking up the dimensions on a website, and then just stacking some thick hardcover books on top of the table and then put a few on your lap to get the appropriate clearances.Īlternatively they DO make chairs that are lower than normal, but they're usually custom built benches specifically paired with that table, which means they're more pricey than normal and you have a very small selection to choose from. Which I've tested out in person, and while the table played decently enough, it was snug as heck to sit under and I'm a relatively small dude. I can't remember the exact dimensions off the top of my head, but basically even most of the pool tables that are designed to work as dining tables, have a clearance from the bottom of the table to the top of your chair of about 5-8'.

That doesn't sound bad but the problem is a dinning table top is usually another 3~4' on top of that, stuff gets real tall, real fast. A dinning table is usually 28' to 30', where as a pool table is usually 30'-32' high. Unfortunately, this directly impacts the way the ball rolls across the table (because the surface has hard time keeping level, and can potentially be uneven in places) as well as the fact that rail profile is one of those things that tends to be chipped away at on those types of tables (balls will not bounce nor pocket the same depending on what's changed).Ī regular pool table with a dinning top thrown on makes it simultaneously: Unfortunately the exact things that make a pool table play well (thick and heavy construction to support of the slate bed and keep the table stable) are also the exact things that make it a poor dining table.Ī dinning table that functions as a pool table usually thins away at this foundation to make them more space compact. I did a bunch of research on this before, and it more or less looks like the common consensus is that you pretty much either have to pick a dinning table that is a crappy pool table, or a pool table that is an uncomfortable dinning table.

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