Having a pool table at home is a dream for a lot of players. But what if the only spot you’ve got for it is upstairs? Will the second floor hold it?
Obviously, pool tables are heavy. But assuming your home was built to code and that the weight of the pool table doesn’t exceed the weight limit of your second floor, you can safely place a pool table upstairs. So unless you live in a really old home, the only problem you’ll have with putting a pool table on the second floor is getting it there.How Much Weight Will the Second Floor of Your House Hold?
A second floor will typically support at least 30 pounds per square foot, and that number climbs as high as 50 pounds per square foot depending on how the house was built.
The exact figure comes down to your local building code. Most codes require 30 pounds per square foot for bedrooms and 40 for general living spaces, with office space rated higher at 50. Since most pool tables for home use weigh between 300 and 1,000 pounds, there’s little reason to worry about whether your second floor can take one.
Doing the Math on Your Floor
The calculation is simple. Take the square footage of the room and multiply it by the per-square-foot limit. A 10×10 room rated at 30 pounds per square foot holds 3,000 pounds total.
Most residential floors land in the 30-to-40-pound range, so a 1,000-pound slate table spread across 35 or more square feet sits well within limits. As long as the table and everything else in the room stay under that ceiling, you’re fine. These figures are deliberately conservative, so don’t blow past them by much without checking with an expert first.
What Is the Maximum All-In Weight?
The pool table shouldn’t be the only thing you factor in. Even if it fits within your floor’s load limit on its own, you have to account for everything else pressing on that same floor. When you run the numbers, take into account the couches, TVs, fridges, and other bulky items already in the room, not just the table.
Slate vs. MDF: How Heavy Is Your Table?
Pool tables fall into two camps: slate and MDF. Slate tables generally weigh 650 to 1,000 pounds, while MDF tables come in much lighter at 100 to 300 pounds.
Because a slate bed is so much heavier, the frame and legs underneath have to be built stronger to carry it. MDF is a wood-based product and weighs far less to begin with. Either way, both styles land well under the load limit of most second-story floors. If you’re still choosing one, our best pool table brands guide covers the sturdiest builds for a home room.
Was My House Built to Code?
As long as your home was built to code and the table doesn’t push past that maximum load, your floor will hold it. Older homes are the exception. Some were built before current standards and may not handle as much added weight as a newer house.
If you want the precise capacity for your second floor, run the calculation above. To get your home’s per-square-foot limit, you’ll usually need the original blueprints, or you can look up the regulations set by your local government.
A Few Other Things to Check
There’s really no reason you can’t put a pool table upstairs, as long as the floor supports it and you can get it there safely. The harder part is usually the stairs, not the floor holding the weight. Measure your doorways and the turns on the way up before you commit to hauling a fully assembled slate table to the second story.
Worth checking out: If you’re shopping for a solid home table, take a look at the Barrington Billiards 7.5ft Table on Amazon.
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