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Just moved to a new place and have a little more room for my games.
Don’t have the tools; time or the talent to build my own game table.
Just wondering if anyone has found a nice cheap table that’s easily available
for purchase.
Plan to play table top, board games and RPGs on it. Also nice if it was
under one hundred dollars.

Try checking out your local Goodwill, they have furniture and at times some pretty large dinner tables and desks come through. You might also see if you can find a used office furniture dealer, you can get old conference tables for cheap.

Believe it or not, you probably do have the talent to build your own table. It's really pretty easy, if you can assemble these models we have, you can cut and nail a few pieces of wood together.

I went to a hardware store (either lowes or home depot) and got 2 folding picnic tables for under 100. Plus theyre slightly bigger than 6x4 so theres some inches for dice or measuring tape

I second a cheap 6x4 plastic fold out table. Stores easy, perfect size for a gaming matt. cheap.

6x4 tables aren't really a thing commercially. Your best bet is to buy 2, 6' x 30" tables and put a neoprene mat down on it. This will give you extra space to put models, books, dice, etc...

Id say 2 folding tables and a big 4x6 piece of plywood.

when not in use chuck the plywood into some storage space and you can still use the folding tables for just about any occasion.

 Genoside07 wrote:
Just moved to a new place and have a little more room for my games.
Don’t have the tools; time or the talent to build my own game table.
Just wondering if anyone has found a nice cheap table that’s easily available
for purchase.
Plan to play table top, board games and RPGs on it. Also nice if it was
under one hundred dollars.

Okay, your $100 limit isn't realistic for anything 'nice', And for table top games, you want something study, not just a 4x8 sheet of plywood on some folding furniture. People are going to lean on it or bump into it, which can send stuff flying if it's not securely built and decently heavy.

Building your own gaming table isn't really difficult. I'm an indifferent woodworker with minimal tools, but this took me an afternoon:

]
https://www.flickr.com/photos/52990657@N04/8382457246/sizes/l

Needed parts, tools and materials:
one 4x8 sheet of plywood, paint grade or better, 3/4" or thicker.
iron on wooden banding (it's basically a roll of wood with hot glue on the back, and it's optional, but it keeps the edges from producing splinters)
6-8 IKEA screw on, adjustable legs (more legs = more sturdy)
some scrap plywood to screw the leg plates to (so you can use longer, more secure screws - optional if you want to use short screws)
Cordless drill (with screwdriver bits)
Clothing iron (for wooden banding)
Boxcutter (to trim banding)
Wood file (to trim banding even better)
Fine sandpaper (to sand the table smooth)
Wood saw (to trim scrap plywood)
Gorilla Glue (to glue scrap plywood to bottom of table prior to screws)
Screws (shorter than the thickness of the table and scrap plywood combined)
Some manner of woodworking varnish, probably a polyeurethane.
Tac cloth (to wipe up dust - a damp cloth works as well, just allow for drying)
Brush to apply varnish

Assembly: Lay plywood on floor. Figure out where your legs will go - 6-8 inches from the edges is fine. Position scrap plywood and glue in place. Screw baseplates for legs into place. Attach legs, adjust length, flip table over. Attach wooden banding to edges, trim and file edges smooth, use sandpaper to smooth surfaces and open pores of the wood, wipe clean of dust and apply a coat of varnish. Apply second coat if you feel it needs it.

Really, I've had miniatures that were much harder to assemble than this table. The only tricky bit is the wooden banding, especially if you don't own an iron (borrow one!). Probably easier to get the banding without glue and use contact cement - but again, it's optional, you could just as easily wrap the edge in masking tape. Heck, you don't even need to varnish the table, it just protects it against spills.

Optionally, ask your friends if any of them do any woodworking. They'll probably jump at the chance to help on this sort of project.

I'd second the twin-folding table suggestions. However, there are cheap folding tables, and "nicer" folding tables. Cheap ones are indeed flimsy and nothing you want to use.

Avoid the $19.99 folding tables. I picked up two solid ones from Lowes, perhaps $40-45 a pop. They're sturdy, have crisp edges and provide a nice 6'x'5' playing surface when laid together. Also it helps they fold up and stack perfectly in the back of my car if I "needed" to transport a gaming surface.

Couple that with neoprene mats and you're good. I'd really avoid a more permanent solution unless you're building a dedicated game room or have a large garage with spare space and you enjoy building stuff. For something mobile, sturdy and easy ---- go with the twin folding tables.

Just avoid cheaping out on it.

130.00 ish bucks you can get a 5x8 ping pong table that splits into 2 5x4s that then collapse into 2.5x4 carryable cases.

Play small games. Play big games. Stick them under a bed, in a closet, behind a couch when your done.


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Ikea. *My* ikea solution was 6 small tables bolted together - small to fit through the loft hatch.

I used to have 2 old teachers desks but the better half stole them for pottery (sturdy!)

 Lance845 wrote:
130.00 ish bucks you can get a 5x8 ping pong table that splits into 2 5x4s that then collapse into 2.5x4 carryable cases.

Play small games. Play big games. Stick them under a bed, in a closet, behind a couch when your done.


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This is a great idea. Cheap, convenient and pretty easy to sell / get rid of if you decided to.

Also using a 5x8 with a 4x6 mat gives you extra table edge for models, dice, books, etc etc...

The issue I always have with a 4x6 table is you then need side tables to actually keep all your crap organized. One table to do it all is what I say.

Heck I have a secondary side table on top of my 6x5 Snacks man..you gotta have snacks!

I use a ping pong table myself with RoB's on it, but I have a buddy who uses ceiling tiles for modular on top of tables, at places like hobby lobby and lowes you can get what you need to make some epic boards really cheap (under $100)

I know you aren't in the UK , But in January I bought 3 of these camping tables on sale for £14 each delivered from sports direct, sadly they seem out of stock now.
they are 4X2 so laid out side by side with a painted tablecloth on top they make a fantastic table, a little lower than my old solution but this pleases my short other half ... a lot more than me.

https://www.campingworld.co.uk/en/gb/Gelert-Double-Folding-Table/m-6493.aspx


https://photos.app.goo.gl/MMGgMZ144bVinkGi2

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMMiuvKm1MCVYMojSihDDZe3ijUYyG6YDivBdMW

synthaside wrote:
I know you aren't in the UK , But in January I bought 3 of these camping tables on sale for £14 each delivered from sports direct, sadly they seem out of stock now.
they are 4X2 so laid out side by side with a painted tablecloth on top they make a fantastic table, a little lower than my old solution but this pleases my short other half ... a lot more than me.

https://www.campingworld.co.uk/en/gb/Gelert-Double-Folding-Table/m-6493.aspx


https://photos.app.goo.gl/MMGgMZ144bVinkGi2

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMMiuvKm1MCVYMojSihDDZe3ijUYyG6YDivBdMW

Nice deal

 John Prins wrote:

Building your own gaming table isn't really difficult. I'm an indifferent woodworker with minimal tools, but this took me an afternoon:

]
https://www.flickr.com/photos/52990657@N04/8382457246/sizes/l

Thanks for the guide. Looking for building one now. biggest issue being my home doesn't really fit that big on permanent basis :-/ That's why I have been trying to look for foldables etc. But those are rather pricey.

Ikea sells some 150x75cm table tops. Cheapest one should be Linnmon. Put three together and get some cheap solution for the legs or use trestles.

 Hanskrampf wrote:
Ikea sells some 150x75cm table tops. Cheapest one should be Linnmon. Put three together and get some cheap solution for the legs or use trestles.

Found 120cmx60cm ones. 3 of those would be enough but price is high enough foldable table from gaming mats starts to be more attractive as foldable is easier to store than 3 small tables. I would need to like put them on top of each other when not in use.

Seems I can either get cheap or one that's easy to store away. Not both. 1.8mx1.2m permanently isn't feasible for comfortable living.

What about 2 of these, 6 foot long by 2.5 foot wide two would give you 6X5 106 usd for the pair ... and trust me these will be much more sturdy than the gamemat EU one .

Plus they fold in half for storing behind the sofa ;-)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DOZTM3O/ref=sxbs_p13n_srt_5?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3480930722&pd_rd_wg=UgCI3&pf_rd_r=A51ZX2A1BFMR7SRV4NHY&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00DOZTM3O&pd_rd_w=rpUV8&pf_rd_i=camping+table&pd_rd_r=9559d613-3c77-4525-bc82-16f887ca6d94&ie=UTF8&qid=1517996245&sr=5

Then another 200€ for shipping...Plus 24% import fees for whole thing so I'm looking at 350€ or so total. Wee bit out of my budget.

edit: But this did remind me to check amazon and this one could be it:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nestling%C2%AE-Portable-Folding-Camping-Foldable/dp/B0107SLWOM/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1517998711&sr=8-14&keywords=folding%2Btable&th=1

2 of those for 136€ or so shipping included. Much more reasonable proposition. Durability is unknown though. Though if it holds even half as what it claims(100kg) at least weight won't be issue.

Oh i had a beer pong version of that.

they are ok though nothing you want to lean on.
then again you dont want to lean on most folding mechanical tables anyway

I own 3 folding 4x2 tables. The fact that they adjust to 4' height has saved my back more times than I can count. They were $27 a piece yesterday (6 February), so the price is definitely on the rise.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YJPC2A

I took two Walmart 72x30 tables and put them side by side. With my neoprene mat over them there is barely a bump, about as much as you get in cloth mats that get wrinkles, and works great.

Another vote here for 3 folding 4x2s gives you the option to do 4x4 for small games and 6x4 for larger and they dont take up much space when folded. Mine were from ebay about £15 each.

tneva82 wrote:

 John Prins wrote:

Building your own gaming table isn't really difficult. I'm an indifferent woodworker with minimal tools, but this took me an afternoon:

]
https://www.flickr.com/photos/52990657@N04/8382457246/sizes/l

Thanks for the guide. Looking for building one now. biggest issue being my home doesn't really fit that big on permanent basis :-/ That's why I have been trying to look for foldables etc. But those are rather pricey.

Note the legs are REMOVABLE. Take off legs, prop up against a wall, takes 2 people a couple minutes to take down and set up. Also, you can ask the place you buy the plywood from to cut it into 4x4 squares. Then you need 4 legs per table, but the exact same procedure works, I've done this in the past as well (my 4x4 tables were given to friends once I had room for a 4x8).

 John Prins wrote:
Note the legs are REMOVABLE. Take off legs, prop up against a wall, takes 2 people a couple minutes to take down and set up. Also, you can ask the place you buy the plywood from to cut it into 4x4 squares. Then you need 4 legs per table, but the exact same procedure works, I've done this in the past as well (my 4x4 tables were given to friends once I had room for a 4x8).

Removable by how? IKEA screw one sounds like it would be taken out by literally taking screws out. That sounds that if you do it several times a month would eventually wear the plywood out. Maybe I'm just being paranoid but I worry how the screw holes would look after repeated screw in, screw out.

edit: Also price might not be that cheap compared to this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nestling%C2%AE-Portable-Folding-Camping-Foldable/dp/B0107SLWOM/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1517998711&sr=8-14&keywords=folding%2Btable&th=1

136e total. For self made 12e per leg, 40e for 8'x4' board. IF I do 4' wide with 4 legs each that adds to 136e or so. And doesn't include any painting, side edges etc. Albeit 2 feet extra but can I FIT that! Might have to settle for 2 3' parts which still costs same(plus about 2' spare)

Tough one. Guess I should measure my room bit more to see if 8' fits at all. If not self-made has little benefit. MAYBE durability compared to folding one but again wear to screw holes is worry.

My solution (because I had them lying around) was cheap, hollow core folding closet doors. They are designed to cover an opening about 4x7 and come with two pairs of aprox 1x7panels, each attached by a hinge. They're lightweight and yet rigid and sturdy. Sounds really big in terms of strage, but if you have an area for storage with a footprint of about a foot square you can simply fold them and stand them up in the closet/porch/basement.

If bought new they will run you close to $80 but the standard flat front versions are often upgraded, so put an ad on craitslist and you'll probably find some easily for a fraction of that

When it's time to game I put a cloth on top of my kitchen table, two 4 foot pieces of wood to support the panels and just lay the panels (which I painted with white housepaint and then sandstone texture spray paint) on top of that.

Looks like this:


and this.



and you can even get crazy and put them end to end to do a road chase game like this.

I have 3x 2’x4’ mdf boards that I glued woodland scenics vinyl grass mats onto. They make a 4x6 playing surface. I put them on my basement game table (normal dinner table).

I now roll a FAT mat on top, city scape pattern from FLG.

tneva82 wrote:

 John Prins wrote:
Note the legs are REMOVABLE. Take off legs, prop up against a wall, takes 2 people a couple minutes to take down and set up. Also, you can ask the place you buy the plywood from to cut it into 4x4 squares. Then you need 4 legs per table, but the exact same procedure works, I've done this in the past as well (my 4x4 tables were given to friends once I had room for a 4x8).

Removable by how? IKEA screw one sounds like it would be taken out by literally taking screws out. That sounds that if you do it several times a month would eventually wear the plywood out. Maybe I'm just being paranoid but I worry how the screw holes would look after repeated screw in, screw out.

The ones I got had a base plate, that screws into the wood, and the leg has a single large bolt that threads into the base plate. So you literally twist the legs off, 3-4 turns and it's off. Each leg is also height adjustable, which allows you to level the table if your floor isn't perfect.