Glass surface for playing table tennis?

[shawn20007]

Hi,
Our family doesn't play table tennis much but we just put in a large deck and I'd love to get my three girls into it as a hobby. My wife won't accept the aesthetics of a ping pong table on the deck, though, and the joola looks great but gets terrible reviews on amazon.

I"m thinking of getting a custom parsons table with a glass surface the size of a ping pong table.

Would playing on glass be materially worse than a typical wood (or concrete) surface? Are there any other considerations we should think of?

Thanks

 

[lodro]

Hi,
Our family doesn't play table tennis much but we just put in a large deck and I'd love to get my three girls into it as a hobby. My wife won't accept the aesthetics of a ping pong table on the deck, though, and the joola looks great but gets terrible reviews on amazon.

I"m thinking of getting a custom parsons table with a glass surface the size of a ping pong table.

Would playing on glass be materially worse than a typical wood (or concrete) surface? Are there any other considerations we should think of?

Thanks

you might want to etch or sandblast the surface lightly to break the gloss.

after that it only depends on availability of the glass and how you want to support the very heavy (maybe 10mm thick ?) plate glass, ideally of the laminated
variety

 

[ricospin]

I think there are more fashionable tables than an official Tt table.

glass table- I wouldn’t think it would play well. Feedback and spin and whatever, there’s a reason why you don’t see it.

 

[shawn20007]

Thanks for the feedback -- if others can suggest good options i'd be glad to hear it.

The key constraint is we get decent amounts of rain in the summer. So glass could handle that, but most other wood-based surfaces could not.

I suppose a sheet of aluminum, but I think that could corrode...

 

[ricospin]

Thanks for the feedback -- if others can suggest good options i'd be glad to hear it.

The key constraint is we get decent amounts of rain in the summer. So glass could handle that, but most other wood-based surfaces could not.

I suppose a sheet of aluminum, but I think that could corrode...

I think there I’ve seen a stone Tt table. Looks good gets the job done. Probably expensive tho given it’s an outdoor table

 

[DukeGaGa]

I think there I’ve seen a stone Tt table. Looks good gets the job done. Probably expensive tho given it’s an outdoor table

I very much doubt it’s stone, considering stone surface would be hard to get flat if you use multiple smaller stones to construct the table, and it might be impossible to find a tt table size stone. The ones I’ve seen and used when I was a kid were just concrete + brick tables, easy and cheap to make.

As for glass tt tables, I would highly recommend against it, as it’s pretty common for a beginner to hit the tables, especially on the edges and corners, which is the weak spot of laminated glass. If you’re just trying to get your kids into playing as a hobby, why not consider getting a normal table, then buy one of those tt table tops such as this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D9QR7TY it’s good enough for some hobby play and can be put away in seconds.

 

[brokenball]

Adam Bobrow wouldn't like it. Imagine his snake shot not jumping to the side because of the almost friction-less glass. I would NOT USE GLASS. Plexiglass maybe if I didn't care about the friction. Plexiglass would not shatter.

 

[JHB]

How about one which can be folded away and put under a waterproof cover when it's not in use ?

 

[DukeGaGa]

How about one which can be folded away and put under a waterproof cover when it's not in use ?

Most tables that aren't tournament level equipment (i.e. home use) can be folded or split into two halves and put away, so pretty sure that's not the OP's looking for.

 

[lodro]

Adam Bobrow wouldn't like it. Imagine his snake shot not jumping to the side because of the almost friction-less glass. I would NOT USE GLASS. Plexiglass maybe if I didn't care about the friction. Plexiglass would not shatter.

which is exactly why in post #2 i suggested : etch or sandblast the surface lightly to break the gloss.

I can personally not see why a glass table could not be build.
Practicability of the animal is a completely different kettle of fish of course.........still : ""QED""