Uh-oh – time is short, and you need to relocate your pool table as quickly as possible. The good news is, is that you have a roomy vehicle – i.e., a pickup truck. The question is, however, is your truck’s bed indeed big enough to fit your pool table inside of it? And if so, should you even try? So, will a pool table fit in a pickup truck?
The ability of your pool table to fit inside your pickup truck depends on the size of your pool table, the type of pool table, and your pickup truck’s bed size. In most cases, a specific long bed truck is just enough to fit an MDF pool table “as is” – that is at maximum 8 feet long or less.
OK…so then how do you know which kind of pool table you have? And which pickup trucks can fit your table inside its bed? Further, how can you safely move your pool table if you indeed have the right type, and the dimensions are all gravy? And lastly, should you even consider moving your pool table even if you could? Keep reading to find out!
- Just How Long Are Pool Tables
- Which Pool Tables Can Be Moved “As Is?”
- Truck Bed Sizes – Long, Standard, And Short
- Pickup Trucks That Can Fit An 8-Foot Or Smaller Pool Table
- Protecting Your Pool Table and Additional Logistics
- Even If Your Truck Bed is Big Enough, Should You Move Your Pool Table “As Is?”
- Conclusion
Just How Long Are Pool Tables
Standard pool table sizes range from 7 to 9 feet in length and are roughly 4 to 4.5 feet wide. Regulation style pool tables (the ones that are featured in billiards competitions on ESPN, etc.) are 9 feet.
A typical “home table” pool table will be 8 feet. And a 7-foot pool table is what’s known as your “bar box.” Unless you are absolutely set on practicing to become a billiards pro, a 7 or 8-foot table is generally OK. A pool table longer than 8 feet is unlikely to fit in the back of a pickup truck because long truck beds usually have a max length of 8 feet.
Which Pool Tables Can Be Moved “As Is?”
A good number of pool tables contain slate underneath the felt. This slate alone is the reason why pool tables can weigh roughly 1000 pounds or more in some cases.
Thus, if you own a standard, slate pool table, or a coin-slot machine table (as in a bar or arcade), even if it is 8 feet in length (or under, and thus can fit inside a long bed pickup truck), it is highly recommended that you do not move this table “as is.”
If you need to know how to tell if your pool table is slate or not then check this article out. It will help you determine the type if bed your pool table is.
You will need to either properly disassemble the pool table yourself or hire a professional mover to do so for you if you are pressed for time (as it is rather time-consuming).
The only kind of pool tables that may be moved without disassembly are MDF pool tables. Thus, if your pool table is not an MDF type – which uses fiberboard instead of slate – then do not even attempt to fit it inside your truck, even if you measured the dimensions and it fits. You read it on here – mark my words, it’s not worth it!
Truck Bed Sizes – Long, Standard, And Short
Truck bed sizes come in three categories: long, standard, and short. The longest truck beds currently on the market are generally 8 feet long max, or 96 inches. This means that if you do have a pool table that is longer than 8 feet, you will not be able to fit it inside of any pickup truck.
It will have to be fully disassembled (which as we mention above you should be doing anyways, save only if you have an MDF pool table). As most (if not all) pickup truck beds can easily handle a pool table’s width (between 4 and 4.5 feet), our concern is on the truck bed length, which must be at least 8 feet or 96 inches (which are the biggest truck beds on the market).
Therefore, considering you have an MDF pool table which can be easily lifted and hoisted onto a truck bed, which are the particular pickup truck models with the size to hold a 7- to 8-foot-long pool table?
Pickup Trucks That Can Fit An 8-Foot Or Smaller Pool Table
If your pool table is 8 feet or less, and you own a pickup truck with a long bed size, you can technically move your pool table “as is.” Which particular pickup trucks have bed sizes that are 8 feet?
They are (in size order) the:
- 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (bed length: 8 feet, 2 inches).
- 2019 Nissan Tundra (bed length: 8 feet 2 inches).
- 2019 Toyota Tundra (bed length: 8 feet, 1 inch).
- 2019 GMC Sierra (bed length: 8 feet).
- 2019 Ford F-150 (bed length: 8 feet).
Each of these pickup trucks will have bed sizes that will fit any pool table 8 feet or under. Each of these trucks have an option for smaller bed sizes, so make sure yours (or your friends’ or family’s pickup truck) holds the bigger bed.
Ideally, you want a pickup with a bit more additional room than 8 feet, as to allow for room for protective covering for your table as well as the bed (more on this below). Obviously, the bigger the truck, the more expensive it will be – in order to cover engine horsepower and other aspects. It should also be mentioned that pickup trucks are originally meant for transporting hard commodities – lumber, sand, gravel, etc. and not necessarily for luxury leisure equipment. Even if your pool table fits into one of the pickup trucks in the list above, we would urge you to think twice about transporting any thing other than a hard commodity!
Protecting Your Pool Table and Additional Logistics
OK, let’s say you have a pickup truck bed size that is adequate – 8 feet, 2 inches, and that you are also the proud owner of an MDF “home table” that is exactly 8 feet in length, and that can be easily lifted with only two people. Now what?
- Line the bed of your pickup truck with an old, heavy blanket, and/or bubble or plastic wrap. Ensure the sides of the pickup are all accounted for.
- Perform the same operation as above on your pool table – cover it completely with old/heavy blankets and/or bubble or plastic wrap.
- When putting the pool table into your truck bed, lift the front part of your pool table first – make sure the front legs are safely within the bed, before sliding the rest of the table in. (You will probably need a third person in order to do this without damaging the table.)
- When the pool table is safely placed into the truck bed, you can duct tape it in place – place the tape tightly over the top of the table and onto the truck bed railings. This ensures the pool table will be kept still and won’t jostle and hit the sides of the truck bed.
- When removing the pool table from the truck bed, use an additional third person (or more) to gently slide the table out safely.
Even If Your Truck Bed is Big Enough, Should You Move Your Pool Table “As Is?”
Short answer: most likely not. Unless you own a particular pool table such as an MDF table that is light enough to carry, it is best to completely disassemble it before moving. Most pool tables weigh roughly 1000 pounds due to the slate that lies underneath the felt playing surface. Therefore, it would take considerable manpower in order to hoist your table onto the bed of your truck, and then removing it afterwards. The risk of substantial damage is obviously quite high. Therefore, EVEN IF your pickup truck bed is large enough, it is best to simply hire a professional mover to disassemble and move your pool table for you. The only exception to this is if you own a lighter MDF pool table, that can be lifted easily.
One clear advantage to getting professional pool table movers to move a 3 piece slate is they are able to precision level the table it at its new location.
Conclusion
So, you should now be able to answer the question if indeed a pool table can fit inside a pickup truck.
As you have undoubtedly discovered, the answer is: it depends.
If a pool table is 8 feet or under in length, and you own one of the five pickup truck models in the list above with a long bed option, you can absolutely fit your pool table inside your pickup. But should you? Again, if your table is stone slate, the length will not matter – disassemble it, or hire a pro to do so.
If you own an MDF table, the probability of transporting your table “as is” goes up significantly, and you can most certainly do so. But why risk it? Even if your table can fit perfectly inside your pickup, it best to simply disassemble it. Save the pickup for the bricks and mortar and lumber and sand bags, and save your pool table for another day’s use!
Rob is an avid player and fan of all cue sports, particularly 8-ball, and snooker. He has competed in a few local 8-ball tournaments and although he is not a professional, he can compete with the best of them.
