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Poker tables are central to any poker game – you cannot image a game without them! It is quite easy to find a wide variety of basic tables available for fair prices. However, if you're a serious poker player with very distinct and customized ideas on how a poker table should be, you just may want to try to build one yourself.

How and why you should make your own poker table

Making poker tables is a viable option for people who might find it difficult or expensive to ship them from abroad. It's also a viable option for those who have very specific or customized requests for how their poker table should look or be designed. Customizing a poker table from a 3rd part can be! By doing it yourself you can customize your table with your own color preferences and style, making it a serious statement at your next poker party.

Here's a step-by-step guide to making your own poker table. You may need to have a friend or two help you out.

1. Purchase the required supplies:
   There are a couple of standard supplies you will need before starting out. These include plywood, spray adhesive, screws, wood glue, white vinyl, felt of the color of choice and the size you prefer (usually 10 ft by 5 ft in size). You'll also need plenty of foam. In terms of the tools you'll need a jigsaw which is a tool for shaping wood. You'll also need a drill, sandpaper to smooth out the wood surface and staple gun. You may even want to pick up some wood paint to customize the table with decals.
2. The method:
   1. Cut the plywood according to the size you prefer.
   2. There needs to be an oval arc shape on one end of the wood.
   3. Sandpaper the edges to smooth them out.
   4. Put another layer of ply below the top layer. This will be larger than the top sheet. The perimeter should be a couple of inches wider than the top layer.
   5. Place the felt sheet over the top layer and cut to size. Then staple it tight onto the surface.
   6. Take the foam sheet you had bought and staple it to the surface over the lower layer of ply.
   7. Finish with a layer of lacquer on the surface.
   8. That's it – you're done!

Variants of poker tables: one for every occasion
Poker tables come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and there are many types available in the market nowadays:

1. Table tops:
   These are the tops of poker tables available as standalone parts. You can fix this to the top of your existing dining table to transform it into a poker table. Usually these come with features such as green felt surfaces and cup holders. Most of the table tops are not very expensive. Poker table tops offer great portability.
2. Folding tables:
   These are just like ordinary poker tables except that they're foldable. This makes for great portability and easy storage. These mostly come in octagonal and elliptical shapes, but occasionally you can find a more customized shape. Most foldable poker tables can accommodate up to 10 players at a time. If you happen to be a novice in the game you may not want to spend too much on a poker table or devote excess space to it. In such cases the folded variety works best.
3. Convertible types:
   These are actually sold as furniture pieces that allow for easy transformation. Usually one side of these tables will look like a standard dining table and when you turn it around, it will look like a poker table. These are more expensive than the folding varieties.
4. Casino types:
   These are highly sophisticated and professional looking. This is the common variety used in most casinos - as a result these poker tables are very expensive.

The Poker Throttle Team