How much space you need

You can picture it already: the table in the middle of the living room, friends on both sides, the ball rattling into the goal. Before that evening happens, one practical question needs an honest answer. Does the table fit, with room to play?

The table itself is only part of the story. Players stand on both long sides, they lean, they step back when they shoot, and on most tables the rods come out of the cabinet on the far side. Here is how we calculate it for every model.

The two measurements that matter

Across the rods (the direction the players stand in):

• Minimum: width with rods + 2 x 60 cm
• Comfortable: width with rods + 2 x 90 cm

Along the table (from goal to goal):

• Length + 2 x 50 cm

The 60 cm per side is enough for a player to stand and play. The 90 cm per side lets players move freely and step back on a hard shot without touching the sofa behind them.

Telescopic rods need less

Telescopic rods never leave the cabinet, so there is no rod length to add. For these tables we use the cabinet width + 2 x 18 cm as the width with rods. The 18 cm per side covers the handles and the hands holding them.

Worked examples from our catalog

Garlando F-200 Maple, 145 x 74 cm, 125 cm with rods:

• Across: 125 + 120 = 245 cm minimum, 125 + 180 = 305 cm comfortable
• Along: 145 + 100 = 245 cm
• In short: about 2.5 x 2.5 m minimum, about 3.1 x 2.5 m comfortable

Garlando G-500 Pure White, 143 x 76 cm, telescopic rods:

• Width with rods: 76 + 36 = 112 cm
• Across: 232 cm minimum, 292 cm comfortable
• Along: 143 + 100 = 243 cm

Garlando Pro Champion, 150 x 76 cm, 125 cm with rods:

• Across: 245 cm minimum, 305 cm comfortable
• Along: 150 + 100 = 250 cm

The difference between the F-200 and the G-500 is only 13 cm across, but in a small apartment those centimetres can decide where the table goes.

Place it right

The numbers tell you whether a table fits. These points tell you whether it will be a pleasure to play:

• Hard, flat floor. Parquet, laminate, tile or concrete work well. Thick carpet lets the table sway. Leg levelers, where the model has them, give a perfectly flat playfield on a floor that is not perfect.
• Do not put the long side against a wall. That is where the players stand and where solid rods come out. The short goal ends can be closer to a wall, as long as you keep the 50 cm.
• Light from above. A ceiling light centred over the playfield lights both halves evenly and avoids shadows from the players. It also turns the table into the focal point of the room in the evening.
• Keep paths clear. Do not let the game block the way to the kitchen or the balcony. The comfortable measurement helps here.

Before delivery day

Check the way in, not only the room. Tables arrive packed, and the box is large: the F-200 Maple box is 135 x 80 x 34 cm, the G-500 Pure White box 150 x 80 x 34 cm. Measure doors, corridors, stairs and the lift. Weight matters too: the F-200 weighs 60 kg and the G-500 78 kg, so plan for at least two people to carry them.

For offices and venues

The same rule works for a meeting room or a bar. In public spaces we recommend the comfortable measurement, because people stand around the table to watch and walk past it all day.

Let us check your room

Send us the size of your room and a photo of the spot, and we will tell you which models fit and how to place them. Or start with our table finder quiz, which takes room size into account.

Find a table that fits in the catalog, or write to SKF with your measurements.