Looking for buying a ping-pong table and confused? You must have been, as there are a lot of brands selling a wide range of Ping-Pong tables and choosing the right one is not an easy task at all. Ping-pong is emerging a favorite sport and a perfect gamification for the corporates.
Well, there are too many types of the table you might find in the store. However, the main categories in which the tables are classified is indoor tables and outdoor tables. And you might be puzzled with what to buy. And even if you’re clear about what to buy, you need to know the difference between the two in order to take care of the Ping-Pong table without damaging it unknowingly.
In this article, I am going to discuss what should be your choice according to your requirement. So, let’s see how both the types of Ping-Pong tables differ from each other and what sense it makes.
Difference Between Indoor Table and Outdoor Table
The main difference is, of course, the place where you’re going to place it for playing, indoor or outdoor. The major difference after the placement of the Ping-Pong table is the material used in the making its surface.
Well, the surface of the outdoor table is made up of the composition of wood, metal, and plastics, whereas, the surface of the indoor table is mainly made up of wood. There are the reasons behind it and will talk more about that later.
Not to mention the price difference between them. Generally, outdoor tables are more costly. Because of the sturdiness, they have to have to withstand the outdoor atmosphere and the environmental conditions making it costlier.
Who Should Buy an Indoor Table?
Table tennis is the sport played indoors. All the tournaments and competitions take place in an enclosed region, for an instance, a big hall. The point is they are placed the way that they are not under the direct influence of weather conditions, direct sunlight, wind, rains etc.
If you’re buying a ping-pong table for practicing the sport, your choice should be the indoor one. An outdoor table has surface different than the indoor ones which affect the spin, bounce and many other gameplay factors.
Do not think of buying an outdoor one if you want to brush up your ping-pong skills. However, if you do not have an indoor space to place the table, you won’t have the choice but to buy an outdoor one. Well, there’s a hack for this too. (more on that in the later section)
Who Should Buy an Outdoor Table?
An outdoor table is meant for fun. Well, you might be wondering a sport is after all a fun for a sports enthusiast, right? I am talking about something else. Think of a casual meetup with your friends, your colleagues, or your cousins over drinks and ping-pong. Outdoor tables are just for fun, no serious technical games.
First off, the surface is different in both the tables, so obviously, the factors depending on the surface are going to vary. Even if you’re ok with the varying factors, wind can be your foe while playing it outdoors. Well, if you ask me, I would enjoy the wind if it interrupts the game in my favor and scoring against my friend.
Rain is a devil if you want to play ping-pong outdoors. However, you can enjoy the game in a light drizzle. Well, I am a person who loves to enjoy the rain than playing ping-pong when it’s raining.
If you do not have enough indoor space and want a ping-pong table more for fun, an outdoor one is a perfect choice. It comes with a concrete surface too, which makes it more resistant to weather conditions.
Can You Use Indoor Tables Outdoor?
Yes, you can. But with some restrictions. First off, keep in mind that indoor tables are not made to resist the outdoor weather conditions. Even exposure to the direct sunlight for an hour or so can warp your table. However, there are no differences in the dimensions of both.
So, if you’re thinking of using your indoor table regularly in your garden, you will end up damaging it. Occasionally when you get bored of playing inside, you can take your table outside, play a game or two and get back inside. This works. But again, do not play in scorching direct sunlight or even in a light drizzle. Both can warp your table.
Indoor tables are generally light in weight and easily movable. If you have enough space to place an indoor table but also can’t dedicate the space permanently, you can go for a foldable one. Assemble it when you want to play, and fold it when you’re done playing.
One more way you can use indoor tables outdoor is, you use it under a shade. I have a foldable one at my house and I sometimes use it in my garage.
The EndNote
I hope you’re now enlightened with the difference between indoor tables and outdoor tables. Definitely, never ever you should buy the outdoor table for indoor purposes. And if at all you want to use the indoor tables outside, keep the caveat in your mind.
There are plenty of ping-pong tables available in the market. Don’t go for a professional costly table if you’re just a beginner. You won’t even be able to distinguish between a cheap one and a costly professional one. A better option if you choose the best ping pong table according to your needs and when you become more interested and pro, replace the table with more features.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.