*This is a sponsored post by me for Lowes. They provided me with the means to make this DIY Ping Pong Table. However all statements and opinions are my own.
As my children have gotten older and their friends become more important and influential in their lives, we feel a growing need to spend time with our children AND their friends. So we try to find creative ways to encourage our children to want to invite their friends into our home.
Now…you don’t have to have an expensive home and all the latest gadgets to do so. But you do need to have some food (especially if they are teenage boys) and something for them that they enjoy doing. Well, my son loves to play ping pong with his buddies. And well, we didn’t have a ping pong table…or the real space for one to reside permanently.
So of course, I suggested we make a Ping Pong Table Top for the kids to use. I was a little bit concerned as to how the final product would actually work and if the ball would behave…well like a Ping Pong ball should behave…or if the kids would not enjoy using it. The good news is that it feels and acts just like a real Ping Pong table…just with a bit smaller dimensions. Hurray!!
I designed it to have a big Chalkboard on the back side of it for when it is not being used as a Ping Pong Table. When not in use, we prop it against the wall and the kids can use it as a chalkboard to play on. This way it is out of the way and STILL functional. Now, we don’t normally have it out on our back deck but down in the basement.
But it has been fun to bring it out onto the back deck when the kids friends are over and are hanging out together outside…and it is easy to do since it is portable. In fact all you need is a table and you can set up your Ping Pong Table wherever you want too. {We lay it on top of a blanket to protect the table top and the chalkboard}.
This was one of the easiest LowesCreator projects we have created.
You will need the following for this DIY Ping Pong Table project:
one 4 x8 sheet of MDF two 12 foot lengths of moldings for frame around chalkboard side Non-Sanded Grout Valspar Paint in eggshell finish in two colors (gray and white) Painter’s Tape Wood Glue Ping Pong Net Paint Brush/Roller Wood clamps chalk
We bought a 4 x 8 sheet of MDF. Then we cut off a foot off of the length so our final board measured 4 x 7. EASY! Then I simply painted the surface of the Ping Pong table with a Charcoal Gray Valspar Paint in an eggshell finish.
Then for the Chalkboard side of the table we added some Non-Sanded Grout to the same paint (in a separate container) to make our own DIY Chalkboard Paint.
Did you know you could do that? So easy. I shared the exact recipe for Homemade Chalkboard Paint here a couple of years ago: Homemade Chalkboard Paint. It is SO easy and you can buy the Non-Sanded Grout in the tiling aisle at Lowe’s.
I wanted a frame around the chalkboard instead of just having a board because I think it finishes it off so nicely…especially if it is going to be displayed against the wall of your home. Simply take your two 12 foot lengths of molding. We used a door frame molding for ours. There are so many fun options to choose from, but we got one that was a bit flexible to be able to move with the table when we carried it from one place to another.
Cut the moldings so they fit across the top, bottom and sides of the board and use a 45 degree cut on the ends so they match up like a picture frame around the corners. Glue with wood glue. Our favorite wood glue to use is Gorilla Glue. It works awesome!! Hold the molding in place with some wood clamps and let dry overnight.
Measure an inch around the entire Ping Pong Table side and then tape it off with Painters tape. Be sure you have a really good seal on the painting edge of the tape. I ran my fingers over it several times to be sure. This will create a nice crisp paint edge.
Then tape off a line down the exact middle of the length of the table. I made this the same width of an inch. You will need two strips of tape on each side with an inch of space in the middle that you will be painting white. Paint these taped off areas white. For best results, do not let your paint dry. Carefully pull up the tape while it is still a little wet. I find this allows the tape to come off cleanly without pulling up any paint.
Pick up a Ping Pong Table net that can be different sizes, and the paddles and balls. You can find them in a lot of different places.
Then welcome your kids friends into your home so you can get to know them. I am a huge believer in this. Hang around discreetly. It is a good way to get to know them and their friends. You might even begin to feel like they belong at your house all the time. They might even call you mom #2 and drink all of your orange juice in one sitting ;)!
And you can sit out on your back porch and learn a little bit more about what great friends your kids have and gain a little insight into the type of people your man children are growing into…sniff, sniff!
As always, I would love to know if you have any further questions about this project or if you build your own DIY Ping Pong Table. Happy Creating! xo
For more great ideas, you’ll love browsing through:
-
Creative Ideas Website – This isone of my favorite DIY Magazines, and it’s free!
-
Creative Ideas App– Download for quick inspiration.
-
Lowe’s Creative Ideas Pinterest Boards
-
Lowe’s Home Improvement on Instagram
-
Lowe’s Home Improvement on Facebook
*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Lowe’s provided me with a gift card to showcase a project this month as part of their Lowe’s Creative ideas Bloggers team. However all opinions and statements are mine.
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
Would you like more Recipes, DIY, Printables and Organization Ideas?
Subscribing to the newsletter will enable us to periodically send you creative content exclusively for Idea Room subscribers.
*View our Privacy Policy here.
Tina @ The Primitive Junkie says
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
You are so welcome. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop on by and comment!
love it! where did you get the table underneath? love it too:)
Love it! I have a few extra kids that call me mom. It’s amazing. Thanks for sharing!!
I love it! I bet your kids are thrilled!
Thanks Mindy. It really has been a lot of fun…although I don’t enjoy losing to my kids as often as I do :)
I LOVE it! That is an amazing idea!
Thanks so much Cindy!
Awesome idea!! I love having my kids friends hang out at our house. This is a perfect thing for my teenagers!! Hmmm….hubby just asked if there was any project he could do…he’s in need of a new project. Thinking this would be perfect!! (I know I could do it, but if he is willing, why steal his joy) Thanks for the awesome idea!!
There is no better way to bond with my two teenagers than playing a game or two in a week with them.
Actually we have come up with a gaming schedule every week. I always look forward to that time.
Snooker- Great idea!
I made one of these too, my children love it! The idea for the chalkboard on the back priceless, looks like I have a project for this week!!!
What a great idea! Love it. I think I see a trip to Lowes in the very near future. :)
Great Idea! I’m sending this to my husband. He needs to make one:-)
This is so adorable! I love how you made the backside a chalkboard- we don’t have any kids, but as two young newlyweds, I can see us getting a lot of use out of this! Especially since we live in an apartment and don’t have to take up valuable space with a full table.
With that being said- I was actually researching how to become a Lowes Creative Blogger and was directed to your website- could you tell me how you became one of those? Did they contact you or did you contact them?
Thanks for any info you could give me!
Too bad it’s not the correct dimensions of an actual ping pong table.
Yep! That’s the beauty of DIY! You can make it to your own wants and needs!
What thickness is the MDF? 3/4 or 5/8 of an inch.
I am thinking of doing this. I wonder if you could cut in half and use hinges to make it foldable.
I bet you totally could too! That would save a lot on storage space and make it so much easier to move around! Great idea!!
Also, we already have a chalk board so I am thinking of painting a checker and backgammon board on the back. Maybe I will even paint a poker table on one half. I am very excited about this idea. Thanks so much.
What did you use for the bottom of the table? How thick was the wood? Love it!
Thanks,
Ashley
This was cute but there are no directions on how to make the table stand. Also how would the table be stable if the legs are not attached. Also wouldn’t wouldn’t the legs scratch the chalk board? Just some tings I wanted say.
Where did u get that net? I’m looking for one that doesn’t extend out to the sides too much and can’t find one. This one is perfect. Thx!
Walmart :)
I love the dual purpose of the table and the color looks really authentic. This is a really great idea for a reasonably inexpensive price.
Thank You. It has been a ton of fun for our family!
Just wondering how much this cost to build. Trying to decide if it’s worth making vs. buying one!
Not sure, it has been awhile since I made it. Sorry!
Have been looking at ideas for a table top ping pong table and this has been the most helpful for ideas.
Two questions:
1. How thick was the MDF?
2. Why did you cut it down to 7 ft instead of 8 ft?
Great ideas. Love the idea to make use of the back.
Rob, the MDF is 1/2 thick and we cut it down to fit our table. You can leave it 4X8 if that is the size you are wanting. Great questions. Thanks!
Amy this is such a great project, I love that you made it a chalk board on the other side! Our foldable ping pong table cracked a few years ago and I have promised my kids I would DIY one ever since. Love how yours came out! Can’t wait to make one.
Thanks Lisa! I hope you do make one!
This is a great idea! A nice, affordable option for some fun at home.
Like you, my wife and I also want our home to be a fun place for our kids and their friends. Thanks for the instructions, maybe we’ll try it out.
Marc- Thank you!
Nice project! Love the idea of building your own ping pong table!
Rom- Thank you. We have had a lot of fun with it.
Hi Amy,
I am really impressed with this project. It is a creative idea to build a ping pong conversion top from the board.
I did one like yours before, but the ball didn’t bounce well! It looks like your board is pretty new, right?
Peter- Thank You!
hi, Great article
This is a very practical post, I love ping pong and I have a ping pong table at home but not DIY table My family usually play at the weekend.
Thank you your share
Lisa- Thank you so much!
Wow What an awesome project.
I will try this over the holiday with my kids!
Snookerly- I sure hope you do try making one of these. We have loved ours!
I intend to buy a Ping Pong Table for family entertainment. But your project saves my money. I try to build a one. Anyway thanks
Nakisha- I hope you try making one. We love ours!
Nice project! Love the idea of building your own ping pong table!
Kevin- Thank you! Hope you make one!
I was looking for a tutorial for making your own hard pool table top, and found this (literally the only thing I found even close..try it…search “DIY pool table top” on Pinterest…zilch!)…I love your idea to make a chalkboard on the other side!! So genius, and simple too…right up my alley! I was envisioning folding boards, etc…trying to think how it would be stored when not needed. But this is perfect…just lean against the wall and it looks like decor that is supposed to be there! And the table tennis option is the cherry on top for my project…I’m doing this for my husband’s birthday and he is going to LOVE it…he is all about playing with the kids like this and he’s not quite ready to let them use the pool table, but I know this is going to be a hit, especially this winter when they can’t play in the yard. Thank you for still having this up, I see it was published in 2013. Just wanted you to know it’s much appreciated.
Shea- So happy that this is what you were looking for! It has been so much fun for our family!