There is a growing popularity of ping pong conversion tops nowadays. Everyone wants to keep himself physically fit and mentally fresh. A one-hour ping pong practice is more exciting than monotonous physical exercises to burn calories. And the more interesting thing is that, if you arrange a table topper, you need not go outside.
From another angle, having a table tennis conversion top can be very advantageous for quality time passing. Place it on your pool table or dining table and allow your friends, relatives, or family members to taste the excitement of ping pong in no time.
Let’s see the utility, positives, and negatives of the top 5 table tennis toppers to give you the platform for proper judgment.
Best Ping Pong Conversion Top for Pool Table: At a Glance
Image | Name | Size | Thickness | Material | Store |
 | JOOLA conversion top | Full Size (9'x5') | 5/8" (15 mm) | MDF | |
 | Butterfly conversion top | Full Size (9'x5') | 3/4" (19 mm) | MDF | |
 | Martin Kilpatrick Ping Pong top | Full Size (9'x5') | 3/4" (19 mm) | MDF | |
 | Rally and Roar ping pong top | Full Size (9'x5') | 5/8" (15 mm) | MDF | |
 | JOOLA Tetra ping pong top | Full Size (9'x5') | 1/2" (12 mm) | Particleboard |
What is a Table Tennis Conversion Top?
As the name suggests, a tabletop is basically a ping pong table without the underneath portions i.e. legs and wheels. It is a great way to utilize the space of the room by placing it over your pool table or dining table to enjoy the excitement of the game.
The downside is that these toppers are not meant for serious learning. You will never get the accurate height as per the ITTF guideline (76 cm) of a regulation table as the height of a billiard table is 81.3 cm which would end up messing up your gameplay.
Positives and Negatives of a Table Tennis Conversion Top
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. The best alternative of a ping pong table 2. Better utilization of space inside your room 3. You can manage it within a limited budget 4. Very easy assembly work 5. Less storage space is needed 6. A wide variety is available | 1. Not for serious learners 2. Needs frequent assembling and disassembling work 3. Not so durable as a table tennis table |
Buying Guide of a Table Tennis Conversion Top
Thickness
The thickness of all the table toppers ranges from 12 mm to 19 mm. The table thickness is the main criterion for selecting a conversion top. The higher the thickness, the better the ball bounces. So a 19 mm thick topper gives a more accurate and uniform bounce than a 12 mm tabletop.
Dimensions
The length and width of a full-size ping pong table are 9 ft and 5 ft respectively. Conversion tops equal to or close to that dimension give you a better experience than a small-sized topper.
Weight
You need to remove the topper from a billiards table frequently to keep engagement with both games. In this respect, the weight of a conversion top is an important factor for consideration. It will always be handy to go for a lightweight table topper.
Padding
When you are thinking of a conversion top that means you will utilize your pool table or dining table or any other structure as an undercarriage. So there is every possibility of damaging your precise pool/ dining tables by frictional contact. So always keep attention to good padding underneath the table topper.
There are various types of protective padding, it may cover the whole area beneath the conversion top, or it may be placed in distinct areas. There is also a provision for fixing the padding separately.
So whenever you buy a table topper, you should think about the structure on which it will be placed and accordingly consider the type of padding of the conversion top.
Best Ping Pong Conversion Top for Pool Table: Reviews
The following are the 5 best ping pong table conversion tops available in the market in terms of superior ball bounce, quality, and value for money for a better playing experience.
JOOLA Regulation Table Tennis Conversion Top
Specifications
- Dimensions: 9 ft x 5 ft
- Tabletop Thickness: ⅝” (15 mm)
- Frame Thickness: 40 mm (1.5″)
- Table Material: MDF
- Frame Material: Steel
- Weight: 117 lbs
- Color: Blue
JOOLA Regulation conversion top ranks 1st due to its capability of matching the perfect bounce needed for enjoyment, good constructional features, and an attractive price tag.
It’s a full-size (9’ x 5’) topper of 15 mm thickness with a multi-layer painted surface that gives a decent ball bounce.
Moreover, the topper is made with medium-density fiberboard (MDF) with multi-layer paint & silkscreen striping which smoothens the surface more and also adds durability.
The inclusion of a 40 mm (1.5”) steel metal frame gives the solid support to keep the surface flat for years to come. When this top is placed over a pool table, it looks like a full-size table.
To prevent scratching on your pool or dining table, a protective layer is maintained by 10 EVA foam pads.
The JOOLA regulation top consists of two halves which enhance portability. Just put the 2 halves on the pool table and attach the included clamp-style net. It only takes 5 minutes and you are ready to play.
The need for a conversion top is purely recreational and for that, a 15 mm topper is the ideal choice considering the requirement vs price ratio which is perfectly fulfilled by the JOOLA Regulation table top for placing over a pool table/ dining table.
Pros
- Full-size conversion top
- Sturdy steel frame support
- Well-built & good finishing
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Slightly heavy
Butterfly Ping Pong Conversion Top for Pool Table
Specifications
- Dimensions: 9 ft x 5 ft
- Tabletop Thickness: ¾” (19 mm)
- Table Material: MDF
- Weight: 150 lbs
- Color: Blue/ Green
The butterfly pool table conversion top has two equal parts with a thickness of 19 mm. This thickness is the highest for any table topper that is available on the market. A 19 mm thickness is good enough for accurate and consistent ball bounce for your ultimate pleasure.
The good thing is that this table top can be supported by a metal rail when placed on an 8 ft pool table. But the downside is that when the length of the pool/ dining table is more than 8 ft, you have to unscrew the metal rail.
Another good thing is that there is full coverage of foam protection underneath the topper which gives your pool table the ultimate protection.
The Butterfly ping pong conversion top comes with two color options, an included clip-on net system, and a 3-year warranty for better security.
Pros
- Good and consistent bounce
- Metal rail support
- Full foam protection
- Warranty: 3 years
Cons
- Heavy
- Higher price
Martin Kilpatrick Ping Pong Conversion Top for Pool Table
Specifications
- Dimensions: 9 ft x 5 ft
- Tabletop Thickness: ¾” (19 mm)
- Table Material: MDF
- Weight: 150 lbs
- Color: Blue/ Green/ Grey
Martin Kilpatrick conversion top is manufactured from the same factory as Butterfly and also has features very much identical to the Butterfly topper. With a regulation size of 19 mm (9’ x 5’) thickness and very good innovative features, it may be regarded as one of the best quality conversion tops for the use of pool tables.
This table topper has two identical halves and they are connected by dovetail joints so that you need not bother about sliding during a game.
A 1.5” metal rail is provided for better support which you can unscrew at your will. To keep the pool table free from scratch and chipping, 30 nos adhesive foam protective pads are included.
It is very easy to set the Martin Kilpatrick table topper. Place both halves on the pool table and slide the included net set on the sides of the table. That’s it, you are now ready to play.
Pros
- Good and uniform bounce
- Support for the conversion topper
- Minimum assembly time
- Dovetail joint for better security during play
- Attached net
- 3 years warranty
Cons
- Heavy
- High price
Rally & Roar Conversion Top
Specifications
- Dimensions: 9 ft x 5 ft
- Tabletop Thickness: ⅝” (15 mm)
- Table Material: MDF
- Weight: 98 lbs
- Color: Blue/ Black
It is a sturdy regulation-size conversion top from the US-based company Rally & Roar that has got great reviews on Amazon. The 5/8” thick table topper is made of professional-grade engineering wood and printed with silkscreen striping.
The size of 9’ x 5’ makes it possible to place over any air hockey or pool table. To protect the pool table/ dining table, padding of 3 mm EVA foams is provided underneath the table topper.
Pros
- Regulation size
- Smooth surface with silkscreen striping
- Sturdy and durable
Cons
- Heavy
JOOLA Tetra/ Best Ping Pong Conversion Top for the Money
Specifications
- Dimensions: 9 ft x 5 ft
- Tabletop Thickness: ½” (12 mm)
- Table Material: Particleboard with PVC laminate
- Weight: 85 lbs
- Color: Blue
JOOLA Tetra is a purely recreational conversion top that has full-size (9’ x 5’) dimensions but is only 12 mm thick which may be recommended only for enjoyment.
The main advantage of this top is that it has 4 equal halves that are connected by hinge joints. This not only makes it easy to assemble by simply clipping on the net but also takes less storage space due to the compact shape. Also, the presence of protective pads keeps your pool table free from scratches.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy to assembly (Only 3 minutes)
- Easy to handle
- Compact storage
- Pocket friendly
Cons
- Only 12 mm thickness
- No frame support
- Particleboard is not as good as MDF
Summary
To come out with the best solution, here are my recommendations:
JOOLA Regulation Table Tennis Conversion Top: With an affordable price, 5/8” MDF table surface, and 1.5” steel frame support, it gives you the best price-performance ratio.
Best Choice | JOOLA Regulation The best table tennis conversion top.
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JOOLA Tetra: For a limited budget, this full-size conversion top gives the best value for money only for recreational purposes.
Best Budget JOOLA Tetra Ping Pong Conversion Top
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I have tried to give my best knowledge to make your selection process easier. If you have any queries, let me know by entering the comment box below.
Thank you for your patience to continue till the end.
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