How to Get Rid of a Pool Table

• Donate the pool table to a charity or a thrift outlet like Goodwill or The Salvation Army, which often offer courtesy pickup services.
• Sell the pool table to a local buyer on Craigslist or eBay to make some return on your investment, or just give it away to free up space.
• Check your city’s large-item pickup schedule and leave the pool table on the curb for waste management, or take it to the dump with the help of some friends.

Ways to Get Rid of a Pool Table

Donate the pool table to a charity if it’s in decent condition. National charities like The Salvation Army or Vietnam Veterans of America gladly accept all sorts of secondhand furniture so long as it’s not too beat up. What’s more, they often let you schedule a courtesy pickup within 48 hours, so much of the work is done for you. Not only that, but they often provide tax receipts, so you can write the donation off on your taxes. You might also call local nonprofits or other good causes like furniture donation warehouses, retirement homes, or community centers to see if they’d like it. They may not offer pickup, but it’s a good way to rehome your pool table and give to the community.

Sell the pool table on Craigslist or eBay to make some quick money. If you’re looking to put some money in your pocket (pun intended), selling your pool table on Craigslist or listing it on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or another auction site is a great way to make a buck. Just be sure to provide plenty of photos and a thorough description of its condition so that buyers know it’s a good deal. Used pool tables can sell for several thousand dollars depending on their condition, or more if they’re antiques or designer. Browse these sites for similar pool tables to get an idea of how to price yours. Also, make sure to specify that it’s for local sale and pickup only. Having to ship an old pool table cross-country might be more trouble than it’s worth.

Give the pool table away online or to a friend. If you need to move the table in a hurry and don’t care much for money, or if it’s not in good enough condition to sell, consider giving it away for free. List it on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for no cost, or call your friends, family, and coworkers to see if anyone in your network will take it. Or, list it on a local swap site like Freecycle.org, where neighbors give away and trade disused items. Post flyers in your workplace or around town to advertise the sweet deal and expand your reach.

Take the pool table to the dump or have it picked up by a removal service. If your pool table is worse for wear, it might be time to simply trash it. You might disassemble your pool table and take it to the dump yourself. Or, most cities have designated large item pickup days, where the waste service hauls away bigger pieces of furniture. Check your local government’s website or call the municipal waste management to get a calendar of these days. Or, hire a professional, private large item removal service to have someone come get the table for you. This service may cost anywhere from $275-$400 or more, however. Some recycling plants may also accept pool tables, if you’d like to go a more eco-friendly route.

Repurpose or upcycle your pool table to make something new. A slate slab usually hides just under that green felt, which has loads of possibilities for upcycling. Use the slate to make a DIY countertop or a sturdy surface for a workbench. Or, simply pull up the felt and disassemble the railing to make a classy industrial bar or a sensible and stately centerpiece table. You might also use any wood from the table in other DIY projects, like building cabinets or making smaller tables. If the table’s not totally toast, you might re-felt it and polish the wood to refurbish it, giving it new life in your home (or making extra cash on a resale).

Disassembling a Pool Table

Remove the pocket nets with a staple remover. On most pool tables, the pockets are held in place with sturdy staples underneath the table. Put on some eye protection (to shield you from falling staples), lie on your back, and pop those staples out with a heavy-duty staple remover or a flathead screwdriver. Place the staples in a cardboard box and dispose of them in the trash. If you plan to reassemble the table later, you’ll need to re-staple it, anyway.

Unscrew and remove the rails. Use a socket wrench to loosen and remove the bolts on the underside of the rails, and save these in a labeled plastic bag. Then, slide the rails off the table and wrap them in an old blanket or other padded material to keep them safe. You may also need to remove other loose parts, like pocket cups. If you’re disassembling the table to trash it, there’s no need to wrap anything up. Otherwise, work carefully to preserve the table’s parts, and keep everything organized.

Remove the table’s felt with a staple remover. Pool table felt is often stapled in place under the rails. In which case, use a staple remover or a flathead screwdriver to remove the staples, then fold up the felt and set it aside. If the felt is glued down, gently lift it at the edges, pulling it back rather than up or forward, to avoid stretching it out. If the felt is especially worn, however, feel free to just rip it out and refelt the table later.

Remove the slate slabs from the tabletop. Use a power drill to unscrew the slate slabs from the base of the table. Work one by one, releasing one slab at a time, and keeping the screws in labeled plastic bags. Then, grab 4-5 capable friends to help lift and place the slabs on the ground, on top of an old blanket or other padded material to wrap up. Be warned that these slate pieces can weigh 250 pounds (110 kg) each, or even 800 lb (360 kg) if it’s a single piece, so work cautiously and don’t overstrain yourself. Slate, while heavy, is also extremely brittle, and will likely crack if dropped. Be sure you have enough hands to help you lift and move it.

Disassemble the frame of the table. Now all that’s left are the table’s frame and legs. Flip the table over and take the legs off—they may be secured by screws or bolts, so use a screwdriver or a socket wrench to take them off, keeping any hardware, as always, in a labeled plastic bag. Wrap the legs in an old blanket or bubble wrap for when you move the pool table to a new location. When it comes time, rebuild the pool table in the reverse order in which you disassembled it—put the legs and frame back together, slot in the slate, staple in the felt, then add the rails and pockets.