Last Updated on September 4, 2021
Just like any other thing in table tennis, there are rules and everything has its way.
International Table Tennis Federation takes care of the table tennis rules, but it also takes care of things such as standards.
Not long time ago, ITTF had ping pong ball standard of 38 mm, however, they’ve recently changed it to 40 mm.
The same thing goes for the ping pong tables.
There are tables of different dimensions, and it’s okay to play on them, however, in any serious tournament you will see the tables of the exact dimensions that have been ITTF approved.
But what is the standard ping pong table size actually?
Keep on reading and you will find everything you need to know.
Why Ping Pong Table Dimensions Matters In The World of Ping Pong?
If there were no official standard rules of ping pong table dimensions, we wouldn’t be able to always play on the same size table on tournaments, which might bother many players.
Professional table tennis players train, practice, warm up and then play official matches on official tables that are approved by ITTF.
By playing constantly on the table of the same dimensions, you have the ability to be more efficient in your training and be more precise.
Just like any other sport, for example, football, the field always is the same size no matter which stadium you visit.
You might be wondering, why are there ping pong tables of different dimensions out there?
There are ping pong tables that are a little bit larger in size than standard official table tennis dimensions, and they are mostly used for training on the robot.
Other less known brands will sometime make amateur ping pong tables without following official ITTF dimensions, however, they’re still perfectly fine for amateurs and beginners.
What Is The Standard Ping Pong Table Size?
Official ITTF ping pong table dimensions are 9 ft (2.74 m) long, 5 ft (1.52 m) wide, and 2 ft 5 (76 cm) high.
If you go shopping for table tennis from well-known brands such as Butterfly or STIGA, you will always get a table of the dimensions mentioned above.
However, if you decide to go particularly for a table that is made to be used for practice or robot practice, you will most likely get a little bigger ping pong table.
However, that’s not a bad thing, and it can absolutely be used for coaching and local league.
On competitions that such as national, international, and world championship & Olympic games, you will find tables of the official dimensions.
Whether they come from a same or different brand, they all need to be the same dimension.
Other than a table, there are many other things that are being considered at the professional level that you might haven’t even thought about.
Those things are playing area space, type of the floor, room temperature, and even a wall color.
There are even rules for the barriers that are placed in between the tables in multi-table venues.
It might sound too much, however, all of it is done to accommodate the players and set the rules of professional table tennis world.
How To Know a Ping Pong Table Dimensions?
When you are purchasing a ping pong table, it depends on the store you are purchasing it from, but most tables will most likely have the dimensions mentioned somewhere.
If not, you can simply use a measuring tape and measure the table to see if it matches official dimensions or not.
However, if you already have a ping pong table at home and you are unsure if the dimensions match the official ITTF standards, simply measure your table, and you will know the answer.
To always be up to date, I would highly recommend you to visit ITTF official website where you can find all the rules and standards.
You will be able to find ping pong table official standard dimensions, and you will be able to find everything else related to ping pong that matters on a professional level.
If you are unhappy with the dimensions of your table, you can always look for another table that has dimensions of standard official ping pong table.
Although, if you are a beginner or amateur to intermediate ping pong player, you shouldn’t let the dimensions bother you that much for now.
Conclusion
It mostly depends on which level you are playing ping pong and how seriously you take it.
If you are playing in a local club and in the local league, the table dimension rules might not be applied.
However, if you reach up to the higher levels of ping pong, you will notice that the official ITTF rules and standards are being applied more.
Now you know the official ITTF ping pong table dimensions, and you know how to measure your table to see if it matches.
How well do you know ITTF standards and rules? Have you ever visited their official website?
This is an interesting article. I was introduced to ping pong as a child when my dad made a homemade table for us on saw horses, set it up in the garage, and surprised the family Christmas morning. My oldest sister was his favorite opponent. My dad had polio as a child and this was his sport. Even with one leg 2 inches shorter than the other, he dominated! I now have a friend with Parkinson’s. I read an article that ping pong can be very therapeutic for those who suffer with Parkinson’s. We want to get a table for our church so this woman has an opportunity to play. We live in a small town and our rev center’s table is broken. I would love a recommendation as to what type table to get. Would a smaller one impede her game?
Hey Bev. I love hearing stories like yours where the passion and enjoyment for the game started young and has continued. I would love to advise you regarding your friend but I have to admit I am not an expert on Parkinson’s disease. I did a little research online and from what I can see the main thing to consider is falls risks. Given that I do not see any issue with a smaller table. If your church has an occupational therapist as part of your congregation perhaps they can provide more detailed advice. Beyond that I would see a table that is sturdy enough to be used as a stabilizer for your friend would be best – you do not want one that has movement if she needs to use it for support. You can see our reviews of tables here: https://www.pingpongexperts.com/category/ping-pong-tables/