A foosball table is typically set up in a games room perhaps in your basement or living room. Once set up, it’s not something that you will move around very much if at all. A foosball table usually weighs between 120 lbs and 230 lbs so it’s least a two person job to move it when assembled.
If you’re moving a foosball from one room to another, there’s a chance you can move it assembled depending on how heavy it is and the size of the doorway. Moving a foosball up or down stairs will at a minimum require the legs to be removed and possibly the bars too.
How to move a foosball table is largely dependent on several factors that we’ll talk about below:
- How far are you moving your foosball table?
- How heavy is your foosball table?
- Are you moving the foosball table up or down stairs?
- Are you relocating the table or throwing it out?
Let’s take a closer look at your options depending on your personal situation.
How far are you moving your foosball table?
Does your foosball table have to fit through a narrow doorway to move it to the desired location? The typical American doorway has a height of 80″ and width of 36″ but widths of 30″and 32″ are common, too. Since a typical foosball table has dimensions of 56″ L X 30″ W X 36″ H, it’s a toss up whether it’ll fit through your doorway in one piece.
The legs of the table are usually the problem are far as dimensions go. While you can theoretically tilt an assembled foosball table sideways to fit it through a doorway, the bars (rods) will quickly slide down and hit the floor unless they’ve been removed, taped down or otherwise secured.
If you’re moving the foosball table from one part of a room to another with no doorway or steps, chances are you and a second person can shift the table assembled.
Once you have to go through a doorway however, you’ll probably be looking at removing at least the legs to lighten the weight and lessen the dimensions.
Tip: If you want the option to move your foosball table from one room to another or even just want one that is more compact, consider a foldable foosball table to save space.
How heavy is your foosball table?
Foosball tables usually weigh around 120 lbs for an average table and up to about 230 lbs for a sturdier professional table.
Some foosball models can weigh much more however which will only make it more difficult and challenging to move fully assembled.
While an intact foosball table can be moved a few feet back and forth with help from at least one other person, long distances, stairs and doorways make it less likely you’ll be able to move the table in one piece should the need arise.
Are you moving the foosball table up or down stairs?
Having moved a foosball table downstairs after buying it and again upstairs when I moved houses, I can tell you from personal experience that removing at least the four legs is pretty much a given. I had an average size foosball table but a circular staircase and it was too big to bring down in one piece.
In actuality I moved it twice because the first time was from the second floor apartment of the guy I bought it from to my house.
Since I had purchased the table used, there was no box and it had previously been set up completely. When I bought it online and went to pick it up, I removed the legs and bars and was able to bring the table into my basement in three pieces essentially: The table itself, the four legs and the rods which were in a large bag.
Are you relocating the table or throwing it out?
This is important because whether you’re keeping the table or throwing it out can dictate how careful you are when moving your foosball table.
After about 4 years of use, I threw out my foosball table when I moved to a new house. The table was in rather rough shape – the four legs were damaged and a bit wonky, there was a large crack on the table near one goalie, some support bolts had lost their threading – and I figured it wasn’t worth keeping.
It was in the basement and meant it had to come up one flight of steps. While I first thought I could get by with just the legs coming off, you quickly realize the challenge of moving such a heavy item with rather large dimensions in a tight space.
My wife and I did try to carry it upstairs intact with just the legs removed but as mentioned above, the rods wouldn’t obey and kept falling down due to gravity. So we tore part of one end of the table off – it was very loose already – which lightened the weight slightly, tilted the table so that the rods were parallel with the floor, and managed to lift it upstairs to be thrown out.
Now if you’re planning on keeping your table which I imagine you are, you want to take as much care as possible to avoid damaging either your table or your basement walls. In this case, it’s best to remove all four legs and probably the rods as well to not only lighten the load, but to ensure the table and walls of your home aren’t damaged as you’re moving the table.
Summary
How to move foosball table largely depends on specifics related to your personal situation. Namely, the weight and dimensions of your foosball table, how far you’re moving the table and whether or not you will be moving the table on a staircase.
If you have to disassemble your foosball table, be sure to follow the instructions from the table manufacturer. In general terms, be very careful when disassembling the legs because they support all the weight of the table. It’s easier and safer to have someone help you take the legs off by first lifting and then tilting the table on its side (one end of the table down) so that the weight is off the legs. Then you can take the legs off.