Baizewick guide
Games room flooring: what works for pool, darts and table tennis
The best floor depends on the game. Pool tables want a flat, firm base. Darts needs protection where darts land. Table tennis needs grip for quick footwork.
Start with a flat, dry floor
Whatever goes on top, the floor underneath must be dry and reasonably flat. A table’s levelling feet can take out small variations, but not a slope. Garage floors often fall towards the door for drainage, and old suspended floors can dip in the middle.
Check with a long spirit level in several directions before you choose a finish. Self-levelling compound or a raised floor can correct a concrete base. Sort out any damp first: cloth, MDF and timber all suffer in damp air.
Flooring options compared
| Floor | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Low-pile carpet or carpet tiles | Pool and snooker; warmth and quiet | Deep pile lets heavy table legs sink and shift level. Darts damage it. |
| Sports or heavy-duty vinyl | Table tennis and mixed use | Needs a smooth subfloor. Protect it from dropped steel-tip darts. |
| Laminate or engineered wood | General rooms and pool tables on leg cups | Dents under heavy point loads; slippery for table tennis in socks. |
| Rubber tiles | Garages, darts areas, kids’ rooms | Can smell at first; check it is suitable for indoor use. |
| Sealed or painted concrete | Garages on a budget | Cold and hard; dropped darts blunt and bounce. |
| Rugs over a hard floor | Softening a seating area | Never under only part of a pool table: it will rock. |
Under a pool or snooker table
A heavy table puts a lot of weight through a few legs. On carpet, choose a low, dense pile so the table settles and stays level. On a hard floor, use leg cups or pads to spread the load and stop scratches.
Put the table on one surface. If two legs sit on carpet and two on wood, it will drift out of level. Re-check the level a week or two after installation, once the table has settled. Our levelling guide shows how.
Darts: protect the landing zone
Missed darts land on the floor under the board and around the oche. Steel tips mark wood and vinyl and are blunted by concrete and tiles.
An oche mat protects the floor, marks the throw line and gives players a consistent footing. Fit a surround on the wall too. The dartboard setup calculator tells you where the oche mark goes.
Table tennis: grip and bounce
Table tennis is a footwork game. A firm, slightly grippy surface is best, which is why sports halls use sports vinyl or sprung wood. Thick carpet slows movement, and polished laminate can be slippery.
In a garage, interlocking sports or rubber tiles are a practical upgrade over bare concrete. See our table tennis space guide for how much room to allow.
Underfloor heating
Underfloor heating makes a games room comfortable, but check with the heating installer and the floor-finish maker before putting a heavy table on top. Some finishes and rugs reduce how well the heat comes through, and the maker’s limits for heavy loads should be followed.
Noise
Rolling balls, dropped darts and air hockey blowers carry through floors. Carpet, rugs in seating areas and an underlay all help. For a room above a bedroom, plan for sound as well as looks.
Common mistakes
- Laying new flooring on a floor that is not flat, then expecting the table to level it out.
- Putting a pool table half on a rug and half on a hard floor.
- Choosing deep-pile carpet under a heavy table.
- Leaving the floor under the dartboard unprotected.
- Fitting flooring before the damp problem is fixed.
Questions
What is the best flooring for a games room?
For a pool table, a flat, firm floor with low-pile carpet or a hard floor and leg cups. For table tennis, sports vinyl. For darts, any floor with an oche mat. In a mixed room, carpet tiles or vinyl with mats in the darts area is a practical compromise.
Can you put a pool table on carpet?
Yes. Low, dense carpet is fine and common. Avoid deep pile, which lets the legs sink unevenly, and re-check the level once the table has settled.
How do I protect my floor from darts?
Use an oche mat or a rubber mat under the board and around the throw line, and fit a surround to catch darts that miss the board.