A healthy lifestyle has gained significant popularity. One way to maintain your physical fitness is through table tennis – or “ping pong”.
What a lovely name! It originates from 1884 in the Far East. 'Ping' sounds like a bat striking a ball, and 'pong' imitates the bouncing sound on the table. However, nobody uses the name in the UK, where “table tennis” is well-known. The reason is simple.
On 20 September 1900 "Ping Pong" was registered as a trademark, number 233177. London manufacturers and toy importers Hamley Brothers recorded their version of the table manufactured by John Jaques & Son.
Plywood for Table Tennis Tables
The earliest ping pong tables were typically made from a variety of materials, including timber for the tabletop. Early versions often used dining tables or any flat surface, but as the game gained popularity, dedicated tables were crafted from plywood or other types of wood. Today, the International Table Tennis Federation approves only wooden tables or their derivates.
Currently, laminated plywood is most popular for homemade tables. It has been around for quite some time. Being primarily treated with fire-resistant and mechanically durable melamine laminated plywood, in fact, is the best material for the tabletop of a homemade table tennis table.
First and foremost, this laminated plywood is made from weatherproof and fire-resistant birch plywood, which will not chip.
The table dimensions are 2.74 m long, 1.525 m wide, and 76 cm high. Birch plywood comes in standard sheet sizes which allows the maker to construct the tennis tabletop both as a solid piece or one that can be easily folded and disassembled.
Laminated plywood is available in a reasonable range of colours, with different shades to choose from. The edging and dividing lines will not wear off for a long time due to strong adhesion of the acrylic paints to melamine.
As for the thickness of the tennis tabletop, for casual play, it usually ranges from 16 to 19 millimetres. Professional use needs more durable surface, so the thickness reaches 22 – 28 mm.
What about Bats?
In the late 1800s, players used improvised paddles created from items like wooden boards or even cigar boxes. The paddlers were often too heavy and lacked the precision needed for competitive play.
As the game - and sport - evolved, manufacturers began thinking about creating specialized bats. The introduction of plywood marked a significant shift in bat shape and weight.
Today, a majority high-performance bats are made with multiple layers of plywood (and its blends) combined with a range of rubber types to increase grip and spin.