If you live in Texas and are thinking about putting a pool table in your garage, you may be wondering exactly how feasible that is. Is there a risk to keeping your pool table in the garage? Will the Texas climate impact how you play?
Although it’s not the most ideal location for a pool table, one can be kept in a garage in Texas with the right preparations. However, the extreme heat and occasional humidity could potentially damage a pool table and interrupt use.
If you are living in Texas and the garage is the only viable place to keep a pool table, there are some things you need to consider. Not to worry, though, below you will find some problems you may run into and how you can set up your garage for comfortable billiards use.
Why Is It a Bad Idea to Keep a Pool Table in the Garage in Texas?
There are several reasons why you might want to give putting your pool table in the garage a second thought. Here are some of the main things you’ll want to consider.
No Climate Control in Texas
Lack of climate control is the number one reason you wouldn’t want to keep your pool table in the garage. While Texas isn’t known for having rough winters, temperatures below 40 degrees do happen occasionally. Besides, the cold is the least of your worries.
Summer temperatures often stretch into the hundreds. Depending on where you live in Texas, the climate could be dry, or you could be dealing with some serious humidity. The constant expanding and contracting that happens with temperature, and humidity fluctuations can cause your pool table to warp. Humidity can also damage the felt, making it tough to play on.
Uneven Flooring in Garages
Another issue you might run into is the uneven floors in your garage. Most garages are built with a significant slope for water runoff, and Texas is no exception. You could put a shim under one side to compensate for the slope, but that might be awkward to play on. This will also make your pool table a bit unstable.
Another fix is to set your pool up, stretching across the width of the garage instead of the length. While you will still see a bit of slope, it won’t be nearly as much.
Exposure to Pests
With humidity and heat usually comes various pests and bugs. Since garages tend to have unfinished walls and are exposed to the outside, the presence of pests can be more prominent in this area of the house. This is even more likely if you use this space for storage, as there will be plenty of places for pests to hide. The moist wood and felt of the pool table might attract these pests, leaving them to cause damage.
How to Keep Your Pool Table Safe in a Texas Garage
If you plan on putting your pool table in the garage, chances are you aren’t going to be using it as its intended purpose—to hold a car. If that’s the case, you may want to consider making a few adjustments to the space to make it more comfortable to be in.
Insulate the Walls
Though the garage is usually an extension of your home, it probably doesn’t have finished walls. If you plan on using it as a space that you spend some time in, it will pay off to insulate the walls.
Not only will this make the room more comfortable, but it will help control the temperature and humidity levels in the room. This will save your pool table from damage, help with energy consumption, and decrease the chances of mold or mildew forming.
Install AC
The high temperatures in Texas make air conditioning in homes a necessity. If you’re going to be spending time out in your garage, you should add AC to this space as well. Having AC in your garage will also help control humidity levels and protect your pool table from warping.
Level the Floor
If your garage has a significant slope or doesn’t feel like hassling with shims, you may want to consider leveling the floor. Yes, the slope is there to protect your garage in the event of any flooding. However, you could always add in a drain.
Final Thoughts
If the alternative is no pool table at all, then, by all means, put it in the garage. While there are some risks, you can always make some changes to make sure that you can create a space that is safe as possible. Or you could always get an outdoor pool table so that all you need to worry about is how to level it out.