Space Guide: Table Tennis

While Table Tennis tables come primarily in one size—don't bother with the mini ones—there are a fair bit of differences when it comes to the details; 16/18/22mm boards, MDF vs Resin, etc. Our expert team is here today to write a quick guide on what to look out for when buying a table tennis table.   The thickness of the tabletop & why it matters The first thing to look out for is the tabletop thickness. This is the key factor that determines the bounce quality of the ball. The thickness of table tops can start at 10mm for a basic table, and goes to 22mm for a tournament table. As a general rule of thumb, the thicker the tabletop, the better the bounce which will lead to faster and more satisfying gameplay. Outdoor tables, however, operate on a different platform. Instead of MDF, Resin is used to provide waterproofing and thickness typically comes in between 3.5mm - 7.0mm. Once again, the thicker the tabletop, the better. Our recommendation? 22mm is designed for professional/ training users and is recommended for schools or people looking for the best experience. 19mm, however, is what we consider to be a really good thickness for the majority of users.   Frame & Chassis If you're a table tennis player, then you would know that the table does get a certain amount of wear and tear from the constant knocking and brushing during games. This is where the frame & chassis comes into play. Look at the thickness and design of the frame. Users with higher usage should be looking at a more solid frame, which is typically comprising of thicker square section steel with additional reinforcements around the tabletop. Despite that, casual users will find round section tables to be mostly sufficient. Our recommendation? Don't make your decision purely from the type of support frame. Take a good look at how the frame is designed, especially if it's flimsy or made with very thin steel. These are all factors we look at when appraising a table tennis table.   Compare the features By now you would have covered two of the most important factors in gauging the quality of a table tennis table, and if a particular table is well built or worth the money you're paying for it. The last thing to do, however, is to compare the finer features between the tables. Some important features that good tables should have include: • Ball & bat storage • Playback facility • Ease of foldability • Ball dispenser • Adjustable net - Height & tension • UV coated tabletop Our recommendations? These are some very important features to look out for in your table, and so make sure that you compare tables on the basis of these features as well. Adjustable net, as well as playback facilities, are two of the most important ones that we will recommend.   Final Word If you have reached this part of the guide, then congratulations as you're now on your way to being a discerning buyer of a good table tennis table. We hope this guide will prove to be useful for you and do let us know if you need advice or opinions on a particular table! We also recommend looking at the rest of our guides if you're interested in learning more about the best game tables for you!  

Our customers range from private event holders, corporations, schools, and families. Recently, we're proud to supply a condominium management executive who wanted to build a gaming room in his condominium. He contentedly gave us his customer review of The Men's Cave based on a few questions. We sold him a Crown VI Pool Table along with a VDarts Mini Plus.   1. How do you go about selecting the types of game products for your residents? A few factors were considered when we started shortlisting the different games we wanted.a) Does the new item add value to the property? What kind of image does it portray to prospective buyers as well as current residents? b) Is the game appealing to a larger age group of residents? Does it fit the demographics of the property?c) Are the games we are shortlisting able to fit the space and budget constraints that we have?d) What kind of maintenance regime and cost are we adopting along with the new game?So it was important that the selection needed to fulfil the above criteria.   2. What made you decide on purchasing a pool table for the common space in the condo? The pool table was aptly fitting well into our above criteria. It adds an upmarket value to the property. It allows for play at any time of the day. It appeals to people of a good age range, from young adults to seniors. It also came in various size options where we were able to select the right table that would fit into our allocated room. And a good pool table guaranteed longevity and lower maintenance cost.   3. Could you kindly tell us more about your experience during the showroom tour here at The Men’s Cave? When I first visited TMC, I wasn’t very sure of what to expect as I was fumbling to understand the various options I had at hand when selecting the games. But Mr Gabriel ensured me that I was right at home. It was indeed a very good learning experience as well as an eye-opener into the work of recreation gaming. For a start, he explained the pros and cons associated with the options I already had in mind and took the time to understand the kind of environment and usage we are expecting. He was immediately able to recommend various options that suit my needs. It was an added advantage that the TMC showroom had almost every type of item I was looking for, and even more. For example, the various types of pool tables on display had ample space for firsthand tryouts, and that provided a direct experience of its texture and touch. It really simplified the shortlisting of options. I was encouraged to lay my hands on almost every item in the showroom and experience the joy they brought to the player. It felt very personalized and by the end of the visit, I left better aware of the options at hand. It was more assuring that this awareness was not purely based on reading alone, but was also based on how they looked, felt like and were played.   4. If money isn't a factor to consider, how would you have built the game room for the condo differently? I do not think I would have built it any different, as the items we shortlisted and bought were very reasonably priced and still were of the highest quality that we expected. I didn’t feel that I had to cut down on my expectations in order to meet the budget. If anything, I would have opted for a greater range of items to be placed at various parts of the condo if there weren’t any other restrictions. Eg: Foosball Tables, Basketball Hoops, and Outdoor Table Tennis Tables are some of the options I would like to add in the future.   5. Which products are the more popular ones amongst the residents in your common space? The pool table and the electronic dartboard are major hits amongst the residents. While the pool table brings in a sense of familiarity to the players, the dartboard offers a very easy and intuitive way for new players to get hooked to the game. I have even proposed and installed another dartboard from TMC at my office for my colleagues to enjoy a relaxing game of darts in between the busy work schedule.   Wondering what you should get for your man cave, office or game room? Read our product reviews to have a better idea. Alternatively, this article on building your game room should help you!

Every office has its own culture and identity. Some office spaces are well-suited to encourage collaboration and inclusivity, while others (especially in larger companies) tend to foster individual production and focus. As millennials currently make up a growing percentage of the workforce—representing around 50% of corporate jobs—recent studies have shown that following the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, millennials are keen to ditch office life in favour of working from home.  This is because they feel physical office environments can make it hard for office workers to decompress and relax when necessary, affecting their productivity and quality of work for a company in the long run.  As such, it has become important for employers to incorporate office break rooms in physical offices to redefine the traditional office for their millennial employees, focusing on creating office spaces that will cultivate efficient and productive workers who can work independently or collaboratively as needed.    Disconnecting: The Office Problem For Millennials With the rise of technology and our equally fast, quick lifestyle, many millennials are forced to lead sedimentary lifestyles that can be detrimental to their health in the long term. The millennial generation has been identified as the most socially connected group ever; 85% check their social media accounts within 15 minutes after waking up. It was even discovered that one out of four millennials check their social media accounts before they go to sleep. This phenomenon is only made worse by office environments that emphasize constant communication and collaboration. Something that has not changed even after the post-pandemic shift to work-from-home. While this may seem like a great idea for team building and creativity at first glance, it's actually proven that such a lifestyle breeds distraction, stress, and deteriorating mental health. Technology's increasing accessibility creates the demand for workers to be constantly connected or available on-demand, making it harder for employees to detach from their work beyond physical locations or set hours. As a result, office break rooms must now accommodate this shift, creating multipurpose spaces where employees can take a break from their desks both physically and mentally as needed. [caption id="attachment_10704" align="aligncenter" width="843"] A Customised Bonzini Babyfoot Table in Spotify Singapore's Office.[/caption]   Making An Office Break Room Extraordinary It is clear that office break rooms are not just about providing a place to eat anymore. In fact, office break rooms are quickly becoming office centres for collaboration, productivity, and even play as more office workers turn to the gig economy. There are many ways that to approach building an office break room. For example, you can use a casual office space layout with simple game tables to help foster impromptu "breakout sessions" when teams might need a creative push to jumpstart their next big project while promoting the use of creative outlets for problem-solving for more effective results.  Other office break room spaces have been transformed into comfortable gaming areas where employees can use their breaks in a fun way through video games and other activities.  Of course, how you build your office's break room depends on the needs of each company’s employees and the office space allocated.  [caption id="attachment_10698" align="aligncenter" width="897"] Is it a conference table or a ping pong table? Regardless of what you might think, the You & Me Ping Pong Table fits right at home in any office or play environment.[/caption] Use Multipurpose Game Tables As Your Entry Point If you have doubts over what investments to make to your office's break room, our recommendation is to start with multipurpose game tables that can instantly change any space into work or play/relaxation space, depending on your needs. For starters, we recommend purchasing durable and easy-to-maintain multipurpose gaming tables for corporate spaces like the You & Me Ping Pong Table or the RS#3 Foosball Table range that caters to both indoor and outdoor environments. You can also look into and get inspired with lifestyle brands like RS Barcelona, a great brand for any company looking into practical and quality multipurpose game tables that fit well in any modern office space. [caption id="attachment_10699" align="aligncenter" width="516"] Values in gender equality - an essential theme today - can even be portrayed in a football table like the RS#3 by RS Barcelona, further accentuating the company's stand in matters.[/caption]   Final Words It is obvious that these office break rooms have become an important office space for companies to invest in. Essentially multipurpose spaces that encourage creativity, innovation, and growth among millennial employees, we believe that a little bit goes a long way in creating a more sustainable working environment and keeping a healthy working culture for the decades to come.  There's no better time to start investing in your company's future through your employees than now. If you're interested in starting building your own corporate break room or any other recreational space, you can email or message us on our official WhatsApp to make a booking. Our team provides free consultation and showroom tours that will allow you to test out the products for yourself.