Best Outdoor Foosball Tables – Ultimate Guide (2020)

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Outdoor Game Table – Outdoor Foosball Table

Outdoor Foosball tables are, as the name implies, tables that have been kept and used in an outdoor environment. These need to have a feature that stops the table deteriorating because of the weather. Standard tables, while usually being of high quality, are not made of materials that are meant for continually getting wet, or being baked dry in the sun.

Foosball Outdoor Table

There are basically two types of foosball table with a hybrid:

• Indoor foosball Table – 99% of foosball tables are indoor tables

• Outdoor foosball Table – Explicitly designed to be used outside, can be used indoors too

• Indoor/Outdoor Foosball Table – Designed to be used inside or out (Not really recommended)

Indoor Foosball Table

Uses untreated wood and wood products; these are the best tables, however they cannot be put outside for any period.

Even if you cover the table well, moisture will get under the tarp or weatherproof foosball table cover and warp and rot the wood; the paint will probably not be waterproof and flake away.

Once the wood has rotted, then insects will destroy your precious table as well. If you want to keep a table outside, you will need one that was an Outdoor Foosball Table.

How Do Outdoor Foosball Tables Differ

The manufacturers know that these tables will be used outdoors, and so use materials that are better suited for outdoor use.

The woods and laminates will be treated to cope with damp conditions. They will be covered in waterproof resins, and all the paints will be waterproof. The metals will be treated to deal with wetter conditions. Also, greater use of glass and plastics that do not become affected by the weather will be used.

Best Outdoor Foosball Tables– What To Look For

Foosball Table Quality

As the table is going to be outside for most of its life, it needs to be a sturdy build. Children may climb on it; the wind will blow it. Outdoor tables need to be robust and quite bulky to withstand the battering they may get.

Weatherproof Foosball Table

Obviously this is very important; all the material that are used in the table must be weather resistant or have been treated to take the rain. Any joints must be sealed, wood treated, and the metal must not rust.

Foosball Table With Wheels

If the table is outside, and it is bulky, then having wheels for smooth movement is a bonus, although not an essential feature

Foosball Table Glass Top

Outdoor foosball tables with a glass top can be a blessing or a nightmare. A sealed glass top protects the inner table very well. If it is adequately sealed, water and debris will merely need wiping off the glass, and you are ready to play.

The glass top will also wholly stop any gusts of wind interfering with the gameplay, were as uncovered tables make get the occasional blast moving the ball. (I am not sure if this is a game stopper as in real soccer, the wind can blow the ball quite a long way!)

The downside is that if you have kids, who may climb on things, then a glass surface is dangerous. You will need to ensure no one can climb onto the table when it is not being used.

Outdoor Foosball Tables– Materials

Outdoor foosball tables will be exposed to the elements and so will require superior materials as compared to an indoor table. The following are the only materials that should be used in an outdoor foosball table.

Glass

Glass is the best material that can be used for an outdoor table, as you can see from the glass windows in your home it suffers no effects from weather what so ever. Glass is an excellent material for the pitch; it needs to be securely fixed and sealed to the base.

As if any moisture gets underneath, it will rot and wood or other material to which the glass is attached. Glass playing surfaces are very smooth, meaning that the game will be high-speed. It is also straightforward to clean compared to most other materials. This can be important in a table kept outdoors, as it is far more likely that small particles are going to fall on to the table, and deflect the ball if they are not removed.

Plastic

Plastics, like glass, are not really affected by water. However, plastics can be damaged by Ultra-violet (UV) rays.

Conventional plastics will eventually become brittle and changes in appearance when left in sunlight. The plastics that are used in outdoor tables must be UV stable, for example, fluoropolymers. If a table has been built to be used outside, then you can expect that it has used UV stable plastics.

Wood

Foosball tables usually contain a lot of wood and wood by-products. Wood, if not treated correctly, will decay. When wood is exposed to sea air, rainwater or even humid conditions, it will rot or swell. Soon your table’s surface will warp, making the whole thing unsuitable for playing on.

Paint and sealers can be used on wood to stop this damage, but if you have a table that was designed for indoor use, you probably find that this has not been done. Can I seal the table myself? I am not sure about this, but probably NO! You can buy fantastic sealers for wood, and it would last longer if you did this.

But as the materials that are used in the table have not been appropriately treated for outdoor use, then any moisture will soon destroy them. If you have tried this yourself, please let me know what the outcome was. I will not be trying this with my table

Metal

The other material used in a foosball table a lot is, of course, metal. Indoor tables are usually made of untreated steel and aluminium.

Both metals corrode when they get wet, if they have not been treated. Again, indoor tables will not be built for exposure to excessive moisture, so should not be used outside.

Even stainless steel is prone to rust if it has not been correctly treated. You can try putting some anti-rust products on your table to protect it. Spray on wax and oil coatings help to stop water from getting on to the metal, thus reducing rust. However, it will not be possible to cover all the surfaces in your rods etc., and it will only be a matter of time before moisture gets to that surface and rust starts!

Outdoor Foosball Table Cover

This is a simple decision, outdoor tables are not cheap, and anything that is exposed to the elements sun, rain, wind or snow, is going to last longer and look better over time if it is covered when it is not in use. This can be done with a tarp or something similar. However, for the best results, use a Foosball Table cover.

These are relatively cheap, costing a fraction of the price of the table, and will increase the lifespan of your table by years. And protecting from the weather, they stop leaves and other detritus falling onto your table, saving cleaning time. Buy a cover when you buy your game, you will only regret not doing so.

Related Information

Does Weather Effect Outdoor Foosball?

The weather affects outdoor play, as you would probably assume. The ideal climate is a sunny day, with little to no wind. But what if your kids wanted to play and its raining or windy outside, can they still play?

Rain – If it is raining and your table has a waterproof glass cover, then everything should be fine, other than it may get difficult to see the play through the water on the surface.

If your table is open and the rain can land on the playing surface, then the ball is going to slow when it hits a puddle, and may also be deflected on its trajectory.

Playing outside in the rain is really for the fool, truly dedicated player

Wind – If it is windy and you have a glass top to your foosball table, then the wind should make no difference to your game.

If the table has an open top, then the wind may occasionally blow the ball around. The table’s sides should shelter it from a lot of the wind. But sometimes it will happen. Switch sides at halftime, so you both have the wind against you for the same time.

Soccer, which foosball is based on, has the wind blowing the ball. So this could be considered part of the game.

Which Balls Are Best For Outdoor Foosball?

Balls that are best to use outside are like the best balls that can be used inside.Read Best Foosball Balls Here .

Traditional and Smooth Balls both are cheap and much harder to play skilfully with.

Cork balls, not being made of plastic, tend not to last as well outside, and because they are the lightest balls, suffer the most from being blown by the wind. They are also not the best balls to be around water. If you want a skillful game, however, these balls are still better than the Smooth and Traditional.

Once again, the best and recommended balls for playing outside are the textured balls. They are suitable for trapping and controlling; their weight means they do not get blown so quickly, and they are waterproof.

When you are not playing Foosball, it is always better to bring the balls inside, where they will not be affected by the elements

Can You Play On Grass Or Non-Level Ground?

Foosball pitches need to be level! If there is a slight slope on it, then the ball (being round) is going to roll to the bottom of this slope. If you put the table on non-level ground, you are going to have to level the table before you play. This can be done with a level (tool) or Smartphone App.

Not all tables come with levelers on the table legs. For an outdoor table where the ground is more uneven, I would suggest that when buying a table, you make these a priority. Without them, find some flat piece of land to play on or put things under the legs until the surface is flat.

When playing on Grass, the same leveling applies as above? However, I would suggest putting something substantial under each of the feet first. The feet are small, and the grass is soft, so putting weight on the table is going to cause it to sink into the grass, causing the pitch to be on a slope.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a new toy for your patio, why not try adding a foosball table to the mix?

These tables are pretty cheap since they don't require any electricity but still provide plenty of outdoor entertainment. Foosball tables are also great because it gives kids an opportunity to play outside on their own without parents having to worry about them getting hurt on the rough terrain.

The only downside is that these tables aren't too durable so they'll most likely be destroyed by snow and rain if left outdoors year-round. You can either store the table over the winter or just buy a new one every few years and pretend you're getting a brand new toy. With a foosball table, you and your family will spend plenty of fun-filled hours outside again while building bonds and making memories together.

Recommended Outdoor Foosball Table Covers

If you want to know more about outdoor covers, read about them here

Read more about table covers here