How Do I Get the Most for My Used Pool Table?

How Do I Get the Most for My Used Pool Table?

Are you thinking about selling your pool table?  We have some advice.  This is our experience in the Houston area.  Other parts of the country can be different.

One of the most common reasons we hear is a happy one: a first or second baby is on the way, and the game room is about to become a nursery or playroom. Another common reason is just the opposite—the kids are grown, the house feels too big, and it’s time to downsize.

Whatever the reason, we’re always a little sad to hear that someone is giving up their pool table. But if it’s time for yours to go, we want to help you understand what it may be worth and how to get the most for it.

What Is My Used Pool Table Worth?

This is usually the first question people ask us—and sometimes the answer is disappointing. Unless you’ve owned your table for decades and the cost of a comparable new table has increased substantially, you should generally expect to receive a fraction of what you originally paid for it.  As of September 2026, we are seeing many buyers shopping for used pool tables with a total budget of roughly $1,000–$2,000. The important words there are total budget.

A buyer isn’t just considering what they will pay you for the table. They also have to consider what it will cost to have the table professionally disassembled, transported and installed in their home. That means whether you originally spent $3,000 or $30,000, you may find yourself competing for the same pool of buyers—unless you own a particularly desirable table and are willing to wait for the buyer who is specifically looking for it.

There are exceptions, of course. Manufacturer, model, age, size, condition, construction, country of manufacture and even the finish can make a significant difference.

Start by Finding Out What You Have

Before you put a price on your table, identify it correctly. International Billiards can often help identify the manufacturer and model from photographs and give you some guidance about a reasonable starting price. 

This is especially important with higher-quality tables. You don't want to accidentally sell a desirable American-made or premium table for $500 simply because you didn't know what you had.

On the other hand, the price someone originally paid for a pool table doesn't necessarily determine its value on today's used market.

Leave Yourself Some Negotiating Room

Anyone who has sold something on Facebook Marketplace knows how this works.  List something for $2,000 and there's a pretty good chance somebody's first message will be:

“Will you take $1,000?”

So don't necessarily list your table at the absolute minimum you're willing to accept. Give yourself some room to negotiate.  At the same time, pricing a table unrealistically high can cause serious buyers to scroll right past it. If you have a table that really does justify a higher asking price, we can help you recognize that as well.

Remember: The Buyer Has to Move the Pool Table

This is one of the biggest differences between selling a pool table and selling an ordinary piece of furniture.  A slate pool table isn't something most buyers can safely throw into the back of a pickup. We highly recommend that whoever purchases your table uses a professional pool-table installer to remove it from your home—whether that's International Billiards or another insured company with an established reputation.  Moving a pool table properly requires specialized knowledge and equipment. The table has to be carefully disassembled, the slate safely handled and transported, and the table correctly leveled and assembled at its new location.

With that in mind, if you sell your table for $1,000, your buyer may spend at least another $490 just to have it moved from your home and installed in theirs.  And that's before possible additional charges for things such as stairs, additional mileage or new cloth.  So while you may see a $1,000 table, the buyer may be looking at a purchase that costs considerably more by the time they're actually playing pool on it.

Selling It Yourself Will Usually Bring the Most Money

If your goal is simply to get the highest possible price, selling directly to another individual will generally give you the best opportunity.  Facebook Marketplace and other local selling platforms put you directly in front of people looking for a table.  Take good photographs. Include the manufacturer and model if you know them. List the table size, approximate age and condition, and mention any accessories that are included.

And be patient.  The person who wants a pool table may not pay very much.  The person who wants your particular pool table may.

What If I Don't Want Strangers Coming Into My Home?

That's completely understandable.  Your other option is to contact a billiard dealer that purchases used tables.

Just keep in mind that the dealer ultimately has to sell the table to the same used-table customer you're trying to reach—except the dealer also has additional expenses.  They have to pay to remove the table from your home, transport it, store it, set it up on a showroom floor and often install new cloth before offering it for resale. They also need enough margin left to cover overhead and make the transaction worthwhile.  For those reasons, the Houston-area companies we know that purchase used tables may offer only around $100–$300, depending on the table and whether they're interested in that particular model.

Two companies you might try are Billiard Factory and Billiard Experts.

Will International Billiards Buy My Pool Table?

Generally, no.  But we do offer our moving services for when you find a buyer.

International Billiards does not actively purchase used pool tables. With limited showroom space, our focus is primarily on our new-table inventory.  But we can sometimes be your last-ditch option when you simply need a table out of the house.

In those situations, rather than paying you for the table, International Billiards may be willing to incur the expense of professionally removing it.  Occasionally we'll make room for a table in our showroom, but more often it will be assembled in our warehouse. If we can't find a new home for it within a reasonable period of time, we can often find a nonprofit organization that can put it to good use.

It won't put money in your pocket—but if closing day is approaching, the nursery needs to be finished, or you simply need the room back, it may solve the problem.

Before You Sell It, Consider One More Option

This is something we especially encourage when someone owns a quality American-made pool table:

Don't sell it at all.  If you have a family member with room for it, consider letting them use it for a while.  A properly constructed pool table isn't like most things we buy today. With reasonable care and occasional maintenance, a good pool table can last for decades—and sometimes generations.

Your circumstances may change.  The baby who needs your game room today will eventually grow up. You may move into another house. You may have room for a table again.

And five or ten years from now, you may discover that replacing the quality table you sold for a fraction of its original price costs considerably more than you expected.

So before you let a good table leave the family permanently, consider whether someone you love might enjoy taking care of it for you.

Sometimes the best way to get the most out of your used pool table isn't to get the most money for it. It's to keep it in the family until you're ready to play again.