How to Build a Carpetball Table Part 2 (Carpet Ball)

FROM THE YOUTHSTORY ARCHIVE · APRIL 2012

This tutorial was originally published on YouthStory in 2012 as a resource for youth ministries. The original build instructions and photos have been preserved.

Carpetball is the most fun game in youth ministry right now! You must get one for your youth room if you can!

STEP 1

Buy Supplies

You will need:

• Playing Surface: 2 8x4 plywood boards. The thicker the better. Pine is great.
• Side Rails: 2 12-foot-long, 12-inch x 1 1/2-inch wood boards.
• Legs: 4 3-foot-long 4x4 posts. For a shorter table, get shorter legs.
• Backstop: 1 8-foot-long, 12-inch x 1 1/2-inch board, cut in half and then sized to fit.
• Support Beams: 2 10-foot-long 4x4s.
• Carpet Top: 1 piece of outdoor carpet, 12 feet long and 3 feet wide.
• Large Screws: 72 2 1/2-inch wood screws.
• Small Screws: 48 2-inch wood screws.
• Staples: approximately 200 T50 staples.
• Surface Risers: 2 10-foot 2x4 boards.
• Pool Balls: 16 balls.
• Assembly: 4 8-inch bolts.
• Assembly: 4 washers to fit the bolts.
• Assembly: 4 wing-tipped nuts that match the bolts.
• Braces: 2 25-inch 2x4 boards.

Tools

• Power drill
• Staple gun
• Saw
• Hammer, just in case
• Scissors
• Wrench

STEP 2

Build Where You Play

Bring the materials to where you plan to actually use the Carpet-Ball. You will not have much luck moving one of these after you build it. Unless you put it on wheels!

STEP 3

Build the Surface and Attach the Legs

Take the plywood and rip each piece into 3 even sections that are still 4 feet long.

Lay them out flat so that they add up to 12 feet long.

Attach your 10-foot 4x4s to the sides of the plywood. Use 24 of your 2-inch wood screws.

Now take your 4x4 legs that have been cut from the two 6-foot posts and place your playing surface on top of them.

You will now need to drill a hole the size of your bolts through both 4x4s for each leg, as seen in the picture above. Bolt the legs on, put a washer on them, and then tighten them with the wing-tipped nuts.

STEP 4

Raise It Up and Brace the Legs

Take your 2 10-foot 2x4 boards.

Screw these into the plywood on top. Make sure it is flush with the side. Use 12 of your 2-inch wood screws.

You will leave one foot on each side for the pockets.

Attach the 2 brace 25-inch boards to the legs near the bottom.

STEP 5

Playing Surface

Cut your last 8x4 plywood sheet into 3 even parts. Then cut 1 of those sheets in half.

Remember that all sheets must remain 4 feet long, so you will always be ripping the plywood.

The second layer of plywood begins exactly 1 foot from the end of each side. This makes your top layer 10 feet. It should be flush with the 2x4s on all edges.

Begin screwing the plywood into the surface risers. This takes 24 of your 2 1/2-inch wood screws.

STEP 6

Adding Sides

It is now time to add the sides.

Take your 12x1-foot boards and place them on the sides. You will need some support. These are heavy.

Only attach these to the support beams that are 4x4s. Do not drill into any plywood.

This should come up 6 inches over the top of the playing surface. You will need to use 24 of your 2 1/2-inch wood screws to do both sides.

STEP 7

Adding Backstops

Attach the backstops to the table.

Cut your 8-foot, 12-inch-wide board in half. Attach each backstop only by drilling into the sides. We chose to round our edges and sand it down.

Attach them only to the sides and not to the plywood. This will take 12 of your 2 1/2-inch wood screws.

STEP 8

Adding Carpet

Use your staple gun to staple the carpet down to the table.

The carpet needs to be flush and meet in the very center of the table.

Staple the carpet on the plywood and also along the sides. You might use all 200 staples.

Just fold the carpet down the edge of the pocket.

STEP 9

PLAY BALL

This has been a lovely addition to our game room in the youth department. The students line up to play every week.

Until Next Time -Just Jon