Flea Market Find and Refelting a Poker Table
- By Joan
- January 20, 2019
- 13 Comments
My middle son bought this poker table back when he was in high school from a neighborhood flea market. Since he’s 30 now, I’m thinking 2004? Can I keep it? Yes, you can keep it under one condition…when you move out, you take it with you.
The first place son #2 son moved to was his dorm room. He may have enjoyed it there but there was no room for a poker table.
Second place, an apartment, still at college. I think he somehow managed to fit in a beer pong table but again, no room for a poker table. 😕
Third place, he has graduated, another apartment. Still no room for a poker table.
Fourth place, he’s married now and he and his wife have bought a small house with teeny tiny closets from the 40’s. Are you sensing a trend here…still no room for a poker table.
But there’s hope. After the birth of my first grandbaby and the home with the tiny closets has suddenly exploded with baby stuff, they decided to move to a house big enough to not only hold all the baby junk but the poker table.
Me… I’m so excited your house is finally big enough to fit your poker table.
Son #2 wife… What poker table?
Me…The poker table he picked up 15 years ago that he promised to take with him when he moved out.
Son #2 wife…You have a poker table?
Apparently a poker table had never come up in casual conversation. I did assure her that it was nice, the legs fold so it really doesn’t take up too much room, and it makes a great game table. After all my assurances, when I pulled the poker table out from behind the furnace where it’s been shoved it sorta kinda needed a little help. Ewww. Is that mold or mildew?
If I really wanted this thing to be gone from my house it needed a little help.
First up, remove the old covering. This one was not glued, the edges were just pushed down into the channel the runs along the edge of the table top.
Leave the batting, it gives a nice soft cushion for playing cards.
The wood parts of the table probably could be refinished but I settled on just giving them a good scrubbing with some all purpose cleaner.
I found the felt at Joann’s for $8.99 yard, I only needed 48″ and of course I had a coupon. They do have fancier felts on Amazon such as this, Two-Tone Poker Cloth 
Use the old cover as a pattern for the new top. Make sure you include the extra seam allowance.
Iron any creases or wrinkles out of the felt.
Lay the felt in place exactly where you want it to go making sure you have that extra seam allowance on all sides.
I tried several different tools but a butter knife worked best for working the edges of the felt down into the space between the table top and the edge chip and drink holders.
I did not need to trim off any of that extra felt, I was able to shove it all down into the channel.
Working my way around the table.
Use the old cup holders as patterns to make your new ones.
When Mollie (son #2’s wife) saw the table, I think she was pleasantly surprised and the poker table has finally made it’s promised move.
Did I mention that the aforementioned son also came home with an extension ladder from one of those flea markets. That has also found a new home.
Stay inspired.
Copyright © 2024
I love that story! Neither of my children live in a place large enough to take any of their stuff. If you had met with resistance about sending the poker table away, I would’ve suggested that it would make a great fort for the grandbaby by putting a sheet over the top. Hahaha. Your son is lucky to have such a creative mother; the upgraded table looks awesome 🙂
What a cute story and what a really cute old table! Probably suggest to #2 daughter-in-law that she spray the felt with the stain inhibitor stuff, it’ll help the top stay nice. Good job from a good mom.
Great idea though the stain inhibitor might cost as much as the felt. 🙂
You did a great job on this. We also have one but it doesn’t fold, was thinking of changing the felt colour, you’ve given me inspiration as our pool table was lost to us in a 2017 flood and we want to replace it but with a different felt top and want to match felt on games table. Thank you for this. We also have kids pieces, which I repurposed, such as a family cradle that swings into a bench, no one wanted this until it became a bench,who knew!
Great story Joan and I bet you did the happy dance when you saw it
FINALLY go through that door.
How did you get the cover padding off?
Mine was not glued on. I only had to pry it out of the crevice in which it was wedged. Hope that helps
How much felt did you buy for this project/
I didn’t remember, but according to the post above it was 48″. Make sure the felt you buy is at least that in width.
Nice thanks for posting this. I just bought a table that looks very similar and was wondering how to replace the felt.
Did you glue the felt circles in the cup holders?
Sorry Mark, I really don’t recall. I wouldn’t want to do anything permanent with the cup holders since things are always spilling. Might want to consider something temporary like glue dots you would use for photos.
Really good !. I need your help. My daughter in law has asked me to refinish a poker table very similar to this just smaller. I have several questions.
Did you have a difficult time getting the center of the table back in?
When you put down the batting, did you staple it to the board?
Did you attach felt by just placing in cervices, no glue or staple?
The unfortunate part is whoever covered it before just cut a piece of chip board covered everything, center and cup holders , then slapped wood grained contact paper on top what a mess.
I really can’t mess this table up because it was her father’s who is now deceased.
Help! I just need a little help on how to reattach center properly covered.
The center of the table never came out. The batting was not stapled in. The batting was the exactly the same size as the table. I don’t recall if the batting was loose at all, I didn’t remove it. If you do find that the batting moves, might I suggest spray adhesive,I think you would see staples. No glue or staples for the felt, it was a tight fit. Good luck with your project.