"Optimal height of playing table? " Topic

Soon have to decide and get everything ready for my new game room.

Wondering if the trade pedestals, say 75 cm high give or take, I have, give the best height, for bending etc. Over my game table.
Central one is 160cm deep.
This height is meant to be comfy for sitting, but we do not sit much….
Can put them up a bit higher or not. Any experience to share?

Ping pong table height.

One fellow I play with has elevated his ping pong table (he built a separate frame/legs for it) up to maybe 3'6" (say 100cm) or a bit higher (maybe 4'). It gives a great perspective for the 6mm horse and musket games he puts on, you just need to bend a bit to get a "street level" view.

However, short people like 5'9" me need short stools to reach more than 2' (60cm) across. Tall people don't have that problem.

The height has the additional benefit of keeping beer bellies from dragging over terrains and bases, but instead sweeping arm motions are the problem if your players are careless or (more likely) excited.

This battle report shows some photos of the table with people in perspective (the second picture shows Glenn, our host, he's over 6' I would guess). Some of the other photos show a bit of the frame.
link

If you have some specific questions about how he did it, or want an exact height, Glenn is on TMP (Glenn Pearce) but I'm not sure if he can do PMs, so I can pass on messages if you'd like, we're playing there this weekend.

I have some limited experience--and if you're really looking at standing, I agree you're too low. 28"/70cm is standard card table, desktop or dining table height. Probably you need 42"/105cm. But if I were you, I'd rig a temporary system and try it out before I did custom furniture. You may sit more than you think.

One possibility: cut a piece of plywood--1/2" or 5/8" English measure: I don't know what thicknesses metric plywood comes in--to get yourself four rectangles about 1 meter by 60cm with a deep notch on the 60cm side. Put them together, and this provides you with two "X" shaped supports for a table 1 meter high. If this works, you're in business. If not, trim 6"/15cm off each end to give you supports for a desk height table. Another advantage is that the whole thing can be taken apart and stored flat between games. No nails or screws.

But always personally test a height before you pay money for a table, and don't declare it satisfactory until the morning after a full game.

Most people want to build a table that is about waist-high. That is a mistake. Build a table whose height is about an inch shorter than crotch-high (please don't giggle at the term, but I am trying to use a measurement that you can visualize when you are planning out your table). This height will give you more room to reach the middle of the table comfortably, and will still be high enough to play at while sitting down.

Thanks for the help. Stil in doubts.
I remember the Duke table at historicon, being quite low to reach center.

Temp game room now has a billard which is slightly higher than the standart supports nearby, 80+ vs 75. Seems nicer too.

I think that i still have coming some bits of another table I can put underneath the new one to make tests, using ot to put height if needed.

The table won't need be taken away, only for indepth cleaning.

I saw on pics I still have a bunch of those standard supports in wood, best use them and see.

I think we will be standing much of the time if playing, stiing to talk and wait. 2 side tables to write. ( limiting papers on game).

3 parallel tables, 4.5 mx 1.6 then twice 4.5 x 60 (or 60 and 70) one of the small one built on top of recycle kitchen furniture. Speaking of it , which is for better back ache saving, is way higher than 75!
No consensus then

Don't overthink it. Standard dining table height. Play cards, board games, etc., as well as miniatures.

Not to mention when its time to wrap presents, or your wife wants to do a project, or some other project not hobby related pops up.

If you have the room build a high one as well but it can't be bigger than 4' wide as many wont be able to reach the middle comfortably.

bar height with bar stools for seats. perfect.

it will save the back while standing, and sitting on the higher stool gives the usual wargaming view.

JCFrog, there is a serious amount of potential error embedded in "I think we will be standing much of the time if playing." I can only recommend again that you make the experiment of a table meant for standing before you make any expensive or time-consuming commitment. What we think we do can vary substantially from what we actually do.

I've been considering building a 6'x4' table on top of an Adjustable Height Desk. Lee Valley (in the US & Canada) sells a DIY Adjustable Height Desk hardware kit where you just have to add your own top surface. With that setup, I could stand at the beginning of the game and gradually slouch and then slump in to a chair as attrition took its toll. As an added bonus, one could lower the table to facilitate moving troops easier and raise the table to help settle line of sight disputes.