Best Ping Pong Table Covers For Outdoors and Indoors

Maybe you’ve got an outdoor ping pong table that you need to keep under cover to protect it from the elements when you’re not using it. Or perhaps your indoor table tennis table needs keeping out of sight and dust-free. Whether you play inside or out, you’ll need a ping pong table cover.

Ping pong tables are not cheap: a good-quality cover will help keep your table tennis table in great shape and help it last longer.

In this post, we’ll help you choose the right outdoor or indoor ping pong table cover to keep your table damage-free, even in the worst weather.

Let’s get to it.

Short Answer: Best Ping Pong Table Covers (2022)

• Best value covers: Covermates Standard Flat + Covermates Standard Upright
• Best-rated outdoor covers: Covermates Elite Upright + Covermates Elite Flat
• Best multi-purpose cover: JOOLA Upright/Flat Indoor/Outdoor Cover
• Cheapest outdoor cover: LYHNMW Upright Outdoor Cover
• Cheapest indoor flat cover: Harvil Flat/Upright Indoor Table Cover

Ping Pong Table Covers Compared

Here are some of the best-selling ping pong tables covers on the market, with the latest prices pulled from Amazon. Take a look and compare how they stack up against each other.

Click the “+” button to view more details about each item.

What is a ping pong table cover?

A ping pong table cover is a vinyl, polyester or PVC covering designed to protect the surface and/or entire table tennis table from weather damage (e.g. from the rain and sun), dust and dirt.

Types of ping pong table cover

You can buy a couple of different types of ping pong table cover. The 2 main types refer to the way your table is stored:

• Upright
• Flat

Upright covers, like the Kettler upright cover, are designed to slip over your table when it is in the folded position. If you always put your table away after use, or only need protection during the winter, then an upright cover will be best for you.

Flat covers, like the Covermates flat cover, can be secured over the whole area of your table. They are ideal for tables that do not fold, or you prefer to keep assembled most of the time.

There are also multi-purpose ping pong table covers, like this cover from Butterfly, which will work with your table in both the upright or flat position.

You can also get different types of covers depending on whether your table is:

• Outdoors
• Indoors

Outdoor covers, like the Kettler premium upright cover, help protect your table from the sun, wind and rain and are necessary if you keep your table outside, even if it’s just overnight during the summer. If you store your table in a garage, an outdoor cover can still help keep it dust- and pollen-free when not in use.

Indoor covers, like the Harvil flat cover, are generally cheap and thin and simply work as dust sheets. An indoor cover will keep your table dust-free, while also helping it look neat if stored in the corner of a room, basement or closet.

Some covers are called indoor/outdoor covers, which mean they’re suitable for both uses. There’s nothing stopping you from using an outdoor cover inside, but we don’t recommend you use an indoor cover outside, as it’s unlikely to offer enough protection from the rain and wind.

What can damage a ping pong table?

When you think about protecting your table tennis gear, you probably think about rain and keeping your table dry and free from water damage (and the photo above isn’t helping!). But did you know that UV light from the sun can also cause warping and damage to your table?

Here are the main risks to your table tennis table:

• Water – can cause the MDF surface of your ping pong table to warp and blister, metal surfaces or legs can also rust
• UV Light – direct sunlight can warp the table surface
• Wind – carries debris and cause scratches to your table
• Bird droppings and pollen – can dirty and discolor the surface of your table
• Dust – indoors and outdoors, dust can discolor and scratch the table’s surface

The better quality and thicker playing surface your table has, the more resilient it will be to damage. Cheaper ping pong table tend to have thinner surfaces that are prone to damage if not correctly stored or protected.

Why do you need a ping pong table cover?

• Protect an outdoor ping pong table from the rain, wind, sun and dirt
• Protect an indoor table from dust
• Keep a table out of sight when not in use

Table tennis tables are not cheap, and damage, especially water damage, can be difficult or impossible to repair. The surface of your table needs to remain smooth and flat for optimal use, and even a small warped spot or blistering could ruin it.

Aren’t outdoor ping pong tables weatherproof already?

Most high-quality outdoor table tennis tables are designed to be weatherproof, like the Sitga XTR Outdoor, which has an aluminum composite surface. However, even coated metal can rust if water is left to sit on the surface for any period of time. A good-quality cover can help keep your outdoor table in good shape and prolong its lifespan.

What are ping pong table covers made from?

The short answer is: plastic. The type and thickness of plastic will depend on which cover you choose – as a general rule, more expensive covers are made from higher quality and thicker materials.

For example, at the top end, the Covermates elite upright cover is made from 300D polyester, which is a medium-weight plastic-based fabric that’s typically used to make backpacks. Most ping pong table covers, like the JOOLA multi-purpose cover, are made from PVC-backed polyester, which is a relatively cheap water resistant material. Other tables, like the Covermates standard flat cover, are made from vinyl.

PVC has a tendency to crack if exposed to sunlight or extreme hold or cold conditions, and will eventually leak. More expensive water resistant fabrics have improved flexibility and will therefore withstand repeated use and harsher weather conditions. Check for warranty length to get an idea of the quality of fabric your chosen cover has.

Top table tennis cover features to look for

Here are some of the common features you’ll find when looking for a ping pong table cover:

• Waterproof – to keep rain and damp away from your table
• Water resistant – to repel water
• Fastenings – to close the cover, usually Velcro, buckles or zips
• Net-compatible – allows you to store and cover your table with the net still attached
• Pockets – to store your paddles and balls
• Elastic hem – to keep flat table covers fitting snugly
• Warranty – how long the manufacturer will guarantee the product against fault and replace if any occurs
• Reinforcement – extra stitching or seams on weak edges, corners or stress points
• Vent flap – to allow air to circulate around your table

Best Outdoor Ping Pong Table Covers

Let’s take a look at the best ping pong tables covers for outdoor tables. There are quite a lot of models out there, but only a few get consistently high ratings from customers and are priced reasonably.

The Covermates Outdoor Cover Range

The Covermates brand is from Coverstore, an outdoor furniture cover specialist based in Carrollton, Texas. Coverstore don’t make ping pong tables, but they know what they’re doing when it comes to protecting them outdoors, as they also make patio furniture covers and car covers among other things.

When it comes to outdoor ping pong table covers, Coverstore are unrivaled. They offer 4 different covers, to suit all need and budgets:

• Standard weatherproof flat outdoor cover
• Standard weatherproof upright outdoor cover
• Elite weatherproof flat outdoor cover
• Elite weatherproof upright outdoor cover

Covermates’ covers are available in black as standard with a 2-year warranty, or in khaki, which is made from an ‘elite’ fabric that offers a higher level of protection plus a whopping 3-year warranty.

What’s the difference between Covermates Standard vs Elite ping pong table covers?

If you’re wondering what the difference between the ‘standard’ and ‘elite’ table tennis table covers offered by Covermates, here’s a quick comparison so you can see if it’s worth paying extra for the premium upgrade.

The main difference between the 4 tables is the design (upright or flat), the thickness and quality of the fabric and the warranty period.

The more expensive ‘elite’ covers are manufactured using 300D (3oo denier) stock-dyed polyester, which is lightweight, flexible and water resistant, and come with a 3-year warranty.

Made from water-resistant 300D stock-dyed polyester, so it will shield your ping pong table from any spilled drinks, dust, dander, hair, and anything else you’re afraid might land on the table top. Play on!

If you’re covering an outdoor ping pong table, you’ll be glad that we’ve included buckle straps and elastic hems for all 4 legs. Ping Pong: 1 Wind: 0.

We stand behind all of our Game Table Covers with a 3-year warranty.

The cheaper ‘standard’ covers are made from 12–gauge commercial vinyl, which is flexible and durable but with a shorter lifespan. These covers come with a 2-year warranty, which is still better than other table covers on the market.

Let’s look at each cover in more detail.

Covermates Flat Outdoor Cover

What’s good about the Covermates standard flat cover

• Affordable price-point
• 2-year warranty
• Thick 12–gauge commercial vinyl construction
• Hand washable
• Water resistant
• Buckle straps
• Paddle pockets
• Reinforced corners

What could be better about the Covermates standard flat cover

There’s not much to complain about, but it’s important to mention that the Covermates range is water resistant, not waterproof. Water resistant means that the cover will resist the penetration of water up to a point, but is not completely impervious to water. The middle seam will also be a point of weakness.

As a flat table cover, water is likely to collect on the surface and could cause damage. Our advice is to make sure you remove any standing water from the table after rain and you should be good to go.

What’s good about the Covermates elite flat cover

• 3-year warranty
• 300D stock-dyed polyester
• Hand washable
• Water resistant
• Buckle straps
• Paddle pockets
• Reinforced corners

What could be better about the Covermates elite flat cover

In addition to the water resistant note above, the Covermates elite table cover is quite expensive, however the 3-year warranty helps justify the high cost.

Covermates Upright Outdoor Cover

What’s good about the Covermates standard upright cover

• Affordable price-point
• 2-year warranty
• Thick 12–gauge commercial vinyl construction
• Hand washable
• Water resistant
• Waterproof zipper
• Buckle strap
• Reinforced corners

What could be better about the Covermates standard upright cover

There’s really not a lot bad we can say about the Covermates standard upright cover. If we have to be picky, it’s not quite as high qualit as the elite version, but for the price and given the 2-year warranty, it’s a great choice.

What’s good about the Covermates elite upright cover

• 3-year warranty
• 300D stock-dyed polyester
• Hand washable
• Water resistant
• Buckle strap
• Reinforced corners
• Waterproof zip

What could be better about the Covermates elite upright cover

There’s little not to like about the Covermates elite upright cover, but it only comes in khaki color which is not to everyone’s tastes and will show the dirst quickly. However, it’s hand washable so shouldn’t be much of an issue.

All of Coverstore’s table cover are available on Amazon, but you can also buy direct from their ecommerce store: the-cover-store.com.

Kettler Premium Heavy-Duty Weatherproof Upright Outdoor Cover

German sports and equipment brand Kettler are known for manufacturing high-quality ping pong tables and accessories. Their premium heavy-duty ping pong table cover is one of the most expensive on the market, but it’s one of the most robust we’ve seen.

• Fits folded tables only (upright)
• Fits folded tables up to 72″ long by 66″ high x 26″ bottom depth x 10” tapered top depth

What’s good about the Kettler cover

Designed for upright tables (you can only use the cover when you’ve collapsed your table), the Kettler weatherproof cover is easy to put on and off thanks to the long zipper.

Thick 300 GSM polyester and PVC will help keep the rain and sunlight away from your table, and wind is eased thanks to the vent flap.

The parts of the cover prone to damage are reinforced with double-stitching, ensuring that the Kessler cover will last you for years.

What could be better about the Kettler cover

Despite the heavy-duty specification, we’re surprised to see that Kettler do not offer any kind of warranty or guarantee. For such a high price-point, we would have expected there to be at least  2 year warranty. Furthermore, other covers, like the much cheaper LYHNMW waterproof upright outdoor cover comes with a 18 month warranty, so it’s difficult to justify Kettler’s higher price.

Best Indoor Ping Pong Table Covers

Choosing an indoor ping pong table cover is a lot easier than an outdoor one, as you won’t have to worry about it being waterproof or not.

Don’t forget that you can also use an indoor cover if you’re storing your table in the garage or somewhere else with a solid roof.

You have a couple of great options to choose from:

Harvil Flat/Upright Indoor Table Tennis Table Cover

Cheap and cheerful, the Harvil indoor table cover evokes the feeling of a fitted bed sheet – it has elasticated edges to neatly fit over your table, and it will work well if your table is flat and open or folded and upright. For the price, what more do you need?

JOOLA Dual Function Indoor Ping Pong Table Cover

If you’re looking for something a bit sleeker than the bright blue Harvil cover, you could upgrade to the JOOLA multi-purpose cover. It works when your table is flat and folded, and it’s made from a sturdier nylon material that offers greater protection against scratches.

The JOOLA cover will work well if you’re storing your table in a garage or basement, as the updated model offers waterproof and will protect against weather conditions.

Ping Pong Table Cover FAQs

You might still have some questions about the best way to protect and cover your table tennis equipment. We’ve included answers to some frequently asked questions below that we couldn’t answer above.

How do I protect my ping pong table outside?

The best way to protect your ping pong table outside is to use cover it when not in use. You can get covers to fir flat or folded tables, and most are waterproof or water resistant and will protect against rain, wind, sunlight and dirt.

Can you keep a ping pong table outside?

You can keep a ping pong table outside if it’s an outdoor table. Outdoors table tennis tables are designed to withstand more weather conditions than indoor tables. Outdoor tables, like the Sitga XTR All-Weather Table, have an aluminum top, which is more weatherproof than the MDF tops that most indoor tables have.

If you keep a ping pong table outside, make sure it’s protected with a well-fitting cover when not in use.

Can you waterproof a ping pong table?

Outdoor ping pong tables will already be weatherproof to an extent, but using a good-quality cover will help protect them further. You cannot reliably convert an indoor table tennis table in an outdoor waterproof one, although some people have tried to use epoxy coatings to seal the MDF.

Do I need a ping pong table cover if I keep it in the garage?

Even if you keep your outdoor table tennis table in the garage, shed or outbuilding, it will still need protecting from dust and potential leaks to avoid causing damage.

How long will a ping pong cover last?

If you’re using a ping pong cover outdoors, it will degrade over time depending on how much rain and sun it’s exposed to. Most reputable cover sellers offer a warranty of 18 months to 2 years, so you can guarantee that your cover will last at least that long, or you can get a free replacement.

For example, the Covermates flat table tennis table cover comes with a 2 year warranty.

Can I machine wash my ping pong table cover?

Your ping pong table cover is probably not suitable for machine washing, unless otherwise specified on the manufacturer’s label. You can probably wipe or hand wash your cover to keep it looking clean. Do not iron a table tennis table cover – they are made from plastic and will melt or damage is exposed to the heat of an iron.