Convertible pool tables (pool dining tables): the complete guide
Picture the scene. Saturday night, your friends arrive. You dine around a large, elegant table and, once the coffee is poured, you lift the top off: the dining table becomes a pool table and the evening takes a whole new turn. A convertible pool table, or pool dining table, is at once a piece of furniture that hosts, feeds and plays, without ever making you sacrifice a whole room or a fixed corner of your patio.
This guide tells you everything about these 2-in-1 tables: how the conversion works, what they do day to day, which materials and size to choose, at what price, and why a Cornilleau convertible pool table gives you both a genuine pool table and a proper, high-end dining table. And as a bonus: they even convert into a table tennis table!
→ If you want to go straight to the models, discover our Cornilleau convertible pool tables.
Sommaire
- What is a convertible pool table that turns into a dining table?
- One piece of furniture, a thousand moments: the convertible pool table in daily life
- Why choose a convertible pool table rather than a traditional one?
- Converting your Cornilleau pool table into a dining table: child's play
- A pool table AND a high-end dining table
- The convertible pool table as a table tennis table too: the ultimate games surface!
- What size of convertible pool table should you choose? (6ft, 7ft, 8ft)
- English pool, American pool or snooker: which to choose?
- Which materials and finishes for a designer convertible pool table?
- Indoor or outdoor: a convertible pool table in the garden?
- How to choose the right convertible pool dining table?
- How much does a convertible pool dining table cost?
- The Cornilleau convertible pool tables: French design, built to last
- Caring for your convertible pool table so it stays looking its best
- Build your own Cornilleau games space
- Frequently asked questions: convertible pool tables
What is a convertible pool table that turns into a dining table?
A convertible pool table is a pool table onto which you place a conversion top (or dining top) to turn it into a dining table. You play on a genuine pool table and, once the top is on, you have a proper dining table. One piece of furniture, two uses. A clear saving of space.
It is the ideal answer for indoor and outdoor spaces where every square metre counts, and for families who want to combine the pleasure of the game with the art of entertaining.
Convertible, transformable, 2-in-1: what's the difference?
These terms often mean the same thing, but one nuance is worth clarifying:
Convertible (or transformable) pool table: the most common model. You add a removable top over the cloth to create a flat dining table. No complex mechanism: the top lifts on and off.
Dining table convertible into a pool table: the reverse idea, a table from which you remove the top to reveal the pool table beneath. The result is identical.
2-in-1 or 3-in-1 table: some models add a third function (table tennis, air hockey, poker). Handy, but often at the expense of the playing quality of each function.
A specialist manufacturer puts a genuine pool table first, with the dining conversion added on top, rather than a multi-function piece that does none of its jobs well.
How do you convert a pool table into a dining table?
Conversion relies on a table top (also called a conversion top or dining top) that covers the playing surface. The principle:
You place the top, usually in one or two parts, onto the pool table's frame.
The top protects the cloth and provides a flat, rigid surface, perfect for meals, working or board games.
To play again, you lift the top off and store it (against a wall, in a cover or in a dedicated space).
On Cornilleau tables, the dining conversion top is available as an option and matched to the models in the range. So you build your table to suit your interior (wood or stone decor, colours) without changing pool table.
One piece of furniture, a thousand moments: the convertible pool table in daily life
The great advantage of a convertible pool table: it doesn't sit in a corner waiting for the next game. Fit the top and it's with you all week: Sunday breakfast, the kids' homework, dinner with friends, an impromptu work meeting. Lift it off and it becomes the beating heart of your evenings again. A piece of furniture that gives your home or patio rhythm, rather than cluttering it.
At home: from family dinner to impromptu tournament
In a flat, a convertible pool table solves the impossible equation of limited space: your dining room is also your games room. In a house, it becomes the magnet of the living space, the place where the teenagers finally come downstairs and where meals stretch into spirited frames. In a holiday home, it's the perfect entertainment for warm summer evenings on the patio, when the weather invites everyone to stay outside.
The scenario that comes up most often? A meal that slides into a rematch at the pool table, without changing rooms or clearing anything away. You lift the top, pick up the cues and the evening carries on. To make the most of those games, browse the cues and pool accessories matched to your table.
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For businesses: hotels, restaurants, offices and social spaces
A convertible pool table isn't just for the home. For businesses it's a genuine draw:
Hotels, holiday lets and B&Bs: a convertible outdoor pool table turns a patio or lounge into a memorable experience, while doubling as an occasional table for breakfast or drinks.
Offices and co-working spaces: a pool table that becomes a meeting table creates a break-out zone that brings teams together, without wasting floor space.
Restaurants, bars, event spaces: a design games table that packs away into a high table makes the difference and keeps guests coming back.
For these settings, design and robustness come first. Explore the full Cornilleau pool table range and picture it in your own project.
Hotels, holiday cottages and guesthouses
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Offices and co-working spaces
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Restaurants, bars, event venues
Why choose a convertible pool table rather than a traditional one?
A convertible pool table brings three benefits a traditional one doesn't: it saves space, it earns its keep rather than sitting idle, and it becomes a large, sociable table for entertaining. You no longer give up a whole room for occasional use.
Save space without giving up the game
A traditional pool table permanently takes up several square metres. In a flat, a terraced house or even a large living room, that's rarely realistic. The convertible version solves it: the same spot serves as a dining room day to day and becomes a games area whenever you fancy it. It's exactly what people are after when they search convertible pool table or pool dining table: enjoying the game without dedicating a room to it.
A large, sociable table for 8 to 12 people
Once the top is on, a convertible pool table becomes a generous dining table. Depending on the size, you comfortably seat 8, 10 or even 12 guests, making it the centrepiece of family meals and big gatherings. An ordinary dining table that's also a games surface is hard to find.
Converting your Cornilleau pool table into a dining table: child's play
Going from pool table to dining table needs no tools, no strength and no complicated instructions. The Cornilleau dining top is made up of a few lightweight sections that two people lift into place in moments, straight onto the pool table's frame. No screws, no acrobatics: lift, position, done.
That simplicity changes everything day to day. A piece of furniture you can convert in moments is one you actually do convert, several times a week, rather than leaving it fixed in a single function. The top, designed as a genuine piece of furniture, gives you a flat, stable surface for eating, working or setting out a board game. Between uses it stores away easily, flat or in its protective cover.
And because the top comes in several finishes and colours, you choose the one that blends into your interior or patio. Your pool table doesn't look like a pool table with a board on top: it becomes a dining table in its own right that hides its game elegantly.
A pool table AND a high-end dining table
This is the false choice that cheap convertible tables force on you: either a passable pool table under a basic board, or a pretty table that plays badly. With a Cornilleau convertible pool table you don't have to choose. You get both, to a rare standard.
→ On play, the quality is that of a pool table built for real games: a flat, even playing surface for a true roll of the balls (the finest models use 19mm mineral slate, the reference in the game, as on indoor tables), responsive cushions, hard-wearing cloth. You're not playing on a gimmick, but on a pool table that delivers frame after frame, designed, tested and assembled in France, in Bonneuil-les-Eaux (Oise). To understand what sets a durable pool table apart from one that's all show, read our guide via the pool table range.
→ On dining, the conversion top and frame are treated like high-end furniture: fine materials, careful finishing, lines drawn to fit a design interior. The result is a table you'd be proud of even if it didn't hide a pool table. This level of build rests on genuine French craftsmanship and a sustainable design, with spare parts available for at least 20 years after purchase.
Having an exceptional pool table and dining table in the same piece of furniture at home isn't a compromise. It's the best of both worlds.
The convertible pool table as a table tennis table too: the ultimate games surface!
What if your table could do even more? The multi-function idea is winning people over, as searches for 3-in-1 tables combining pool, dining and other games show. The logic is simple: one piece of furniture, a maximum of shared moments.
And with Cornilleau it isn't just an idea, it's an accessory. Turn your pool table into a table tennis table with the Cornilleau outdoor conversion top. That gives you a genuine 3-in-1 piece: pool, dining, table tennis. It's hard to be more sociable on a single surface.
The table tennis top carries the Cornilleau DNA: made in France, designed to stay outside all year round (rain, ice, snow), guaranteed for 10 years, with good playing quality thanks to its 5mm laminate panels and anti-glare finish. The kit comes complete, with net and posts, and stores away as easily as it sets up. It converts your pool table into a table tennis table in just 2 minutes and suits tables from 7ft to 8.5ft.
Cornilleau is the world specialist in outdoor table tennis, and the UK is a proud home of cue sports, from pub pool to world-famous snooker: it was unthinkable not to offer you a pool table that also becomes a table tennis table. You can even take the idea further and build a complete games space via the Play-Style range: your convertible pool table as the centrepiece, a dedicated outdoor table tennis table and a foosball table, at home or in a professional setting.
What size of convertible pool table should you choose? (6ft, 7ft, 8ft)
A pool table's size is given in feet (ft). The higher the number, the larger the playing surface and the more room you need around it to play. For family use with conversion, 7ft offers the best balance of playing comfort and footprint. 6ft suits small spaces; 8ft suits large rooms and keen players.
Understanding the sizes and their dimensions
Here are the standard playing-surface dimensions by size, to gauge the footprint (indicative playing-area figures, frame excluded):
| Format | Playing area (approx.) | Best for | Diners once converted |
| 6ft | ≈ 180 × 90 cm | small spaces, occasional play | 6 to 8 |
| 7ft | ≈ 200 × 100 cm | the family all-rounder | 8 to 10 |
| 8ft | ≈ 230 × 115 cm | large rooms, regular players | 10 to 12 |
The Cornilleau Origin, Hyphen and Classic pool tables are designed for sociable family use. In practice they are 7ft, American-spec tables (57.2mm balls, 58in cues), converting into a dining table for around 6 to 8 people; recommended room clearance is about 13ft by 16ft, and the tops store in a dedicated space under the table.
How much room should you leave around the pool table?
To play unhindered you need to be able to draw the cue back on each side. The rule: add the length of a cue (about 145cm) all the way round the playing surface. In practice, for a 7ft table allow a room of at least about 380 × 280cm. If space is tight, choose a 6ft size or use shorter cues in the tight corners.
How many people does the dining table seat?
Capacity depends on the length of the conversion top. As a rule of thumb, allow about 60cm of width per diner. A 7ft size therefore comfortably seats 8 people, and up to 10 at a squeeze.
English pool, American pool or snooker: which to choose?
The UK is the heartland of cue sports: English (blackball) pool rules the pubs, snooker is a national institution, and American pool is the sociable, family-friendly format. For a convertible, family table, American pool is the popular choice: larger balls and pockets, simple rules, quick frames, welcoming to all. English pool (blackball) uses smaller balls and tighter pockets on more compact tables. Snooker is the most demanding, needs a very large table (typically 12ft) and rarely suits a convertible dining set-up.
| Format | Character | Balls / pockets | Best for |
| American pool | Sociable, quick | Larger balls, generous pockets | Family, beginners, convertible tables |
| English pool (blackball) | Tactical, pub classic | Smaller balls, tighter pockets | Keen players, compact tables |
| Snooker | Demanding, iconic | Small balls, very large table | Enthusiasts with lots of space |
The Cornilleau convertible pool tables are built to American pool specification, the format best suited to family use and to converting into a dining table.
Which materials and finishes for a designer convertible pool table?
The quality of a convertible pool table comes down to three elements: the playing surface, the conversion top and the finish. A good pool table gives an even roll, a rigid, stable conversion top and a design that fits your interior like a real piece of furniture, not a games accessory.
The playing surface: slate or not?
Slate is the reference for the playing surface: heavy, perfectly flat, it guarantees a precise, even roll of the balls, prized by purists. It does, however, make the table considerably heavier. Modern engineered playing beds can offer excellent flatness at a controlled weight, a relevant point for a convertible pool table you move around or set up outdoors.
The conversion top: wood, laminate or glass
The top that turns the pool table into a dining table comes in several materials:
Wood: the warmest look, though far from the most common. It lets you forget the pool table and blends into a dining room, but it's costly and higher-maintenance (especially solid wood).
Laminate: very hard-wearing, easy to clean and available in a wide choice of finishes. Modern and premium, it's the most common option, and today's craftsmanship allows laminate tops of excellent quality.
Glass: very design-led and contemporary, but more fragile and quicker to mark day to day.
For genuine, frequent use as a dining table, a laminate top remains the most practical.
Styles: designer, modern, industrial or contemporary
A convertible pool table is, above all, a permanently visible piece of furniture. Its style therefore matters as much as its playing performance. There are designer and contemporary lines (clean, muted colours), the industrial look (steel, raw wood) and modern finishes in several colours (black, white, grey). The aim: a table that stands proud as a decorative piece. Explore the looks across our designer pool tables.
Indoor or outdoor: a convertible pool table in the garden?
Yes, provided you choose a pool table designed for outdoors. A classic indoor pool table withstands neither damp, nor UV, nor temperature swings. An outdoor pool table uses specific materials and a specific cloth, treated against rain, fading and corrosion. You can then set your convertible table up on the patio and enjoy both the game and dining in the open air.
This is precisely Cornilleau's historic expertise. As early as the 1980s the brand designed the first table tennis tables genuinely built for outdoors, then brought that expertise to pool. Its models are laboratory-tested: UV resistance (virtually no fading after 12 months of testing), salt-spray corrosion testing (a pool table that doesn't rust, even by the sea), and mechanical strength of the fabric.
To compare the outdoor models and understand the tests that make the difference, browse our outdoor pool tables.
How to choose the right convertible pool dining table?
To choose well, run through these seven criteria, in order of priority:
Available space: measure your room and add the playing clearance (about 145cm all round). It determines the size (6ft, 7ft, 8ft).
The number of diners you want once the table is converted.
Use: indoor only, or indoor and outdoor (which requires an outdoor model).
The format: American pool in the vast majority of cases for family use.
The conversion top: material, ease of fitting and storing.
Style: colour and finish that suit your interior.
Durability and service: build quality, warranty, spare-parts availability.
Tip: a convertible pool table is a purchase that lasts for years. Better to invest in a solid, repairable model than replace a budget table after a few seasons.
How much does a convertible pool dining table cost?
The price of a convertible pool dining table ranges from around £200 for entry-level models to several thousand pounds for high-end tables built to last. The difference comes down to the quality of the playing surface, the conversion top, the materials and the build. A durable, repairable and beautifully designed table sits in the upper bracket.
| Bracket | Indicative budget | What you get |
| Entry-level | £200 - £600 | Small size, basic finish, limited lifespan |
| Mid-range | £600 - £2,000 | Better materials, more even play |
| Premium | £2,000 and up | Quality playing surface, durable design, outdoor use possible, spare parts |
The Cornilleau convertible pool tables sit in the premium bracket, with a promise of durability and French manufacturing. Prices are in GBP; see uk.cornilleau.com for current UK pricing (roughly in line with the European range of about £3,000 to £5,000, to be confirmed on the UK store).
Entry-level or premium: what to look out for
Searches like “cheap convertible pool table” reflect an understandable budget instinct. Be wary, though, of a few entry-level pitfalls: a conversion top that warps, cloth that fades, an unstable frame and, above all, spare parts you can't find after a single season. On a piece of furniture meant to last and on show every day, those savings are paid back in use. A quality table, whose parts stay available for years, often works out cheaper over time.
The Cornilleau convertible pool tables: French design, built to last
Cornilleau designs and manufactures its pool tables in France. Every model converts into a dining table via an optional top, withstands the weather and benefits from spare parts available for at least 20 years after purchase, with a 5-year warranty. Three collections cover every need, from the most accessible to the most refined.
| Model | Positioning | Use | Price |
| Classic | Cornilleau's entry point, understated design | Indoor and outdoor | See UK store |
| Hyphen | Customisable (colours, pockets, cloth), weatherproof | Outdoor | See UK store |
| Origin | The signature collection, refined design, wooden legs | Outdoor | See UK store |
All three are 7ft, American-spec, with a 5-year warranty and spare parts available for at least 20 years; exact UK pricing on uk.cornilleau.com. Each comes in several finishes (black, white, grey) and takes a matching conversion top to move from game to dining in moments. To build yours to your project, browse all our pool tables.
Hyphen Collection
Origin Collection
Classic Collection
Caring for your convertible pool table so it stays looking its best
Simple, regular care keeps the look and performance of your convertible pool table for years. Brush the cloth in the direction of play, clean the conversion top with a product suited to its material, and protect the pool table with a cover if it stays exposed. On an outdoor model, these habits extend its life still further.
Find all the detailed advice, by product type, on our pool table advice pages.
Build your own Cornilleau games space
You now have everything you need to choose your convertible pool dining table: use, conversion, size, materials, budget. The best bit remains: finding the model that's right for you. A quality pool table in the evening, a high-end dining table day to day, and a design made in France to last for years. Discover the Classic, Hyphen and Origin collections and start picturing your next evening.
See all Cornilleau convertible pool tables or build your pool table with its conversion top.
Spare parts available for at least 20 years. Designed and manufactured in France.
Frequently asked questions: convertible pool tables
Is a convertible pool table a real pool table?
Yes. A good convertible pool table is first and foremost a full pool table: it's the conversion top, placed on top, that adds the dining function. Playing quality depends on the surface (slate or a technical equivalent) and its flatness, not on the conversion itself.
Is it easy to convert a pool table into a dining table?
Yes. On a Cornilleau table, the conversion top is fitted by two people in moments, with no tools and no screws. You lift it off just as easily to play again, and store it flat or in its cover.
How many people does a convertible pool table seat?
Depending on the size, a convertible pool table seats 8 to 12 guests once the top is on. Allow about 60cm per person. A 7ft size comfortably seats 8 to 10 people.
What size of convertible pool table for family use?
The 7ft size is the best balance for the home: big enough for enjoyable games and compact enough to fit a living space. 6ft suits small spaces; 8ft suits large rooms.
Can you put a convertible pool table outdoors?
Yes, provided you choose a pool table specifically designed for outdoors, with materials treated against damp, UV and corrosion. A classic indoor pool table won't withstand the weather.
Can you convert a Cornilleau pool table into a table tennis table?
Yes. The outdoor conversion top turns your pool table into a table tennis table in just 2 minutes, indoors or out. Made in France and guaranteed for 10 years, it suits tables from 7ft to 8.5ft and comes complete with net and posts.
How much does a convertible pool dining table cost?
From around £200 at entry level to several thousand pounds at the premium end. Cornilleau pool tables sit in the premium bracket; see uk.cornilleau.com for current UK pricing.
What's the difference between convertible and transformable?
In practice, none: both describe a pool table you turn into a dining table using a removable top. They're synonyms.
Do you need slate in a convertible pool table?
Slate gives the best roll, but it's heavy. For a convertible pool table, especially outdoors, an engineered playing surface with good flatness at a controlled weight is often the more practical choice.