South Florida homes love their game rooms. From Coral Gables estates to Downtown Miami condos, a well-stocked entertainment space is practically standard.
# 6 Game Room Items That Need Professional Moving
South Florida homes love their game rooms. From Coral Gables estates to Downtown Miami condos, a well-stocked entertainment space is practically standard. But when it's time to move, game room items are some of the trickiest pieces in the house. They're heavy, oddly shaped, mechanically complex, and often worth thousands of dollars. Here are six game room staples that need professional handling.
1. Pool Tables
No surprise here. A slate pool table weighing 700 to 1,000+ pounds is the single heaviest item in most homes. It requires full disassembly into individual components (rails, felt, three slate sections, frame, legs), specialized transport with each slate piece standing upright and wrapped in moving blankets, and precision reassembly with leveling at the destination. A Pool Table Moving crew can disassemble, transport, and reassemble a table in 3-4 hours. The DIY approach takes a full day and usually ends with damage.
2. Arcade Cabinets
Classic arcade machines and full-size modern cabinets weigh 250 to 400 pounds and are top-heavy. The CRT monitors in vintage machines are fragile and contain delicate electronics. Even modern LCD-based cabinets have internal wiring, PCBs, and speakers that can be damaged by rough handling. Professional movers secure the internal components, pad the cabinet on all sides, and transport it upright. Never lay an arcade cabinet on its back or face, the weight of the components can crush the monitor or screen.
3. Shuffleboard Tables
A full-size shuffleboard table is 12 to 22 feet long, and even the shorter "bar length" models are 9 feet. They're narrower than pool tables, but the length makes them extremely difficult to maneuver through doorways, hallways, and around corners. The playing surface is a polished hardwood that scratches easily and warps in humidity. In Miami's climate, a shuffleboard surface that's exposed to uncontrolled humidity for even a few hours can develop warping that affects puck glide. Professional movers often disassemble shuffleboard tables into sections and use custom padding to protect the playing surface.
4. Pinball Machines
Pinball machines are mechanical marvels with hundreds of moving parts inside. They typically weigh 200 to 300 pounds and contain:
- 1A playfield with ramps, bumpers, and flippers that can shift during transport
- 2A backglass panel that's fragile and often irreplaceable on vintage machines
- 3Internal wiring and circuit boards that can disconnect or short if jostled
Professional movers lock down the playfield (most pinball machines have a lockdown bar for this purpose), remove and wrap the backglass separately, and transport the machine upright. Tilting a pinball machine forward or backward during transport can cause the heavy playfield to shift and damage internal components.
5. Foosball Tables
Foosball tables are lighter than pool tables (typically 100 to 250 pounds), but they have their own challenges. The rods, handles, and players extend beyond the table's footprint and can be bent or snapped off if the table is squeezed through a tight doorway. The playing surface can warp if the table is stored in an uncontrolled environment. Professional movers remove the rods and players, wrap the table body, and reassemble everything at the destination. In Miami's humid conditions, keeping the table in a climate-controlled space is especially important for tables with MDF or particleboard construction.
6. Poker Tables and Custom Furniture
High-end poker tables with padded rails, cup holders, chip trays, and felt playing surfaces need careful handling. The upholstered rail sections can tear if caught on a doorframe. The felt surface shows stains and damage quickly. Drop-leaf or convertible dining/poker tables have hinges and mechanisms that can jam or break if forced during transport. Custom-built poker tables are often one-of-a-kind, which means replacement isn't an option. Our movers wrap all surfaces individually and protect mechanisms from damage during transport.
Why Professional Moving Matters for Game Room Items
All of these items share a few traits: they're heavy, they're mechanically or structurally sensitive, and they're expensive to repair or replace. General movers may handle them like any other piece of furniture, but game room items need movers who understand their construction and vulnerabilities. Our Pool Table Moving team has the experience and equipment to handle the full range of game room furniture.
Benefits of Professional Pool Table Moving
Working with experienced Pool Table Moving specialists provides:
- 1Expertise: Knowledge of how each type of game room item is built and what can go wrong
- 2Equipment: Specialized dollies, padding, and carrying tools for heavy, awkward items
- 3Insurance: Coverage for every item in your game room
- 4Efficiency: Your entire game room can be moved and set up in a single day
Ready to Get Started?
Request your free quote today. Read our customer reviews to see why Miami families trust Rapid Panda Movers with their entire game room.
