Outdoor pool tables are pool tables that are designed and manufactured for use in an all-weather environment. They are made to be resistant or impervious to spills, mildew, stains, rips, snow sleet, humidity, rain, and roughhousing.

The bed is usually made of any of a variety of materials: slate, concrete, and resin. Slate is a heavy stone that is preferred by pool players worldwide. It is covered in a weatherproofing sealant such as epoxy. Concrete beds are mixed with fibers for strength and weatherproofing. Resin beds are made of a one- to two-inch-thick, weather-resistant, high-density polymer. The rails are usually made of an acrylic or nylon fabric that doesn't allow liquids to penetrate beyond the surface. You can clean this surface with soapy water, or water with chlorine mixed in. The table surface should last 5 to 10 years, after which it can be refurbished; the body of the table (usually made of fiberglass, polyethylene, and/or aluminum) could last forever.

Some manufacturers offer a convertible top, so that if you don't want to play pool, you can play table tennis or another game instead.

Outdoor pool tables generally run from $1000 to a few thousand dollars.

You might be wondering if outdoor pool tables "play" the same way as regular indoor versions. Perhaps there is a little bit of difference. Outdoor pool tables have to be more impervious to the elements, so you might notice a slight difference in surface speed, spin, and other acts of pool physics. Other than that, outdoor pool tables are exactly the same. The dimensions are the same, the game is the same, and the standard rubber bumpers are covered in a felt-like material. Standard, indoor rubber rots outside, however, so some manufacturers use special, compression-molded rubber.

So why not give it a try? Your family and neighbors will get a kick out of being able to play pool by the swimming pool.