Section 2: Equipment
2.1 The Table (Law 2.1)
Per Law 2.1 of the ITTF Laws of Table Tennis:
- The upper surface of the table, known as the "playing surface," shall be rectangular, 2.74 m (9 ft) long and 1.525 m (5 ft) wide.
- It shall lie in a horizontal plane 76 cm (2 ft 6 in) above the floor.
- The playing surface shall be made of any material and shall yield a uniform bounce of approximately 23 cm (9 in) when a standard ball is dropped onto it from a height of 30 cm (11.8 in).
- The playing surface shall be uniformly dark coloured and matt, with a white side line 2 cm (0.79 in) wide along each 2.74 m edge and a white end line 2 cm wide along each 1.525 m edge.
- The playing surface is divided into two equal courts by a vertical net running parallel to the end lines and shall be continuous across the whole area of each court.
- For doubles, each court shall be divided into two equal half-courts by a white centre line 3 mm (0.12 in) wide running parallel to the side lines.
2.2 The Net Assembly (Law 2.2)
Per Law 2.2:
- The net assembly consists of the net, its suspension and the supporting posts, including the clamps attaching them to the table.
- The net shall be suspended by a cord attached at each end to an upright post 15.25 cm (6 in) high; the post and the clamp shall not be more than 15.25 cm outside the side line.
- The top of the net, along its whole length, shall be 15.25 cm (6 in) above the playing surface.
- The bottom of the net, along its whole length, shall be as close as possible to the playing surface and the ends of the net shall be as close as possible to the supporting posts.
2.3 The Ball (Law 2.3)
Per Law 2.3:
- The ball shall be spherical, with a diameter of 40 mm (1.57 in).
- The ball shall weigh 2.7 g (0.095 oz).
- The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and shall be white or orange, and matt.
- Note: The ITTF transitioned from 38 mm celluloid balls to 40 mm plastic (poly) balls effective July 1, 2015. All current ITTF-approved balls are 40 mm plastic.
- For competition, only balls carrying the ITTF approval mark (three-star rating) may be used.
2.4 The Racket (Law 2.4)
Per Law 2.4:
- The racket may be of any size, shape, or weight, but the blade shall be flat and rigid.
- At least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood; an adhesive layer within the blade may be reinforced with fibrous material such as carbon fibre, glass fibre, or compressed paper.
- A side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be covered with either ordinary pimpled rubber with pimples outward having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 2.0 mm, or sandwich rubber consisting of a layer of cellular rubber surfaced by pimpled rubber, turned inward or outward, with a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 4.0 mm.
- The covering material shall extend up to but not beyond the limits of the blade, except that the part nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may be left uncovered or covered with any material.
- The blade, any layer within the blade, and any layer of covering material or adhesive shall each be continuous and of even thickness.
- The surface of the covering material on a side of the blade, or of a side of the blade if it is left uncovered, shall be matt, bright red on one side and black on the other.
- Slight deviations from uniformity of colour or continuity of surface may be allowed if they do not significantly change the playing characteristics of the surface.
- The racket covering shall appear on the ITTF approved list of racket coverings. Both sides of a blade must be covered even if one side is not used for play.
2.5 Approved Equipment
The ITTF maintains an Equipment Database listing all approved balls, blades, rubbers, and tables. Only equipment listed in this database may be used in ITTF-sanctioned events. National associations may use approved equipment lists for their own events.