Hide Poker Chips in Game Tables (Felt Slide Trays)
A felt-lined slide tray can keep poker chips out of sight while leaving them easy to reach. Plan its size around your actual chips, table framing, and chosen slides. Mount supports to sound structure, allow for felt and hardware clearances, then test the loaded tray for smooth travel, sag, binding, and table movement.
Compact, full-extension drawer slides make it easier to place storage beneath a game table without taking up space on top. But a smooth slide is only one part of a sound design. The table must support the tray, the tray must clear knees and braces, and the felt must not interfere with closing.
I plan these builds from the table inward: first find a safe tray envelope, then choose slides and size the tray to suit. That order helps avoid a common mistake: buying hardware before checking whether the table has room to use it.
Plan the Tray and Survey the Table
A tray envelope is the space the tray can occupy as it opens and closes. Before measuring chips or ordering slides, inspect the underside of the table and mark the areas used by its apron, legs, braces, fasteners, and seating. These parts set the real limits.
Measure from the table edge to the nearest obstruction, and check the planned tray path at both closed and fully extended positions. Also sit at the table and note where knees and thighs move. A tray can fit under a tabletop on paper yet still make a seat uncomfortable.
Measure chips and set storage capacity
Poker chips are commonly about 39 mm (1.54 in) across and 3.3 mm (0.13 in) thick. Treat those figures as a starting point, not a substitute for measuring your own chips. Chip styles and stacks can vary, so check the diameter and the height of the stack you intend to store.
For a row of chips, estimate its length by multiplying the chip diameter by the number of chips, then add room for dividers and handling. For stack height, multiply chip thickness by the number of chips in a stack. Add clearance so the stack does not rub the tray top or felt when the tray closes.
Choose an arrangement before building
Sketch the tray from above and from the side. Decide how many rows or compartments you need, where dividers will sit, and whether the tray will store chips alone or also cards and small accessories. Mixed storage needs extra room and may change the tray’s weight.
A useful survey checklist:
- Record the clear width, depth, and height under the table.
- Mark legs, braces, apron boards, and existing fasteners.
- Check the tray’s path with the table in its normal position.
- Confirm that an open tray will not block a seat or walkway.
- Identify sound framing that can carry the slide supports.
Do not cut or weaken legs, braces, or other load-bearing members to make room. If the available space is too small, reduce the tray size or choose another location. The next step is to check the slide dimensions against the space you found.
Confirm Slide, Seating, and Travel Clearances
Slide clearance is the space required between a drawer and its side supports for the hardware to fit and move. Many side-mount slides need about 12.7 mm (½ in) per side, but this is only a common example. The selected slide’s installation drawing is the controlling source.
Read the slide specifications
Choose a pair of slides with a published capacity of at least 22.7 kg (50 lb), and keep the tray’s total loaded weight within that rating. Include the tray, slides where relevant to the maker’s rating, felt, chips, and anything else stored inside. Check whether the stated rating applies to the mounting orientation and extension you plan to use.
Do not assume that a slide’s capacity proves the table can carry the same load. The supports, fasteners, and table framing must also be strong enough. A slide mounted only to a thin decorative apron may pull the apron loose when the tray is extended and loaded.
Draw the tray path and check clearances
Make a simple, dimensioned side view through the table edge. Show the tabletop, apron, tray bottom, slide, felt, adhesive, and any screw heads near the closing path. Include the tray at full extension, not just in its stored position.
Check these details against the slide maker’s drawing:
- Required side clearance and mounting position.
- Vertical clearance above and below the slide.
- Required space at the front and rear.
- Full-extension length and any stop or release needs.
- Screw locations and permitted fastener size.
Measure the actual felt and adhesive stack-up before setting the final closed clearance. Felt thickness varies, and pressure can compress it. There is no universal required felt thickness or tray gap, so avoid sizing by guesswork. Keep felt clear of moving slide parts.
| Design check | Starting point | What controls the final choice |
|---|---|---|
| Chip diameter | About 39 mm (1.54 in) | Measure your actual chips |
| Chip thickness | About 3.3 mm (0.13 in) | Measure stack height |
| Side-mount slide gap | Often 12.7 mm (½ in) per side | Selected slide drawing |
| Slide rating | At least 22.7 kg (50 lb) per pair | Published rating and mounting conditions |
| Tray bottom | 12 mm (½ in) plywood is a practical target | Tray size, support, and construction |
The plywood figure is a design target, not a code minimum. Support the bottom so it does not rely on felt or adhesive for strength. Once the drawing works in both positions, build the supports and fit the empty tray first.
Install the Supports, Slides, and Felt Tray
A slide support is the solid, level surface that holds one side of a drawer slide. It must attach to sound table framing, not just thin trim. A careful dry fit helps catch alignment and clearance problems before felt, chips, or finish make changes harder.
Build and attach the supports
Use your survey to locate sound structural members. If the table’s apron is thin or decorative, add properly supported mounting blocks or rails that transfer the load to stronger framing. Check the table’s stability and the support attachment before installing a loaded tray.
Do not assume a long screw is automatically safer. Choose fasteners that suit the material and thickness, avoid splitting, and do not penetrate the tabletop or damage a finish. If you cannot identify sound structure or safe fastener locations, pause and get help from a qualified furniture maker or installer.
Fit slides before adding felt
Install the slides level and parallel, following the selected maker’s instructions for separation, setback, and fasteners. Small alignment errors can cause binding or uneven travel. Test the empty tray through its full range before adding felt; it should open and close without catching on the table, supports, or seat space.
A practical sequence is:
- Mark the slide positions from the dimensioned drawing.
- Attach the supports securely to sound framing.
- Fasten the slides with the specified orientation and clearance.
- Fit the empty tray and check its full travel.
- Correct any binding before applying felt.
Line the tray without blocking movement
A 12 mm (½ in) plywood bottom is a practical starting point for a tray, provided it is adequately supported. Build the sides and dividers to suit the chip layout, then smooth sharp edges that could snag the felt. Keep the tray light enough to handle while maintaining a sturdy, flat bottom.
Apply felt with a suitable adhesive, but keep it off the slide mechanism and out of screw holes. Trim edges neatly so loose fabric cannot fold into the closing gap. Before loading chips, close the tray slowly and check that the felt does not bunch, rub, or hold the tray open.
Verify Load, Stability, and Smooth Operation
A successful tray moves freely when empty and remains stable when loaded. Its slide rating is only one part of that check. Inspect the complete assembly, including the table frame, support fasteners, tray bottom, and felt, before using the storage regularly.
Representative retrofit checks
The examples below describe common situations, not tested products or measured installations. They show how the survey changes the plan. In my design work, I treat each table as its own structure rather than assuming that a tray that fits one model will fit another.
| Table condition | Main risk | Safer next step |
|---|---|---|
| Thin decorative apron | Apron may loosen under an extended, loaded tray | Transfer support loads to sound framing |
| Nearby cross-brace | Tray or slide may hit it during travel | Redraw the envelope; do not cut the brace |
| Limited knee space | Open tray may interfere with seating | Test the tray path while seated |
| Uneven or flexible mounting area | Slides may bind or shift | Add a properly supported, level mounting surface |
| Felt crowds the closed gap | Tray may rub or fail to close | Refit the felt or revise the clearance |
One frequent retrofit challenge is a tray that seems to fit when closed but meets a brace as it opens. Another is a tray fastened to a thin apron, where the slide rating looks adequate but the table attachment is not. In both cases, the fix starts with the table and travel path, not with stronger slides alone.
Load and cycle the finished tray
Add the intended contents in stages. Open and close the tray repeatedly, then inspect the supports and fasteners for movement. Watch for a sagging bottom, uneven gaps, new rubbing, or a table that rocks or shifts. Stop using the tray if you find loosened fasteners, cracking, or instability.
Keep fingers clear of the slide path, especially near closing stops and pinch points. Do not exceed the slide rating, and do not treat a successful empty test as proof of safe loaded use. If the table moves when the tray is extended, unload it and correct the support or stability issue before use.
Conclusion and FAQs
A concealed chip tray works best when its size, slide, and support structure are planned together. Measure the table and chips, use the selected slide’s installation drawing, and account for felt and adhesive. Then test the empty tray and the loaded assembly before relying on it.
The key next step is to confirm that the table has sound framing where the slides will mount. If it does not, change the support design or choose another location rather than attaching a loaded tray to thin trim.
How much side clearance do drawer slides need?
Many side-mount slides need about 12.7 mm (½ in) per side. Requirements vary, so use the selected slide maker’s installation drawing rather than this typical figure.
How much weight should the slides support?
Choose a pair with a published rating of at least 22.7 kg (50 lb), and keep the loaded tray within that rating. Confirm the rating’s mounting and extension conditions.
What size are standard poker chips?
Common casino-style chips are about 39 mm (1.54 in) wide and 3.3 mm (0.13 in) thick. Measure your own chips and stacks before sizing the tray.
Can I attach the slides to the table apron?
Only if the apron and its connections can carry the load. Thin decorative trim may not be strong enough. Transfer the load to sound framing when needed.
Does felt need a special thickness?
There is no universal required felt thickness. Measure the actual felt and adhesive together, and allow for their compressed thickness in the closed clearance.
Is 12 mm plywood required for the tray bottom?
No. It is a practical design target, not a code minimum. Support the bottom adequately and choose materials suited to the tray’s size and load.
Should I add felt before testing the slides?
No. Fit and test the empty tray first. Add felt only after confirming smooth travel, then check again for rubbing or bunching.
Can I cut a brace to make room for the tray?
Do not cut or weaken a leg, brace, or other load-bearing member. Reduce the tray size or select a different location instead.
What should I check after loading the tray?
Look for sag, binding, loose fasteners, rubbing, and table movement. Stop if the table shifts or any part loosens, then correct the support before further use.
Do building codes apply to a loose game table tray?
Loose furniture is generally outside IRC and IBC scope. Fixed construction or added wiring may be subject to locally adopted building or electrical codes; check local requirements.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Andrew Fairchild. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
