What are the rules for my bat and rubbers?

Question

Accepted Answer

Under Law 2.4 of the Laws of Table Tennis (ITTF Statutes 2026):

Blade

Any size, shape or weight, but flat and rigid.
At least 85% natural wood by thickness. An adhesive layer may be reinforced with carbon fibre, glass fibre or compressed paper, but no thicker than 7.5% of the total thickness or 0.35 mm, whichever is smaller.

Rubbers (on any side used to hit the ball)

Ordinary pimpled rubber (pimples out): total thickness including adhesive less than 2.05 mm, with 10 to 30 pimples per cm².
Sandwich rubber (pimples in or out): total thickness including adhesive less than 4.05 mm, with the pimpled top layer no more than 2.0 mm.
Matt, black on one side and a bright colour clearly different from black and from the ball's colour on the other.
Covering must reach the edge of the blade but not go beyond it (the part gripped by the fingers can be left uncovered).
Must be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment. ITTF regulations also require the covering to be ITTF-authorised and used as authorised, with no additives.

On the day

Show your racket to your opponent and the umpire before the match and whenever you change it, and let them examine it.
Under ITTF regulations, you can only change rackets during a match if yours is accidentally damaged so badly it can't be used. Replace it straight away with one you brought to the playing area or one handed to you there.
Hitting the ball with a side whose surface doesn't meet the rules loses the point.