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By the Arclight Dynamics team · Updated November 3, 2026 · 9 min read
Quick Answer: How Much Shop Space Does a CNC Plasma Table Need?
Measure for three things, not one: the table’s overall footprint, the 24-inch swing radius of the control cabinet, and the clear space to load and unload a full sheet, normally on the operator’s left. A 4×8 Arclight table runs roughly 6.3 to 7 feet wide and 10 to 13.5 feet long overall, depending on the series; a 5×10 runs 7.5 feet wide and 12 to 15.5 feet long. Then plan the equipment that lives around it: the plasma cutter, the air compressor with its dryer and filter, material storage, and the finishing tools that handle parts after the cut. Add 120V and 220V service within reach, a concrete floor that will carry 800 to 3,500 pounds plus a few hundred gallons of water, and a way to get a crated table off the truck. If material has to load from the right, Arclight builds a Reverse Build at no charge.
In This Guide
How Big Is a CNC Plasma Table?
Bigger than the sheet it holds. The frame extends past the cutting envelope on every side, the gantry overhangs the long sides, and the control cabinet or pedestal sits off one corner. Use the overall dimensions, not the nominal size, when you chalk out the floor. Every size is on the CNC plasma table comparison, and each product page (for example the Arc Pro Ultra V3 4×8) carries the full specification.
| Table | Nominal size | Overall dimensions | Footprint at base | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arc Pro Ultra V3 / Elite V3 | 4x4 | 81 x 102 in, 74 in tall | 61 x 61 in | 800 lb |
| Arc Pro Ultra V3 / Elite V3 | 5x5 | 93 x 114 in, 74 in tall | 73 x 73 in | 900 lb |
| Arc Pro Ultra V3 / Elite V3 | 4x8 | 81 x 162 in, 74 in tall | 61 x 121 in | 1,100 lb |
| Arc Pro Ultra V3 / Elite V3 | 5x10 | 93 x 186 in, 74 in tall | 73 x 145 in | 1,300 lb |
| Arc Max Ultra / Elite | 5x5 | 88 x 80 in, 60 in tall | 70 x 68 in | 1,200 lb |
| Arc Max Ultra / Elite / Unlimited | 4x8 | 76 x 120 in, 60 in tall | 58 x 109 in | 2,500 to 3,000 lb |
| Arc Max Ultra / Elite / Unlimited / X | 5x10 | 88 x 143 in, 60 in tall | 70 x 133 in | 2,350 to 3,250 lb |
| Arc Max Ultra / Elite / Unlimited / X | 6x12 | 100.5 x 167 in, 60 in tall | 82 x 157 in | 3,000 to 3,500 lb |
From the Arclight product page specifications. Heights are to the top of the gantry. Weights are the table without water, cutter or material.
What Three Measurements Should You Take Before Buying a CNC Plasma Table?
1. The table. Chalk the overall dimensions from the table above onto the floor, including the pedestal or control cabinet position. Stand in it. Walk around it. The operator’s side needs the most room.
2. The control cabinet swing. The control cabinet on an Arclight table swings so the operator can face the cut. Allow a 24-inch swing radius where it mounts, and keep that arc clear of posts, benches and the compressor.
3. Loading and unloading. A full 4×8 sheet is 8 feet long and often comes off a forklift or a cart. Leave enough clear floor on the load side to bring the sheet in square, set it down, and later pull nested parts and skeletons off. Material loads from the operator’s left by default. If your bay only works from the right, tell sales before the build starts and Arclight builds the table mirrored. The Reverse Build is a no-charge option.
What Else Takes Up Floor Space Around a CNC Plasma Table?
Everything that feeds the table and follows it needs floor too, and all of it competes for the same bay:
- The plasma cutter. It sits close to the table, within reach of the torch lead, with air coming in and power coming in.
- The air compressor, dryer and filter. A two-stage 80-gallon compressor is about the size of a water heater and is loud. Many shops put it in a side room or outside the bay and run the air line in. The dryer and filter mount near the table.
- Material storage and staging. Full sheets in a rack, drops and remnants, and a cart or forklift path from the rack to the load side.
- Secondary processing. Most plasma-cut parts get cleaned up. That can be a grinder on a bench or an ironworker, tumbler or belt sander with its own footprint.
- Electrical service. 120V for the table and computer, and the service the plasma cutter needs, which is 200 to 600V single or three phase depending on the model. Our electrical requirements guide covers it.
- Grounding. A dedicated earth ground near the table is recommended on every install.
A planning rule of thumb (ours, not a spec) for a 4×8 or 5×10 system with the compressor in the same bay: plan on a space about twice the table’s footprint, and put the loud and hot equipment where the operator does not have to work next to it.
What Kind of Floor Does a CNC Plasma Table Need?
A level concrete floor. The table itself is 800 to 3,500 pounds, the water pan adds 53 to 420 gallons of water (about 8.3 pounds per gallon), and a full 5×10 sheet of 1-inch plate is another 2,000 pounds. A 5×10 Arc Max with a full pan and a sheet on it is in the range of 6,000 to 7,000 pounds spread over the frame’s feet. A standard shop slab carries that; if the floor is thin, old or cracked, confirm it with your contractor.
Level is what you control. Arclight tables ship with casters that lower to roll the table off the truck and into position, and the Arc Pro Ultra V3 adds all-in-one leveling rollers so you can move the table and level it in one step. A few minutes with a level at install is what keeps the slats and the water line even with the torch.
The water pan is part of the floor plan too. The Arc Max tables use twin ball valves for draining and filling, so run the table near a drain or plan for a pump and hose. Green Guard Rust Blocker in the water keeps the pan, slats and parts from rusting, and it is the most-reordered item in the Arclight store.
Do You Need Ventilation for a Water Table CNC Plasma Cutter?
Less than you would for a dry table, but you still need air movement. Every Arclight table is a water table: the water pan catches sparks, dross and most of the particulate, and it pulls heat out of the plate so parts stay flat. What it does not catch is the fume that rises off the cut, so run the table in a space with general shop ventilation, the same you would want for welding. Cutting galvanized, stainless or aluminum needs more air than mild steel. If the table lives in a closed room, add an exhaust fan. If you plan to cut aluminum on a water table, ask Arclight support about the water-pan practice for aluminum before you start.
How Does a CNC Plasma Table Get Into Your Shop?
On a truck, crated, 98 percent assembled, with the computer and controller secured on top. Arclight ships LTL, fully insured, with a driver no-touch policy. You unload it with a forklift with extensions from the front or side. If you do not have a forklift, a tilt-bed tow truck can offload it. Then lower the casters and roll the table into position.
Plan the path from the dock or roll-up door to the bay before the truck arrives. The crate is longer and wider than the table’s overall dimensions, and the Arc Pro tables stand 74 inches tall. Measure the door against the crate dimensions Arclight gives you before delivery day. Setup from there is unpacking the computer, securing the control cabinet, connecting motors and limit switches, hooking up power and air, and filling the pan with water, which most owners finish in about an hour and a half with the step-by-step instructions. Arclight technicians answer setup questions and can walk you through your first cuts.
If you are within driving distance of Bend, Oregon (three hours from Portland, 20 minutes from the Redmond airport), you can pick the table up. There is no shipping charge, Oregon has no sales tax, and every table purchase includes a complimentary half-day training session on a shop table while you are there.
The shop-space checklist
- Overall footprint chalked on the floor
- 24-inch cabinet swing clear
- Load side open (left by default, Reverse Build if right)
- Plasma cutter within torch-lead reach
- Compressor, dryer and filter placed
- Material rack and a cart or forklift path
- Finishing tools
- 120V for the table and the cutter’s power within reach
- Dedicated earth ground
- Drain or pump for the pan
- Door and dock path for the crate
- Forklift or tow truck booked for delivery day
Shop Space for a CNC Plasma Table: Frequently Asked Questions
How much floor space does a 4x8 CNC plasma table need?
The table itself is about 81 by 162 inches on an Arc Pro frame or 76 by 120 inches on an Arc Max frame. Add a 24-inch swing for the control cabinet, 8 feet of clear floor on the load side for a full sheet, and room for the plasma cutter and compressor. As a rule of thumb, plan on roughly twice the table’s footprint for the full system.
Which side does material load from on an Arclight table?
The operator’s left by default. If your shop layout works better from the right, Arclight builds a Reverse Build at no charge. Specify it with sales before the table enters the build queue.
What is the control cabinet swing radius?
24 inches. The control cabinet mounts on a swing arm at one corner of the table so the operator can face the cut. Keep that arc clear of posts, benches and other equipment.
Can a CNC plasma table go in a home garage?
A 4×4 or 5×5 fits a single garage bay, the ArcDroid on its 4×2 base fits a corner, and the table itself runs on a 120V, 15-amp circuit. The plasma cutter is the constraint: many run on 220V single phase, while 105-amp and larger systems need three-phase power. Ventilation and a place for the compressor matter too.
How heavy is a CNC plasma table?
Arclight tables run from 800 pounds for an Arc Pro 4×4 to 3,500 pounds for an Arc Max Unlimited 6×12, before water and material. Water adds about 8.3 pounds per gallon, and the pans hold 53 to 420 gallons depending on size.
Do I need a forklift to receive a CNC plasma table?
Yes, a forklift with extensions for a front or side offload is the standard method. If you do not have one, a tilt-bed roll-off tow truck can unload the crate. Arclight tables ship with casters that lower so you can roll the table into place.
Keep Researching
- Choosing a CNC Plasma Table: The Complete Buyer’s Guide. Shop space is decision two of eight.
- What Size CNC Plasma Table Do You Need?. Pick the size before you measure the floor.
- What Electrical Service Does a CNC Plasma Table Need?. Table, cutter and compressor power.
- What Size Air Compressor Does a CNC Plasma Table Need?. The other big machine in the bay.
- Which CNC Plasma Table Accessories Should You Plan For?. What follows the cut and where it goes.
- Arclight FAQ. Shipping, pickup and setup details.
Send Us Your Floor Plan. We'll Fit the Table.
Tell us the bay dimensions, the door you will bring it through and which side you want to load from. We’ll recommend the size, place the cabinet and compressor, and build it reversed if that is what your shop needs.
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