Top 6 Questions to Ask When Shopping
and Preparing to Buy a Quality Pool Table
1.Is the table made of 100% solid hardwood and is the hardwood
computerized kiln dried to prevent cracks and splits? If not what
other materials are used?
Many tables at a retail price point of $2000 to $3000 will have solid
wood rails, however there cabinets will be a veneer. Veneer is a thin
layer of solid hardwood bonded or glued to an engineered wood.
Engineered wood in the furniture industry is a way to avoid saying
particle board. When veneer is applied to the particle board the table
may appear to have cabinets just as nice as the solid hardwood
cabinets. The difference is the inability of particle board cabinets
to be set up more than one time. The slate on a pool tables is
attached to the cabinets with long heavy duty screws. If the cabinet
is engineered wood with a veneer it is nearly impossible to reset that
table correctly because the particle board turns to saw dust and there
is no good way to anchor the slate into the cabinets when the table is
set up again. Also particle board cabinets are very susceptible to
moisture, with enough moisture veneers pop off the particle board and
it’s down hill from there.
Hardwoods have a superior ability to hold screws that attach the slate
Hardwoods have a distinctive characteristic in their grain which adds
beauty, value, and each table will be unique.
Tables built of solid hardwoods hold their value decade after decade
eventually becoming an heirloom in ones family.
2. Does the table have 1 inch 3 piece slate that is diamond honed?
The weight of the slate if it is 1” scales in around 600 pounds.
Three-piece slate is preferable to one-piece. Three separate pieces
allow for more accurate leveling, easier handling and less breakage.
At first one might think that one piece slate would be easier to level
than 3 pieces. The advantages of three pieces are obvious when one
considers that neither the table nor the floor it sits upon will be
completely level, and all three components, floor, table and slate,
will flex to some extent. Not to mention one piece slate is dangerous
and difficult to move in one 600 pound piece.
Slate that is diamond honed will be with in 1/1000th of an inch from
one side to the other ensuring a level evenly cut piece of slate.
3. Does the slate have solid wood backing?
Slate backing is important for accurate leveling and for covering the
table. Cheaper tables leave off the backing or have a “engineered”
wood backing. The billiard cloth will be attached to the backing with
staples. If there is no backing it must be glued. Gluing does not
allow the same ability to evenly stretch the cloth, and will come
loose with moisture. Particleboard or engineered backing can crumble
and erode when staples are removed with each recovering.
The slate backing plays an important role in leveling the table. When
a pool table is installed, the tightness of the slate screws will
effect the leveling. The wood backing provides some give so that by
tightening the screws one at a time, and inserting wooden shims
underneath the backing, the installer can level the playing surface
with far superior accuracy than a table with un-backed slate.
4. How is the 600 pounds of slate supported?
Cabinet thickness and what the cabinets are made from are the first
consideration. As discussed earlier hardwood cabinets are preferable
to engineered wood and veneers. If the table has hardwood cabinets
what is the thickness, one inch should be the minimum.
The other consideration is the support under the table, the more wood
and the size of the support beams the better. At a minimum a quality
table will have one 2X6 the length of the table and 2 2X4’s the width
of the table. Metal bracing is preferable to wood as metal bracing
will not split out over the years of supporting 600 pounds of slate,
especially if the bracing is attached to computerized kiln dried
hardwood. There is not a great amount of detail to go into on the
bracing itself, but this does not diminish the importance.
5. What kind of bumpers or cushions are on the table?
For proper play the table should have good quality K-66 profile
cushions. K-66 refers to the shape of the cushion and are the industry
standard. Lower grade K-66 cushions are used on cheaper tables as a
means of saving money in material costs.
Cushions should adhere firmly to the rail in a straight line free of
deviations from one end to the other. Setting the rail rubber properly
requires the skill of an experienced installer. Canvas backing helps
the cushions adhere to the rail. Loose cushions affect accuracy,
causing the ball to jump or skip off the rail. Accuracy will also be
negatively affected by cushions that lack a control fabric. Control
fabric is canvas embedded in the top of the cushion, controlling
action of the rubber and accurate rebounding.
6. What is the minimum area needed for a 7ft 8ft or 9ft table?
Refer to room size
chart. Remember a 57” cue is standard length, but should the
area you have to put the table be smaller than optimal simply area
suggested simply shorten up the length of the cues.
