Hi everyone. Let me tell you a little something about myself. I install, recover & relocate pool tables. I work mostly in the Maryland area, a few counties in southern Pennsylvania & the Newark, Delaware area.
The counties I work in Maryland are: Cecil, Harford, Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Carroll & Howard.
In Pennsylvania they are: York & Lancaster.
I have included a question & answer index based on 20 years of experience. They are, however, just my opinions & observations over the years.
Room Size Most cues are 57 inches long. In my opinion, the ideal room clearance would be 5 feet from the wall to the edge of the table. The table rails are about 6 inches wide, so the clearance could be pushed back to 4 feet 6 inches, but that's tight. They do, however, make smaller cues, so below is a list of "Minimum Space Requirements" for the different size cues as suggested by a retail store in my area.
Also, most bar rooms use the 7 foot tables. Please keep that in mind when purchasing your table. Many times I have installed a table too large for the room it was intended for. Once a table is installed, most retail stores won't exchange it.
"Minimum Space Requirements"
3 1/2 x 7 table (playing area 38" x 76")
Cue Size: 57 inch cue Room Size: 13 x 16
Cue Size: 52 inch cue Room Size: 12 x 15
Cue Size: 48 inch cue Room Size: 11 1/2 x 14 1/2
4 x 8 table (playing area 44" x 88")
Cue Size: 57 inch cue Room Size: 13 1/2 x 17
Cue Size: 52 inch cue Room Size: 12 1/2 x 16
Cue Size: 48 inch cue Room Size: 12 x 15
4 1/2 x 9 table (playing area 50" x 100")
Cue Size: 57 inch cue Room Size: 14 x 18
Cue Size: 52 inch cue Room Size: 13 x 17
Cue Size: 48 inch cue Room Size: 12 1/2 x 16 1/2
Slate A smooth, flat, hard, flush surface is needed for playing pool & slate is the best material to use. In my opinion, there are only a few differences between three quarter & one inch slate - one inch slate adds weight to the table & protects it from being knocked out of level. Also, it is quieter. The balls will not be as loud when they roll. In no way will one inch slate improve your game any more than the three quarter inch.
Some older tables have one piece slate. Almost all the newer tables have three piece slate. Besides being lighter to carry, three piece slate can be leveled better than the one piece. Slate can bow & if there's a bow in the one piece slate, it would be impossible to make it a true surface. Three piece, on the other hand, can be leveled & trued to the adjoining pieces. The joints can then be seamed with either wax or a putty. If using a putty, make sure it's "No Shrink". Drywall joint compound is NOT a good substitute.
Cloth Of course, the cloth is very important & does affect your game. That's why when buying a new table or recovering an old one, it should be covered in something that will hold up & last. At least 22 oz cloth should be used. If you purchase a table that comes with 16 oz cloth, I suggest you pay the extra & get the heavier cloth before the table is installed. It will save you money in the long run by saving the expense of having to recover the table in a short period of time.
A fair cloth is made up of 75% wool & 25% nylon & comes with most billiard tables. (Ask your sales person.) For the serious player, you can find better cloth that is made up to 94% wool & 6% nylon. The more wool & tighter the weave, the smoother the table & less likelihood of any pilling.
Keeping your cloth clean will make it last. I suggest using a vacuum with a brush attachment. The brush attachment is most important. Without it, there can be too much suction & you're taking a chance of the cloth being stretched. Also, keeping the table covered when not in use will protect the table.
Lighting There are many types of lights to choose from. Choices range anywhere from dome lights to fluorescent. To avoid shadowing, I recommend starting with the measurement of 32 inches from the top of the table to the bottom of the light shade. This should provide clearance for players of any height.
For your convenience in finding products, I have added the below links. However, these are not advertisers nor am I affiliated with them in any way.
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Thinking of buying, recovering or relocating a pool table? Please feel free to email me with the below link.
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C'ya in the pool halls -=o}
