subject: Choosing The Best Pool Table [print this page] Before making the purchase, there are many things to consider. The first thing to decide on is the size.
Consider an 8-foot table as presenting a medium challenge. Smaller sizes create many clustered balls and larger slabs can cause frustration by forcing longer, more difficult shots.
If you have adequate room space, though, you might opt for a 9-foot slab. As skills grow you'll be a champ when visiting 8-foot slabs at bars.
Allow for space on all sides of the board to stroke cue sticks and for convenient cue storage. Smaller, tight-quartered pool table rooms often have wall marks from cues smacking the walls.
Use six feet of space per side, plus a few inches for backswings. Make sure you take accurate measurements of the space you're going to use.
Before making such a big purchase, always get references from satisfied customers before placing an order. Also check to see if it comes with a warranty from a reliable company.
The seller may warrant a table for 10 years but be closed for business in five years. Make sure you do business with a trustworthy company with staying power.
A good rule of thumb for any product you want to last is don't skimp. Paying $500 more for a bigger or better board may not seem a good investment until you consider the possibility of owning the table for 40 years or longer.
There are different colors to choose for the surface of your pool table. Blues and greens are simplest to sight upon.
Red is a frequent choice for felt, too, but other colors can be distracting and show chalk and liquid or grease stains more easily. Felts are available in any color of the rainbow to suit your decor.
You can also get a board with special inlays on the rails, a personal monogram or inlaid counters at a reasonable price or free of cost. These orders may take longer to place and have shipped to your home, however.
Leveling or re-leveling a new or used table becomes a simple matter with the correct caliper and some plastic playing cards. The cards make easy shims, hundredths of an inch thick to go under a leg as needed.
What you want is to have your new or used table installed at home, followed by a second and possibly third leveling visit months later after giving the slab time to settle in place. Do not purchase a board without service after the sale to keep it perfectly level.
Cheap, mass-produced tables use a wooden bed beneath the cloth. The best playability and durability is with heavyweight slate underlay instead.
A less costly surface is also easier to transport than a one-piece slate. Slate slates are made as three-piece construction, but they ought to be laid in place by a highly competent installer.
The installer ensures that the slab is level throughout and the fine seams between sections do not affect play as bumps under the felt. Ensure that the board has slate at least 7/8 of an inch thick, undergirded by slate liners.
Pick a spot for your poolroom with the most level flooring possible. Bare floors or carpeting is no matter; a table may weigh over one ton and will settle into place on its own.
Humidity and temperature play a role also and affect the balls and cloth both. The best location for your board is inside in a cool, dry room of your home.
For play, you need a few cues with a floor rack for storage or even a simple clip holder. You will also need a set of decent balls with a wooden rack to gather them in place on the board, and a specially made table brush for cloth maintenance.
Once the slab is in place, you and your family can enjoy spending time and playing fun-filled games together. Quality tables will last you a lifetime, and years of entertainment will be free of charge and offered in the comfort of your own home.
