How to Buy a Pool Table

A well-made, well-maintained pool table can last you a lifetime. A good table can support a range of games for all skill levels. Here are some things to think about before making your purchase.

Instructions

1

Measure out your total available space to determine the size of your table. Pool tables range from 7 feet to 10 feet and are half as wide as they are long.

2

Take into consideration the fact that you need more than just room for the table itself. Ideally, you'll have a 5 3/4-foot clearance all around the table's perimeter.

3

Determine your budget - know that you'll get what you pay for.

4

Do some research on pool tables. Generally, it's not that much more expensive to buy a new table than to buy a used one. Keep in mind that moving a table a few times can put a lot of wear and tear on it.

5

Look on the Web at the construction features of the most expensive tables. The best tables have three-piece, 1-inch-thick Italian slate; solid hardwood frames rather than wood laminates; rails bolted through the slate with the nuts inside the rails; and K-66 contoured cushions.

6

Decide which features you value and can afford.

7

Opt for a frame pre-built in a factory, which is normally stronger than one assembled in the house. Some house situations, however, may require internal assembly (for example, if you have to bring it up a spiral staircase).

8

Notice that many tables have slanted sides. Slanted sides are usually stronger.

9

Focus your attention on the most essential element of the pool table - the playing surface, which consists of the cloth, the rails and the cushions.

10

Buy a name-brand table if you can.

11

Have your table professionally installed. It is definitely worth a little extra money to make sure the table is put together properly.

12

Hire an installer who is authorized by a major billiard company.

13

Care for your table properly and it will last your entire lifetime.