You might have heard the joke about the 600-pound gorilla in the room; when it comes to your billiards table, it’s no joke. Small, fairly light tables are available, but a tournament-grade table can weigh a quarter ton or more, so choose carefully where your pool table will sit, then put it there and leave it.

Moving a pool table solo is absolutely not recommended. If you don’t break the table, you may very well end up hurting yourself. Trying to move the table can also cause misalignment in the slate, bumpers and other parts, throwing your game way off.

You want to play comfortably in your billiard room. Obviously, the table you can buy is dependent on the size of your billiards room.

Pool tables are available in lengths from 6 feet through 12 feet, with standard table width at half the length. The most common sizes are 7 feet, 8 feet and 9 feet.

If your space is limited, pool cue lengths also vary: A standard billiards cue is 57 or 58 inches long, but you can get shorter cues — 52, 48, even 42 inches — meaning you can get a larger table in a smaller room. Other than needing less space, the smaller pool tables also make for better (easier) games for children and casual players.

Finally, set your budget and stick to it. What raises the price? Solid wood in place of laminates, ornate carving in place of flat surfaces, thicker slate, fancier accessories. If you are a serious player, the additional investment you make in a tournament-grade billiards table will bring you a return every time you rack ’em up.

What makes up a good billiard components? The playing surface, first of all.

Slate is the same rock used in flagstone walkways and roofing, slate is a hard rock that can be ground and polished to a long-lasting, level surface. Some billiards tables use a single piece; the better tables use a three-piece bonded surface, which is more Brand Levitra resistant to warping.

Pool tables for home use generally have 0.75-inch thick slate; tournament-grade slates are 1.0-inch thick, if you want to spend a little extra.

Artificial slate, called permaslate or slatron (plastic-particle board laminate); plastic honeycomb, medium density fiberboard (MDF) and particle board are also available. They are less expensive and lighter and can feel exactly like slate. However, they have a shorter lifespan and there is less chance the surface will stay level.

These discount pool tables are good for casual play, children’s play and those just learning.

Every play surface must have a cloth cover, usually called “the felt.” The better pool tables feature wool/nylon blends; economy and outdoor tables use synthetic wool or nylon. Traditionally, the felt is green, because billiards developed from a lawn game similar to croquet, but new table styles include felts in numerous colors.

Attached to the top rail, “K-66 cushions” are required for tournament play, so these are the cushions to look for if you want true tournament feel. As an alternative, molded gum rubber cushions allow faster rebounds and, because of their durability, are recommended for outdoor tables.

There are many other components to pool tables but the basics were just covered. Next, the care of your billiards will be discussed.

Like all sports equipment, proper care will extend the life of your billiards gear. In fact, if pampered a little, a pool table can last several generations.

Amount of use is the determining factor in cloth life. Used for a couple of games per week, cloth should last three to five years.

If you play every day, you might have to replace your felt every six to twelve months. Spots are almost inevitable; clean them with a damp cloth but don’t expect to get them all out.

Don’t drop balls and don’t put drinks or cigarettes anywhere on the table, especially the cloth. Brush the cloth with a soft brush and vacuum gently once in a while.

Metal — jewelry, belt buckles, studs on jeans, etc. — can scratch the wood or plastic, so remove them if you can. Treat wood as you treat any other wood furniture; use a finish cleanser and preservative, then wipe with a damp cloth regularly. (Be careful not to get wood oil on the felt.)

Plastic laminates need an occasional wipe-down with whatever you use on your laminate countertops. If you have leather pockets, treat them like any leather; clean and oil the leather every few weeks or months.

If the pockets are sagging or lose their symmetry, weight them with balls and let them sit for a week or so. Inserts and plates around the pockets should be cleaned every few weeks with whatever is appropriate for that material.

Author Bio: Jack R. Landry has played professional billiards for the last 19 years and written hundreds of articles about billiards and pool tables.

Contact Info:
Jack R. Landry
JackRLandry@gmail.com
http://www.PoolTables.com

Category: Recreation and Leisure/Sports
Keywords: Pool Tables