Here because you’re ready to buy a billiard table for your home?

Congratulations, they hold their value well and can lend themselves to hours of limitless enjoyment for you, your family, and friends.

 Just make sure you buy quality. You’re in the right place for it, so we’ll break it down.

Size and Style

The first thing you need to consider is the size of the billiard table. Even if official BCA standards don’t matter to you, you need to make sure it’s not only going to fit in the space you have reserved for it, but that you can play.

The bigger the cues, the more space you will need around the table to make shots, so keep that in mind. A standard pool cue is 57”, so you either need a minimum of 57” of clearance around the pool table, or you need to have shorter cues on hand for tighter shots.

Also, there are several different styles of pool tables for sale, even here at eFamilyFun. Generally, the two broad classes are wood bed and slate tables. Wood bed tables are less expensive and can typically be assembled without a professional installer. Slate tables are more expensive, play truer and last a lifetime, but they require professional installation.

With respect to styling,traditional or classic pool tables generally have ornately decorated wooden frames (similar to the pool table featured in the image at the top of this post) whereas contemporary or modern tables have more minimalistic aesthetics. There are also craftsman style pool tables, which have weathered or distressed finishes and evident joinery.

Choose the one that works best for your home.

Playing Surface: Slate and Felt

While pool tables are made with playing surfaces other than slate, slate is hands down the best for performance and durability. We also sell wood bed tables that play at an acceptable level and are much more economical. They can be a very good choice if you are not a serious player and plan to move within the next 3-5 years.

As mentioned, slate tables offer the highest level of quality. Slate is strong, hard, durable, and naturally calves into flat sections. The BCA or Billiards Congress of America requires pool tables to be made with slate surfaces at least 1” thick - but there are other thicknesses, too.

Slate surfaces should not only be at least 1” thick, but they should also be supported by a wood frame with a minimum thickness of 15mm. Moreover, look for any specifications detailing what degree of level is used to finish the surface. For instance, many of our Playcraft pool tables are honed to within a thousandth of an inch.

The highest-quality billiard table cloth is made from wool. While worsted is the highest preferred grade, it is expensive and carries a premium by installers for the additional labor required during assembly. For home use we typically recommend a 20oz woolen fabric with backing and a Teflon coating.

Cushions and Rails

Some pool tables are made with synthetic cushions and rails that are made from a gum blend that is padded with a clay filler.

This clay filler can dry out over time, which adversely affects the elasticity of the rails and cushions, resulting in “dead rails.”

High-quality billiards tables are made with natural gum rubber rails that will not dry out or stiffen over time, and which will remain elastic and provide ideal rebound characteristics for many years. An American-style pool table should have K66 profile cushions.

Extras: What Else Can You Use the Billiard Table for

When evaluating a pool table for your home, remember that you may be able to use the table for more than just billiards.

For instance, we offer some pool tables that have the hybrid capability to be used as dining tables. Benches are also available to complete a dining set. There is also the opportunity to play ping pong with a foam backed conversion top.

Take that into consideration if you don’t have a dedicated game room or want to get extra utility out of each dollar you spend.

Don’t Forget the Accessories

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To enjoy billiards, you’ll need a set of billiard balls, cues, a bridge, and at least two racks, a diamond, and a triangular rack, for playing popular games like 8-ball and 9-ball. A Playcraft accessory kit includes all of this, plus a cover, a roman wall rack, dice shaker for Kelley Pool, chalk holders, two brushes and a cue tip repair kit

You’ll also want sandpaper for conditioning the cue’s tips, as well as chalk for the cue tip, and a set of brushes for keeping the slate surface and table rails clean.

Other helpful accessories are a dedicated break cue (used for breaking only), as well as a cue rack and ball polish which will help preserve ideal ball speed and shot characteristics.

Some players also practice with pocket reducers, which slip into the table’s pockets, reducing the openings and helping you to hone your technique and shot accuracy while practicing. These, however, are not a must.

Don’t Forget Assembly/Installation

Pool tables are large, heavy, difficult to assemble, and most importantly, need to be micro-adjusted during installation to ensure the surface is perfectly level and properly clothed.

While you can do it yourself, the slate and clothing process takes some expertise. We highly recommend that you plan for professional installation.

Questions About Our Billiards Tables? Contact Us

We carry a wide range of Playcraft billiards tables here at eFamilyFun. If you have any questions about any of our pool tabkles, specifications, or what you need to get started enjoying the game at home, get in touch with us at 877-358-5579. We have years of experience and will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the tables, the assembly process or the delivery process. Our goal is to make sure that our customers are fully informed before they make this investment.