• June 30, 2022

Choosing the right pool table for you

There is something to be said for buying the right pool table. Buying a pool table is very similar to buying a car. In many ways, the entire billiards industry can be related to the automobile industry. It’s amazing how many lessons our pool table manufacturers and retailers can learn from the highly trusted automotive industry. There are dozens of different manufacturers in different countries. Next, you have to choose where you are going to buy your pool table. Will you decide to buy from an authorized dealer or a small timer in your garage? Within that, you will notice that there are several different designs and sizes. There is a wide range of options in the raw materials with which it is built. Even more, you need to decide what options you want, including: stains, fabrics, sights, and accessories. Are you going to buy new or used? And the list goes on and on …

The recommendation to buy new is always the best. Why? Forget for a moment about the different qualities and brands available. Now really consider the downsides of buying a new pool table. There is simply only one real disadvantage, the price. If you are considering buying a pool table and are motivated by price alone; then it may be more appropriate for you to settle for something used. However, if you can wait, if you can take some time to curb the urge to buy now; then you will realize that you would be giving away all the advantages that come with buying a new one. Remember that there are numerous brands and qualities. You would be abandoning customization, quality, generational change, warranties and guarantees. Does anything more need to be said? It’s obvious.

Buying a pool table is a huge expense. You shouldn’t have to simply settle for either a used one or a retailer’s stock, because it’s cheaper. You wouldn’t settle for the car you don’t want just because it’s cheap, right? Maybe, but you know what you want. You know what you like. Build it and be part of the process. This is going to be something that you can pass on to your children’s children. However, there are certain times when buying inventory in stock or used items may make more sense. I only know what is right for you.

Alright, so what is the best pool table available? That is up for debate. I have worked and seen almost everything there is over the years. Some are great others are firewood. Generally speaking, I would recommend that you buy something that is made in the USA, uses hardwood in the construction, and contains Brazilian or Italian slate in three-piece form.

As a side note: China tables are just not good. China slate is not good. If you think blackboard is just blackboard; then say that to the many customers who made the mistake of buying these and needed frame rebuilds, slate replacement, and new parts that ended up costing them more money than they paid for the whole new table. Chinese slate is rigid and hard and does not allow it to flex, so it cracks and breaks easily. Their pool tables are mass-manufactured on “the line” with stains and sprayed finishes. They sure look great. They may even play well for a while, but those finishes crack and the cheap woods used warp. It doesn’t take long for that to happen either.

There is also a difference between MADE IN USA and BUILT IN USA. There are many companies in the United States that claim to be made in the USA, but are actually only assembled here. I’m not going to buy from someone like that. Do your research, talk to the right people, and educate yourself. I can list many American manufacturers for you, but that would be settling down and detracting from product research. Let’s try to remember that this is more of a process than an impulse buy.

One-piece slate tables are old-fashioned for the home. They’re nice in bars, but that’s not what you want at home. First of all, who wants to move it? Nobody does it. Second, they just can’t get the same kind of level of precision that a three-piece slate table can. Overall leveling is all you get with a one piece slate and three slate pieces not only give you that but also add a fine tuning element that will hold that level longer and resist warping as well.

Finding the right manufacturer and retailer will take some time. Find the best ones that fit your budget and more importantly fit your needs. The internet can give you ideas, but you have to go out and see the product. Take your time. Find what works best. Remember that it is your money.

The size and style is completely up to you. There is nothing here that anyone can do to influence these. How much space do you have? This will help you assess what size will fit in your current home. However, think about this carefully. Remember, as Americans, we move frequently. What may fit in your current home may not fit in your next. What decoration do you have and present in your home? Does a traditional look, contemporary design or tournament style suit you and your home? There can be options in a pool table from the legs, the frame (arched, archless, double arched) and rail edges (routed, smooth, scalloped). All of these things must be considered. Get out there and look at them!

These are the most common types of wood used to make pool tables. In general, you will see particle board with veneer and laminate on it, poplar wood (or tulip wood), oak (white or red), white hard maple, hickory, walnut, mahogany, or some other exotic woods. There are tables made of marble, car parts, metal, and other strange materials. However, your standard hardwoods will be oak or maple for most traditional models, and a laminate will typically be used on your modern tournament-style corner tables. General rule of thumb: stick to standard woods and work your way up.

Which of these are important to you? Which ones are not? Generally, your domestic hardwoods are going to last a long time. Just another important note about “hardwoods”, poplar is technically considered a hardwood, but most don’t recognize it that way. It is smooth and easily deformed even if you press it in layers. Don’t be fooled by the seller. Tournament-style tables are virtually all made of particle board with either a high-grade or low-grade laminate. Don’t let that stop you from buying one because the particle isn’t that great. It’s not, but some good name brand stuff makes a good table.

There are a multitude of different tints and finishes available these days. The stain is basically the color you give the wood, while the finish is what covers the protection and shine. Stain colors range from natural and light colors to dark and black. Finishes will generally be available in just a few different options, with the most popular being matte, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. These two elements are related to your personal wishes and your decoration. Check them all out, especially compared to your fabric color options.

Gone are the days of the traditional green cloth. There are dozens of colors available now and you are not limited to the greens and blues of the past. However, there are different types of fabric. They will fall into two types: woolen and worsted.

Wool cloth, or nap cloth, is your standard in home and recreational fabrics. Most retailers include this type as the standard cloth in a table purchase. You will very rarely see it in a pool hall unless the owner is cheap. This fabric is usually a mix of nylon and wool. It is sometimes referred to as a nap cloth because it has microfibers that rise up similar to carpet. Pros stay away from this cloth because it doesn’t pull the board as hard to reduce speed and accuracy, it tends to pill, the balls mark the grooves and it gives it the “wiggle”.

Worsted fabric is also a similar blend with a much higher wool content. This material is the best of the best. It is elastic enough to stretch to incredible tension, giving the game extreme accuracy and speed that is consistent enough to allow pros to hold position throughout the game. It doesn’t pill or tear like its wool brother, and it’s heavy and durable, extending its life in most scenarios. If you have the extra money, get it! Don’t skimp on fabric, but keep in mind that there is really only one true manufacturer and other worsted brands are just cheap imitations.

Views come in many different materials and styles. You’ll see round and diamond-shaped sights made from plastic, mother-of-pearl, abalone, and metals like brass and chrome. You can make them different colors or have a double diamond look. The most common double diamond style will consist of a mother of pearl sight surrounded by abalone. This gives the pool table a completely different look and feel.

Then we come to the accessories. They are what they are and in most cases you will get a kit with your table that comes straight from China and generally sucks. It’s okay though because these are starter items. Naturally, you want the best you can get with your purchase, but don’t let anyone tell you that your table is better because it has better accessories. Once you learn the game and get more involved, you’ll appreciate and understand the value of upgrading gear over time. Personally, if the balls aren’t Aramith and the signs aren’t of American descent; so I don’t want them. However, they get expensive and aren’t as necessary until you get familiar with the game and want better equipment.

So the last thing to mention while searching for the perfect pool table is warranties and guarantees. Why is this important? Simple, if the manufacturer doesn’t back their product for life, and a retailer doesn’t back their work with a lifetime warranty; So, what good is the product and the service that is provided? Do you remember that generational step? How can you be expected to do that if the manufacturer and seller don’t even believe in their product? It’s hard to find the right manufacturer-to-distributor combination, but they are there. If you can’t offer these two simple things, then you shouldn’t be in business at all. forget them

If the brand is correct, call the manufacturer and tell them you want their product without the involvement of the retailers and tell them why. If the retailer is right and the brand is wrong, you may need to explore other options with them or find another brand.

This is about you and this is the perspective for your analysis. Ultimately, you are the one who must decide what is best for you in terms of brand, cost, quality and style.

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