By Tom Marley

As you might have noticed (in the last decade or so), pool tables have become more than just green felt top and wood gaming devices. Now, they’re making pool tables with plastic, steel, and even fiber glass finishes. The reason behind this? Well, the makers just probably feel that a person whom decides to purchase a pool should choose one that aggressively adapts to the interior design of their home. And since no two homes will ever look similar in appearance, the option available to whether or not you want a red top or a blue top is important.

When you look at inside of your place of residence (standing from the door peering out), you will most likely notice a pattern of colors that you didn’t notice before. The reason for this is simple. When decorating the interior of your home, you subconsciously follow an invisible template drawn up in your mind. Your mind erects a symphony of colors unbeknownst to you. So when you decide to finally purchase a pool table, make sure you view your home from the perspective mentioned, but from the door of the room you wish to place the table in.

Spend a good amount of time doing this, and remember, taking notes is never a bad thing. You want to find a pool table that will physically flow with the room. If you can not view from the door, then simply walk around the perimeter of the room.

Believe it or not, this is actually more difficult, but a better evaluation.

Recover Pool Table

By Pete Gross

Pool tables are a lot of fun, and some people have them in their homes. They are great for when friends and family come over, and can be a great source of relaxation. When a table gets a lot of use though, it can have problems. One big problem might be that the felt cover on the table gets ripped, and once that happens, you have to have someone to help you recover pool table. What is hard about this is that it is not easy to do, and can cost you a bit of money to have it done.

The most common reason that you would have to recover pool table is because a cue stick has scratched at it in just the wrong way, and the felt rips. When this happens, the table is unusable. You won’t be able to play with it like that, as the felt will stop or move the direction in which the ball travels. Once the rip is done, you can’t really just try to glue the flaps back in place. It will never be the same. If you want your table to work well, you have to fix it.

You may be able to recover pool table felt on your own, but it is a very complicated thing. If you don’t get it right, your table will never be the same. It is probably far easier to have someone else do it for you so you know it is done right, and done right the very first time. These people who come to recover pool table for you will have had years of experience with tables, and you usually won’t have to worry that they are going to mess up your table even more. If you are concerned about experience and quality, ask questions when you call someone up to help you out.

Though ripping your felt and having to have someone come to recover pool table for you is a pain, and an expense, there is a small silver lining. If you have always wanted to get a different color for your felt, now is the time to do so. You don’t have to use the standard green or the red you may see on some tables if you don’t want to. Ask if they have different colors for your table size, and then get the one you want installed. It might not have been an expense you wanted to have, but you can get something out of it when it happens.

Outdoor Pool Table

By Tom Marley

You may be asking yourself: “Why do I need an outdoor pool table?” This question is a valid and important one since it will help to reveal the functionality, durability and versatility of this recreational item.

Outdoor pool tables are generally durable. They can withstand abuse from young children and resist the weather elements. Therefore, this means that they can withstand mildew, stains, spills and rips. In addition, they can handle snow, ice, sun, rain and humidity. Of course, the durability of an outdoor table is dependent upon the construction and the materials that the pool table is made with. Most are constructed with durable materials such as fiberglass. While a few are constructed with aluminum or vinyl frames. The ones constructed with fiberglass are more durable than those made of aluminum, for instance, because they do not rust or corrode. Most are made with thick, durable outdoor fabric, which does not age or fade. While others can be made of paper thin fabric. The fabric of an outdoor pool table is very important because it can affect the ball’s ability to roll slowly or quickly across it. The outdoor table which does not allow the ball to roll too quickly is usually the outdoor table of the better quality. Most outdoor tables have railings that are made of compression molded rubber, which are designed specifically to withstand the elements. A few use ordinary outdoor rails which harden under certain weather conditions.

The versatility of an outdoor pool table is without question. They are built to withstand weather elements while being outdoors; in addition, they can handle every day occurrences which might take place indoors.

They are fun to use because they can be placed in very scenic settings. This can allow one to play billiards while enjoying an ocean view, a scenic landscape, or while gazing at the stars.

Outdoor pool tables are generally easy to take care of. Since most are made of durable materials, it is easy to clean up any spill that could potentially damage the beauty of this recreational item. Therefore, it can be used at hotels, resorts, homes or pool bars.

You should be thoroughly convinced of an outdoor table’s durability, functionality, and versatility. Why don’t you buy one today?

Somteimes it can be difficult to find good quality pool table supplies at a good price

So maybe you travel to a major city where you can find a billiards store.   If you live in or near a major city with a pool table supplies store, great!  But what if you don’t?

With the advent of the internet, finding hard-to-find products is so much easier.

You browse online and find exactly what you’re looking for with much less time and hassle, no travel time, and better yet, it’s delivered by UPS to your front door!  What’s not to like?

So what kinds of pool table supplies can be shipped to you from an online supplier?  Try felts, cues, balls, chalk and racks, pockets, lights and even more.  Some manufacturers will even ship a beautiful pool table, complete with slate, so that you can enjoy billiards in your very own home!  How would you like to dress up your game room or family room?

And if you’re a billiards fan, you’re in good company.  Napoleon, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and Paul Newman were all pool connoisseurs. Abraham Lincoln enjoyed a good game of pool and probably discussed affairs of the nation over a friendly game.

It wasn’t so long ago that pool was thought to be the game of the ne’er do well, the hustler, the drunk, that “bad element”. People like Minnesota Fats, Eddie Taylor, Ray Martin all helped to make billiards the accepted game it has become.

Books abound on the subjects of good pool, strategies, life stories of renowned billiards players, and even how to choose the right pool table. Do you need to recover your current table?  Take measurements and check out some of the pool table suppliers listed here.  You can even find specialized equipment and instructions on how to move your pool table safely – safely, that is, both for your table and for you.

Want to learn how to play?  Videos, dvds and books are also available online.  Many suppliers offer free shipping on orders over $75.

Many who offer pool table supplies are eager for your business and offer online and/or telephone assistance.  Happy browsing!

The reason slate is superior to most other materials is that slate tops for pool tables provide the absolute smoothest and error-free surface, for a perfect ball roll.

One of the main disadvantages to slate is that it is very heavy, which adds to the cost of a pool table due to high shipping costs.  Delivering and assembling a billiards table in your home can be expensive because of the weight of a slate pool table.

This is only a minor inconvenience, though, to someone who appreciates the un-surpassed quality of play that you get from a slate pool table.

Slate pool tables can be built in a couple of different ways.  The most expensive way is to use a single piece of slate for the entire table top.  This is not the most common way though.

Most slate pool tables are made with 3 pieces of slate to assemble the top, and this is a completely acceptable method with all of the advantages of a slate pool table, without some of the inconvenience and expense.

If you’re looking at a pool table to purchase, there is a simple test that you can do to see if the slate might have any imperfection or cracks in it.  Just roll a billiard ball slowly across the table.  If there are any imperfections or cracks, the ball will deviate noticeably and you will know that there is a problem.

A slate pool table can bring you and your friends and family many hours of enjoyment.  Don’t be afraid of the initial expense though.  One nice thing about a good quality slate pool table is that with proper care, your investment will always retain much of its value, and what price can be put on enjoyment and good times with good friends and family?

Consider an outdoor pool table!  That’s right, a pool table with all of the quality and advantages of any indoor table but built in such a way that you can enjoy it outside in any weather.

What a great idea!  You won’t need to sacrifice any quality of play with an outdoor billiards table since you’re able to get a slate pool table that is built to withstand the weather in any part of the world.

Of course, as with any pool table there are better and lesser quality tables, but with modern materials, you’re able to get an outdoor pool table that will satisfy even the most discriminating player.

What I’ve noticed in looking at the outdoor pool tables that are available is that you won’t need to sacrifice anything in the way of looks and styling either.  I see no reason that there cannot be a very nice pool table for inside as well as outside.

Why not move it inside in the winter and outside in the summer, so that you can enjoy playing pool all year round?

There are not as many manufacturers for outdoor pool tables, but with the internet, you’re able to see what’s available from any of the manufacturers and make your choices form there.  Many of these manufacturers have local distributors, but even if they don’t, a phone call to the factory headquarters will point you in the right direction of fulfilling your desire to have an outdoor pool table for years of enjoyment.

By Brad Huber

Pool table lighting is not only a functional piece of equipment but also a very stylish and decorative piece of the whole pool table experience. Today there are so many options to consider when lighting your pool table.  The nice thing is that nowadays, the internet offers an easy way to explore ideas and options in pool table lighting.

When I think of pool table lighting, I normally first think of the large rectangular or oval shaped leaded glass lights that have hung over pool tables for years, and these are the classic pool table lighting sources that are completely acceptable and very functional.  What’s nice, though, is that today there are so many other options to consider too.

The reason that pool table lights are so important is that you do want sufficiently bright light coming from various angles so that you can play the game with no hindrance.  Today with the new halogen lights, you’re able to do this with a much smaller lighting source.  This opens the way for much more variety and creativity in pool table lighting.

If you take some time to consider what you’re looking for in your pool table lighting, you can get something that you’ll be happy with for many, many years.

Ask yourself – “ Do I want a classic or conventional look, or a more modern or contemporary look?”

One thing that I considered when buying pool table lighting is that I didn’t want the light fixture to block the view across the room, in a sense, dividing the room in two.  I wanted to keep the big open feel of the room. This is tough enough with a big heavy pool table in the room, but it even seemed more difficult when considering placing a large pool table light in the middle of the room, too.

We were able to accomplish what we wanted to by using close-to-the-ceiling mounted halogen pool table lighting, and it turned out very nicely.

My suggestion – look around on the internet and think about what you wish to accomplish, and you’ll find a good and usable pool table lighting solution that fits you well.

If you are looking for some enjoyment with friends and family while staying at home, a cheap pool table may be just the ticket. Now we are not talking about a piece of junk for a pool table, but a good quality and good value pool table. There are many available now days in the marketplace, either new or used.

Sometimes you are able to find a good deal on a good quality cheap pool table in the used marketplace. Since pool tables are rather large and cumbersome piece of furniture, when peoples lifestyle changes, they often are ready to let someone else have what they may consider to be a burden on their life.

We have been pleasantly surprised at the number of very nice quality but cheap pool tables available at local pool table shops and even places like Sam’s club and Costco.

Some decisions that you will need to make when deciding on a cheap pool table for your own enjoyment, is the style, size and construction of your game table.

There are so many styles of table that your imagination and taste are your only limitation. Of course if you are looking for a cheap pool table, then that will also play a role in what is in your price range.

There are 5 sizes of game table to consider. One of the main factors in deciding on a size, is the room that you are going to put the pool table. If your room is larger than about 15 feet by 20 feet, you can get the largest snooker table, but if your room is smaller, like about 15 feet by 19 feet that a tournament table may be a good fit for you. You may keep in mind too that sometimes these larger tables can be available for a very good price since many people just can’t accommodate such a large table.

The next size down is an eight and a half foot oversize regulation pool table.

For this size table you will want a room about 14 and a half by 18 feet. A regulation table will need a room about 14 by 18 feet. And a 7 foot home pool table needs only about a 14 by 18 foot playing area.

Since changing your room could be difficult, before doing much shopping you may want to determine the size of table that you could fit into the space you have before spending much time looking.

The best pool tables are made with slate tops, for it’s stability and trueness. Slate though is heavy and cumbersome to transport. This may work in your favor, if you are looking for a cheap pool table, since this may be the very reason that some tables may be a cheap pool table.

All in all bout a cheap pool table of good quality can be a fun and rewarding experience that you can them enjoy with your friends and family for years to come.