| Many people buying a billiard
table are cautious and quite correctly so. Most
of us purchase only one billiard table during our
lives. Usually new tables are designed to look very
attractive, so choosing is not easy.
Looking underneath the table:
Customers viewing framework support of the slate
using portable mirror provided.
Here are some brief suggestions
to help you really enjoy a billiard table.
Purpose
Think about what you are buying the table for.
For example, buying a large  table
may not be appropriate if the main users are likely
to be children.
Room Size
Make sure the table will fit comfortably in your
room, together with the other
items you propose to have there, be it couches,
television, perhaps a bar,
and so on.
Click here to find out more about room sizes.
Room Shape
If your room is a difficult shape, get some expert
advice as to the size of
table you should choose in order to be as comfortable
as possible.
Click here to contact us.
Brand Name
If the table does not carry a brand name, pass
it by.
The Cushions
When looking at a table, check how the cushions
perform – are they lively or
not? Does the ball come off the cushion at a proper
angle? Does the ball
tend to 'jump' when it strikes the cushion? Many
tables are made with
inadequate cushions because it saves money –
but it does not give the
player much satisfaction. Replacing poorly performing
cushions with
superior ones costs a substantial amount.
The Slates
For sound performance the bed of the table should
be made of slate. If good
quality slate is fitted to a strongly made table
frame you have the best
chance of getting a consistent game. Look underneath
the table. Is the
slate sitting firmly on the entire frame?
It should do to give the slate the best
possible support. If the slate is not fully supported
the table will move out of
level. If there are wedges placed between the
top of the frame and the
bottom of the slate the table will only remain
level in the short term.
Timbers
A sound table should be made from quality furniture
timbers. Some hard timbers which are not properly
seasoned will move over time and affect the performance
of your table. We do not recommend that the frame
of a table which has a slate bed should be made
from composition board – the joints are not
likely to take the strain over the longer term.
The Cloth
Fine Cloth fitted correctly will assist in the
balls running smoothly and straight. Most prominent
players, past and present, have agreed that the
finest cloths come from the West of England.
Pockets
The brackets holding the pockets should be of
metal. Plastic or "metalized" plastic
brackets often break. The nets should be kept
in place with a strong wire, not by staples which
fail after a short time. The brackets should be
covered with genuine leather to prevent damage
to the balls.
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