Important Billiards Table Components

Are you hoping to purchase a new billiards table for your home? If that's the case, it's time to get educated. Getting the right billiards table is a matter of knowing what to look for, so take a look below to learn about some of the most important billiards table components.

Billiards Tables:

1. Billiard pockets: Drop pockets are the common style; some tables replace pockets with an automatic ball return that delivers balls to a shelf under one end of the pool table. Leather, plastic and rubber are the most common drop pocket materials. Leather, of course, is the premium choice; rubber is probably the best for commercial use or families that play frequently. A shield pocket or fringe is an attractive add-on, but it adds to the cost without adding to the game. All billiards tables have pocket inserts to protect the wood; some have an additional metal shield around the pocket. Between pockets, most pool tables have inserts called sights that help with aiming shots. (These won't turn you into Minnesota Fats, but every little bit helps.)

2. Rails, frame and legs: Structurally, rails connect the playing surface to the pool table's frame, but rails also affect play; they provide a stable surface for stapling the cloth and gluing the cushions. A denser frame also means faster rebounds and better play. The construction of the frame is vital to the pool table's service life. Frames can be straight-sided or taper inward from top to bottom; neither style is better structurally, although the tapered design may be more comfortable on some shots. Legs can be simple poles or ornately carved columns with classical or modern designs. Look for legs that include built-in levelers.

Billiards Table Construction:

1. Solid: Hardwoods are preferred for the best billiards tables; solid wood provides superior stability and strength plus higher density. For pros and those who want a pro tournament feel to their play or the look of fancy woodwork, solid wood is the choice. Oak is the premium wood, among the highest in density, and it more easily matches most furniture.

2. Veneer: Having thin sheets of hardwood bonded to a laminate substructure of MDF or plywood, these pool tables offer basically the same look as solid wood models, but with reduced weight and cost. However, density and stability are also reduced, and veneers cannot be carved like solid wood. Woods tend to warp, bend, twist or split in humid climates, but veneers hold up better than solids.

3. Laminate: The same modern plastics that cover your countertops can make a great surface for an economical family pool table.

4. Fiberglass: Common in billiards tables designed for outdoor use and cheap pool tables for indoors, fiberglass is extremely lightweight and durable.