What to consider when buying a pool table?

INTRO
Buying a pool table can be a very stressful experience, especially if you have no idea what to look for. There is information and guides all over the internet for buying a pool table. Each pool table company usually has a guide and it obviously states what their pool table has to offer is what is right. There are many things to consider when buying a pool table and I will try to cover them all with this guide. Hopefully this guide will make you an informed buyer and help you choose the correct pool table for yourself and your family.
How much room is needed?
The very first thing you will need to do before you decide on a pool table is measure the room in which you want the pool table. The majority of first time buyers do not realize how much room you really need to accommodate a pool table. Pool tables come in 3 main sizes: 7 foot, 8 foot, and 9 foot. Listed below are the playing surface dimensions of each table size.
7’ – 39” x 78”
8’ – 44” x 88”
9’ – 50” x 100”
The big thing to remember here is those dimensions are bumper to bumper. Those dimensions do not take into consideration the size of the rail. Rails vary between 4”-6”, so if the table you are looking at has 6” rails then that will add 12” on to the length and width of the table.
The size of the room needed also varies on the size of the cue being used. The standard cue size is 57” in length. All packages that I looked at when buying a pool table comes with this size cue. Other cue sizes are 42”, 48”, and 52”. Listed below are the recommended room sizes for each table and cue size.
7’ Table
 42” Cue – 10’9” x 14’
 48” Cue – 11’9” x 15’
 52” Cue – 12’5” x 15’8”
 57” Cue – 13’3” x 16’6”
8’ Table
 42” Cue – 11’2” x 14’10”
 48” Cue – 12’2” x 15’10”
 52” Cue – 12’10” x 16’6”
 57” Cue – 13’8” x 17’4”
9’ Table
 42” Cue – 11’8” x 15’10”
 48” Cue – 12’8” x 16’10”
 52” Cue – 13’4” x 17’6”
 57” Cue – 14’2” x 18’4”
It is possible to go smaller than the recommended room sizes, you will just need to measure and make sure it will work for your setup. My room size was 12’ x 17’ and I went with an 8’ table. The only time there is any problem is when the cue ball is right up against the rail and that does not happen very often. I have a shorter stick when that situation arises, that is one way to get around having a smaller room.
Deciphering all the table talk
So you have decided that you have enough room for a pool table, now you have to decide what table is right for you. When I was looking for a table I called several installers and got their thoughts and opinions on tables. I knew that by asking a seller of pool tables they would just push their style on me and be biased toward their table. Here is what I found out by talking to installers.
Let’s start from the ground up.
Legs
The legs of a table should be solid wood. Other than that there was not to much else anyone said on the legs. It is really up to you on the carving of the leg; just make sure it is solid wood.
Frame
This is the part that the legs will attach to and the slate lay on top of. This is where opinions vary a lot between sales people. When searching for a table it the two big styles I saw was solid wood and MDF board. The people that are selling all solid wood tables knock the places that sell cabinets with MDF. Then the companies that sell the tables with MDF try to over justify for MDF over solid wood. Well after I talked to installers they stated it is really up to the customer. They said a pool table with an MDF cabinet holds up just as well as a table with a solid wood cabinet. These days the construction of this material has come a long way since it was first introduced. So what I got from this was that a long time ago solid wood was really the only way to go, but now you can go either way and your table will last a long time as long as it is cared for properly.
The frame can either be tapered or straight, both are of equal strength and stability. I found that some companies will try to say one or the other is more stable. The fact is it is not.
The next thing to look at with the frame is the beams. Good tables will have a center beam running the entire length of the table, and they will also have two cross beams. Some companies state they have double center beams which makes that table better. From the installers I talked to double center beams are just something else to talk about when selling a table. 1 center beam and 2 cross beams are all you need. The most important beams are the 2 cross beams because the weight of the slate and table are distributed from side to side, not front to back.
Slate
Slate is probably the single most important part of your table. Slate either comes as 1 piece or 3 pieces. 3 piece slate is the most common. You very rarely see 1 piece slate anymore. 3 piece is the best because it allows for more precise leveling of your table. Slate comes in a couple different sizes: 3/4”, 7/8”, and 1”.  3/4” slate is usually used on inexpensive tables or they will start you at 3/4” then offer upgrades on the slate. 1” slate is the standard and is what you want. 1” slate is what the BCA approves for tournament play. The slate is very heavy each piece of 1” slate is about 150-160 pounds. Slate can either come with a wood backing or without a wood backing. Slate should be attached directly to the frame of the table with screws.
Rails
The rails of a pool table should be solid wood. Solid wood plays a part in the way the ball bounces of the rail. So make sure it is solid wood and nothing else. The rail should also be attached to the table by bolts that go up thru the frame, then the slate, then to the rail. This allows the rail to be as tight as possible for the best response of the cushions. The cushions on the rail should be BCA Approved K-66 profile. The rail should also have a tack strip. That is where the staples will go when felting the rail. If it does not have a tack strip then the rail can sit uneven on the slate and make the cushions not have as much bounce or rebound.
Pockets
Pockets can be leather, plastic or rubber. Plastic pockets are usually used in lower end tables while rubber pockets are usually used in commercial tables. Leather pockets are what the typical home owner will want. Leather pockets can have either a leather shield or a decorative fringe. A shield pocket typically costs more, but there is no benefit in having a shield or fringe pocket. It is your personal preference.
The main parts…
So the main parts you really need to look at are the slate, rails and cushions. That is what makes your table. If you compromise quality on those parts then the play of the table will be compromised.
eBay
When buying your table on eBay you need to make sure you read the auction carefully. Make sure you know all the prices included. What is the shipping? Is there a crate fee? Insurance Fee? Tax? Upgrades? Make sure you look for all the extra little hidden costs. Make sure you look at feedback. When buying a big ticket item like a pool table online you want to make sure the seller is reputable and has had many satisfied customers. Call the company up and ask questions. Make sure you know what you are getting.
Installation
All pool tables are going to require installation. It is not possible to deliver and move around a fully setup table. Before you purchase a table, make sure you can find an installer in your area. Search the yellow pages under billiard services. You can also call local pool table companies and ask them for a recommendation for someone in the area that re-felts tables. Don’t tell them you need a full installation because they might not give you a name and number if you did not purchase a table from them.
Closing
Well I hope this guide helps out some people when they are in the process of looking for a pool table. This is everything I can remember from my buying experience. Check out all the pool tables and choose the one that is right for you. For those of you that are curious to where I purchased my table from it was from this company: Boston Tables. And I can say I am 100% satisfied with my decision and I hope your decision works out well for you also.

There are many things to consider when buying a pool table. First is to make sure you have a space that will accommodate the table. This may seem obvious but often folks don't take into account that pool cues are typically 58 inches. However, you need more than 5 feet of clearance to have room for your back swing. The open area needed for a 4.5x9 table is 15x20. The smallest size table that will function like a real pool table is 3.5x7. So the first thing is to determine what size table you can fit in your space.

Slate is the optimum bed for a table and is the most common playing surface. Next after slate is marble which is available in some countries and is somewhat less expensive than slate. I don?t recommend any other surface material. If your budget doesn?t allow you to buy a slate or marble table, you should wait until you can afford a proper table. If you are serious at all about playing pool, you will be disappointed with a cheap table as soon as the bed warps. Tables occasionally need to be leveled so the balls roll straight which is fairly easy to accomplish on a slate table but impossible if the bed itself is warped.

There are many reputable manufacturers of tables. In the U.S. Brunswick is the most familiar name and they do make a fine product. Diamond Tables are not quite as well known but are comparable or superior and for somewhat less money. Olhausen and Connelly also make tables that will give you years of enjoyment.
 
Hope this helps. Once you start playing you can check out PoolBum.com for lots of pool related articles & videos to help improve your game.