Welcome to our Pool Table Advice and Buying Guide!
So you've decided to buy a pool table (or a snooker table)...but are not exactly sure what you should be looking for when deciding which table is right for you. Well this guide is here to help. Below you will find a list of things to consider, frequently asked questions and pool table parts information to help you to choose from the multitude of pool table designs, styles, sizes and qualities available on our site. Click the links below.
- What size pool table is right for me?
- Will it fit in my room? Recommended room sizes.
- Pool and Snooker Tables for kids and family use
- Slate Bed vs MDF Bed playing surface
- Slate Bed Pool Tables - 1 piece, 2 piece or three piece?
- English vs American Pool Tables
- Freeplay Pool Tables vs Coin Operated Pool tables
- Which type of coin operation mechanism do I need?
- Drop pockets vs Ball Return System
What size pool table is right for me?
Most pool tables and snooker tables are twice as long as they are wide. This is generally what people would consider to be a regulation size table. These tables will start at 4ft 6in and 5ft kids pool tables and then move up through 6ft, 7ft, 8ft and 9ft lengths. We are able to offer you a full choice of all of these different sizes. Your decision will mainly be down to four factors
- Who will be using the table? If the table is predominantly going to be used for your kids to play on and as a general knock around then we have various small tables available in our Kids Pool and Snooker tables section. These start at 4ft 6in long, then 5ft and finally 6ft. These sizes will usually fit in most small play rooms, bedrooms or games rooms. You can also opt for a folding pool table or a folding snooker table which will allow you to pack them away after use and store flat upright.
- The size of your room - See the "will it fit section?" below for recommended room sizes for each table size
- The style of table you prefer - An English pool table is usually either 6ft or 7ft long (and occasionally 8ft) whilst American Pool tables are 7ft, 8ft or 9ft (you can even get them in 10ft!).
- The level at which you would like to play - Smaller pool tables are easier to play on. The smaller distances involved allow for bigger errors in the angle of your shot. If you are used to playing on a small table then when you move to a bigger table you will find it harder to pot and position your balls accurately.
Will it fit in my room? Recommended room sizes.
It is very important that you have enough room to freely move you cue at any point around the pool table when taking your shots. You really need the length of your cue with some added space to accommodate your cueing action. This means that the size of the room required can be reduced if absolutely necessary by using cut length cues. Full size cues are 57" / 58" long so you would normally need this much space around your table plus space for your cueing action. 58" is just under 5ft (approx 150cm) so we advise that ideally you have 6ft clearance on each side. Smaller available cues sizes are 36", 48" and 54" so you can adjust the required space accordingly.
| Pool Table / Snooker Table Size | Ideal Min Room Size (ft) | Ideal Min Room Size (cm) |
| 6ft x 3ft | 12ft x 9ft | 365cm x 275cm |
| 7ft x 3.5ft | 13ft x 9.5ft | 296cm x 290cm |
| 8ft x 4ft | 16ft x 10ft | 488cm x 305cm |
| 9ft x 4.5ft | 15ft x 10.5ft | 457cm x 320cm |
Delivery and Installation Access
Please ensure that there is ample access to the room that you require your Pool or Snooker Table to be delivered or installed to. There should be room for the length and width of pool table that you purchase to easily fit through doors, around corners or up / down stairs as required. If you are unsure then you can email us photos of the access to the room in question and our Installation team will let you know if this will be ok. Access to the room is the responsibility of the customer and if for any reason the delivery / install team are unable to get to the room required and the pool table has to be returned to us and the order cancelled then you may be liable for all outward and return delivery costs (charged at actual cost price).
Pool and Snooker Tables for kids and family use
If you are buying your pool table or snooker table for a bit of occasional fun or as a gift for your kids then the main aim is to get something decent and durable without spending too much money. We have selected a range of the best value tables available in the UK. They come in 4ft 6in, 5ft and 6ft sizes and are usually fairly portable. We also have a number of folding pool tables and folding snooker tables on offer. All of these tables come with everything you need to get started and can be found in our Kids Pool and Snooker tables section.
Slate Bed vs MDF Bed playing surface
When browsing the pool tables and snooker tables that we have to offer you will notice that some of them have a "slate bed playing surface". This means that the actual surface on which the balls sit (underneath the playing cloth) is made of precision ground slate (usually from Italy). If you are looking to get a decent pool table that will last the test of time then you really should opt for a table that is built in this way. Pool tables that have a compacted MDF playing surface will tend to be less accurate and even and can warp over time. They are of course less expensive. A quick summary of the advantages and disadvantages of a slate bed playing surface is below:
- Advantages: Accuracy of playing surface, durability (will not warp), stability, likeness to tournament tables, hardness and speed of play
- Disadvantages: Price, needs to be accurately levelled during installation, moving the table is difficult.
For slate bed pool tables click here | For MDF bed pool tables click here
Slate Bed Pool Tables - 1 piece, 2 piece or three piece?
If you have decided to go for a slate bed pool table then you may also have the option to go for a single piece slate bed or one that comes in two or three pieces. Basically the advantage of having the slate in more than one piece is that it is a lot easier to transport into position or to move in the future if required. A full size single piece slate bed is very heavy and also needs to be handled with care. Generally speaking the single piece of slate is also more expensive than the split piece slates. Once in place however the single piece slate is considered to give the better quality playing surface. It is easier to install perfectly level and unlike the split slat beds there is no chance of it moving out of place. Plus you get a continuous perfectly flat surface. That said as long as the 2 or 3 piece slate bed is professionally installed you are very unlikely to notice much difference.
English vs American Pool Tables
You will notice that some pool tables are described as English Pool tables while other are described as American Pool tables. So what is the difference? Pool originated in America where it was played in pool halls and in homes where generally speaking there was plenty of room for big, chunky, impressive pool tables (up to 9ft in length). When the game transferred across the Atlantic the English were already playing snooker, but only in very large dedicated snooker rooms. The game of Pool though was better suited to Britain's pubs and this is where pool stated for us. Britain's pubs were generally busy, full of people moving around and full of people playing other pub games - board games, table games, darts etc. The pool tables needed to be made smaller in order to fit so the 9ft was reduced to 7ft or even 6ft in some cases. The balls used were also slightly smaller (to stop the table being too crowded) at 2" rather than the American standard of 2.25" and the most popular game ball colour was red and yellow - in keeping with what was usually seen on English snooker tables. There are now so many varieties and designs of pool table that the two styles get merged and mixed but here are some general characteristics that each has.
- English Pool Tables: 6ft or 7ft long, red and yellow balls, wood furniture like cabinet, traditional style. View our English pool table range.
- American Pool Tables: 7ft - 9ft long, spots and stripes (also balls for 8 or 9 balls pool), chunky design. View our American Pool table range.
Both table styles and resulting game formats are now accepted games in their own right there are now many English Pool tournaments played across the UK.
Freeplay Pool Tables vs Coin Operated Pool tables
Most of our pool tables are available in both freeplay and coin operated versions. Below is a description of what each is and the types of situations they would be used.
Freeplay Pool Table - Click here to view our Freeplay Pool table range
Description: These Pool tables do not require the player to insert coins or token in order to release the balls. The balls will be stored either in a ball return bay, in the pockets or in a separate box when not being used. (For info on the difference between drop pockets and ball return pool tables click the link at the top of the page).
Uses: Freeplay pool tables are used either in the home, in members bars where customers can play for free or in any venue where the owner wants to allow the free use of their pool table. For example most pool halls that charge by the hour have freeplay pool tables rather than coin operated.
Coin Operated Pool table - Click here to view our Coin Operated Pool table Range
Description: These pool tables are fitted with a mechanism that holds all of the balls (sometimes not including the cue ball) until coins or tokens are inserted into it. Once coins are received the mechanism releases all of the balls to one end of the table so that the game can be racked up. There are various different levels and complexities of coin operation mechanism available depending on how flexible you want the use of the pool table to be. See just below for a full explanation.
Uses: Coin Operated Pool tables are great for any venue where the owner wants to make money from their customers making use of the table. Most commonly seen in pubs they are usually charged out at a fixed cost per game.
Which type of coin operation mechanism do I need?
We have a full page of info dedicated to your options. Please click here to read about the different types of coin operation mechanism available.
Drop pockets vs Ball Return System
Freeplay pool tables are either fitted with drop pockets or a ball return system. Info on each is below. It is really personal preference as to which is preferred but usually the ball return feature adds an extra cost to the pool table (you do not have to walk round and collect the balls at the end of the game as they are already grouped at one end of the table).
- Drop pockets: This is basically a smart way of saying that the balls just stay in the pockets when potted. This type of table is often found in pool halls where the balls are stored away from the table when not in use.
- Ball return system: Again this does exactly what it says on the tin. Whichever pocket the ball is potted the ball will pass through the table and come out into a ball return tray at the end of the pool table. Making racking up new games quicker and easier.
Thank you for reading our pool table advice buying guide. We hope that it will help you to make an informed decision about which pool table or snooker table is right for you. If you require any further assistance please give us a call or send us an email - we are always happy to help.
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