Pool Table Felt

[TexasBob]

I would like to refelt my pool table. I would appreciate any recomendations on where to order the felt, brands, etc. I got a sample set from Somonis and I am pretty set on their slate grey color but they don't give a dealer list. I looked at Billiard factory online last night, and they sell refelt kits for around $100 and the Simonis looks to be around $300- is it 3 times better?

[JGreen31]

http://www.cuesight.com/table-accessories-billiard-table-cloth.html

Another site to look into... and they have camo felt!!!

[rubydog]

Simonis is three times better but it plays entirely different. It is very durable and will be the last felt you put on your table..

[Snakelover]

Simonis is three times better but it plays entirely different. It is very durable and will be the last felt you put on your table..

Agreed. Simonis plays "fast" and true. Have it on my pool table and love it. Well worth the money in my opinion.

[mboltm]

InternationalBilliards.com did mine

[spoink47]

Hey guys, I'm new here! Sorry for posting in and old thread, but I don't think new one is necessary

I plan to reorganize my garage and install a pool table.
I'd like to make a DIY one, huh. So, any advice is appreciated.
I looked up some ideas on Pinterest here (https://www.pinterest.com.au/supercapit ... ool-table/)
and read some ""beginner"" articles like this https://justcraftingaround.com/diy-pool-table/ and this (https://recroompick.com/how-to-refelt-a-pool-table/)
still got many questions about the materials and sizes.

I've only played in bars, and I'm not a professional player. Neither a woodworker. Still, I'd like to at least try.

So, waiting for your feedback. Maybe someone had such an experience?

[TexasBob]

Unless you just want to say you built it, given the materials cost you’ll come out miles ahead buying one off Craigslist or marketplace. Still a challenge, slate is no fun to move and the reflex wasn’t easy.


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[GarGuy]

Forget building it unless you plan on plywood . You can buy a used used table and rebank/ refelt far cheaper than buying good slate and building it.

[RifleBowPistol]

If I remember correctly, when we had pool tables, we just went to a fabric store, both the color of felt we wanted, got another can of 3M spray adhesive, went home, laid the felt out , taped and glued it at one end, then started spraying adhesive and stretching felt. The felt is the easy part. Getting the table level as possible, then all three pieces of slate the same height, and level. Then come back and putty up all of the joints, screw holes and chips in the slate. Then sanding all of those areas perfectly smooth and flat. That's what took the time. The felt was pretty easy, once you have done it a time or two. Doing the rails was probably a bit more time consuming, but still not bad.

Getting the slate perfect and the table perfectly level, that's the critical part. If there are any imperfections in the slate, it don't matter how pretty your felt job looks, when a ball slowly rolls over that slate imperfection, you will see it.

We used to have two different nice tables years ago. I set up both of them at least three times, each. I would bet more like four times each. I got pretty good at it. I played a lot back then, was pretty good. I learned, getting the slate perfect, is very important. It would usually take me a full day to a day and a half to get the slate, perfect, and level. I would run balls across that slate from every angle, all over the table, over and over. Once I decided the slate was perfect, then I would start on the felt.
If I ever saw anyone slam a ball down on one of our tables, I would beat their azz. That was a lot of work, then have some DA, who does know know crap about pool or pool tables, to come along and slam a ball down on the table. It will put a dent in the felt or a low area and chip the slate.

It's great once you get the table set up perfectly. Higher quality felt would be nice, but if the slate below is not perfect, the felt is not going to fix those problems. The only advantage I could see with higher quality felt would be, it lasting longer. Which that would be nice. When I set up our tables they lasted quite a while. Usually when I redid the felt and the slate, it was because we changed colors of the room the table was in, and or the table got moved, or I knew enough people had damaged the felt and slate, that the table needed to be redone.

I wish I had room for a table where we are now, I miss playing pool. Once I get a shop set up, I would like to have a area or a room large enough to put a pool table in. There is definitely not enough room in house for a pool table, unless we put one right in the middle of the living room and took all of the furniture out. I know my wife would not go for that.

Whatever you do, with the table, spend the time to do it right, from the ground up. get the base as level as possible, then work your way up from there. It will definitely come out better, if you do so. Once you have done it a few times, you should get pretty good at it. I would plan on it being at least a weekend project, if not a couple more days.

Also, when you start setting up the slate, measure the thickness of each piece of slate. Every table I have set up, all three pieces of slate are different thicknesses. You will need to figure out which piece is the thickest, then the differences between that piece and the other two pieces. Then come up with some shim stock and shim each piece to the same height and at the same time leveling each piece. Typically the wood the slate sits on, is not exactly the same height everywhere and often the bottom side of some of the slate, will have imperfections in it. So when shimming each piece, you have to shim them taking into account the imperfections of the wooden base and the imperfections of the lower side of the slate, along with the thickness of each piece of slate. I have seen slate that is not the same thickness from one end to the other. Don't assume it's the same thickness all the way around. Digital calipers are a good way to measure the thickness of the slate.

[CaptainDave]

Forget building it unless you plan on plywood . You can buy a used used table and rebank/ refelt far cheaper than buying good slate and building it.

X2

I had a solid 3 piece slate table for many years. I sold it a few months ago for $350 on Facebook marketplace. I had it for sale for over a month before selling. If you have a good means to move a table (i.e. trailer and buddy), I'd keep tabs on the used market. Seriously, compared to what a new table cost, I felt like I almost gave mine away. The only thing my table needed was re-assembly and new felt.

[MadHatter]

It's all been said, but Simonis 860 in tournament blue is my favorite.
Speed of the table will depend alot on how tight you stretch the felt.
Building a table, I wouldn't even think about it.
If you want to dig into tables and the mechanics involved check out AZ Billiards.
The forum is pretty much the same as here, and you'll get all the info you want.
Especially from people like Bob Jewett(he wrote the physics on the game), Glen Hancock(realkingcobra) is the best in the US as far as table mechanics and the mind behind diamond tables, and on and on, all are regular posters on AZ.
Handle Glenn with care .

[rolylane6]

it 3 times better?

Yes it is....but in green. I'm old fashion that way.



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[Leon County Slayer]

Trust what’s been said here and just buy a used one unless you already have materials, good skills and plenty of time and don’t mind looking back a year later wishing you bought a pre owned table.