We have put together this short guide which should help you keep your pool and snooker tables running like new for a long time to come.

We have asked some of the billiard industry's leading manufacturers, distributors and service providers to spill some maintenance tips you can follow - and a few common-sense warnings to observe that will allow you to both enjoy your table and pass it on to future generations.

Chalk - Too much is devastating
There may be nothing that looks cooler than the absent-minded way a pro chalks up between each shot, but the lingering dust is playing a deadly game with your table felt. The chalk is abrasive; it gets into the cloth and destroys it.

Brushing the table frequently - even after every session - is a good start, but realise that 50% of the chalk dust actually gets brushed into the cloth. Suction with a small vacuum is the only way to go. Otherwise, you could end up with a layer of dust thick under your felt. This would create the impression that the table was uneven. But too powerful a vacuum could lift and stretch your fabric. We suggest using a brush with soft bristles for daily use. Always brush in the direction of the Nap.

Coins you flip on the table create minute cuts in the felt that develop into tears; and digging your cue tip into the cloth on jump shots is utterly devastating.

Sun Damage
You would be surprised how many people put tables in a room with a big window, and after a year the cloth is faded. Obviously, sunlight will fade the cloth. It can also bleech the table's finish. If you want to play on your table in the sun- always use a table cover when you finish.

You also should gauge the level of moisture in your environment- we can provide under table heaters specifically for this purpose. Humidity levels of 40 to 60% is the best possible environment for fine wood.

Also on the subject of light we warn against using incandescent bulbs above your table as the heat will dry out your cloth. Instead try our Direct Lighting System.

Sitting on the Table
The no. one thing people do with their pool table is sit on it. This will cause the rubber to fall off the cushions. They are typically glued to the cushion bodies and can only take so much weight before breaking off. Sitting on the table can also make the legs become loose and eventually cause the table to wobble.

Keep Pets at Bay
Urine is one of the most corrosive things on the planet. So, keep your pets away from your table. In addition, you might want to keep keep water away from the wood. A caution that includes keeping all drinks off the cushions. Hard woods are much less conductive to absorption, whereas soft woods expand and contract more easily. In the case of unavoidable spills, it might be wise to apply a fabric sealant like Scotch Gard to your felt for protection.

Clean Balls = Clean Table
Balls pick up dust and chalk and then reapply them to the table and cushions. It would be wise to clean your snooker balls after each session and the cue ball after each game. Also, be aware of the intense heat that is briefly generated by a ball after it is struck and is skidding along the felt.

Some industry experts place the temperature of that friction at more that 400 degrees fahrenheit, and it's enough to damage the felt and melt the exteriors of certain varieties of balls, leaving track marks on tables.

The white marks you see on old tables are burn marks. We recommend using snooker or pool balls made with phenolic resin, which best resist the degrading effects of friction heat. Friction heat is generated when stroking the cue against the rails and the pockets, so avoid pockets with a glazed or painted finish.

The Woodwork
Protect your finish. For a hard, lacquer finish - including polyester, urethane or catalyzed varnish finishes - use lemon oil applied with a soft cloth. DO NOT a silicone-based consumer product such as Pledge, which can eat into the finish. For a painted finish use paste wax made with carnauba wax, which provides a thin coating to protect the wood and finish. For leather pockets apply saddle soap with a soft cloth, letting it dry for 15 or 20 minutes, and then brushing it with a shoe or billiard brush.

Table Maintenance
After your first year of ownership, you should consider having a billiard mechanic come and give your table the once-over. Snooker Direct offer maintenance contracts especially for this.

Here are the areas your mechanic should examine, plus a few tips for performing your own diagnosis:

- Is the table slate still level?
Use a builders level to determine this.

- Are the cushion rubbers still attached tightly to the cushions?
Feel along the side of each cushion for depressions in the nose, which usually are created by stapling the felt too tightly to the rail.

- Are there any obvious signs of wear on the cloth, and is it still tight?
You should be able to place your open palm on the cloth and put your weight on it without moving the fabric.

- Has the table slate shifted, or have seams opened up between the pieces of slate?
You can normally feel the ridge under the cloth when ironing.

- Are the rail bolts still tight?
You can check these with a heavy duty brace.

- Is the cabinet still sound and tight?
Physically check all nuts and bolts

- Are there any surface cracks?
The timbers may be rotting if the table has been stored in a damp environment.

Measurements for Marking Billiard / Snooker Tables

Measurements for Marking UK Pool Tables

Measurements for Marking American Pool Tables

Cloth Cutting Guide

Pool Table Sizes Dimensions

Floor Strengths in Relation to the Weights of Snooker Tables

It is a common misconception that floors need to be specially strengthened to support the weight of full size snooker tables. In fact, the actual floor loading over the area involved is very low.

The total weight of the biggest snooker table (full size) is unlikely to exceed 1250kg.

The table stands on several legs so the incident loading is divided up over each leg.

This equates to 0.36 kgs/sq cm.

...Or approximately 15 people standing in the room.

A 6ft snooker table would equate to approximately 7.5 x 10-stone men standing in your room.

A 7ft snooker table would equate to approximately 9.5 x 10-stone men standing in your room.

A 8ft snooker table would equate to approximately 10.5 x 10- stone men standing in your room.

A 9ft snooker table would equate to approximately 11.5 x 10- stone men standing in your room.

A 10ft snooker table would equate to approximately 12.5 x 10- stone men standing in your room.

A 12ft snooker table would equate to approximately 15 x 10- stone men standing in your room.

This means that MOST ROOMS can withstand the weight of any of our tables, although one of our professional fitters would be glad to attend your premises and carry out a survey.

Many people wishing to purchase a new snooker or billiard table are hesitant because they feel they know very little about the product. Indeed, most purchasers buy only one table in their lifetime. We therefore offer the following suggestions for guidance purposes only.

1. Billiard Table Cushions
The performance of each billiard table cushion is crucial, particularly the speed and angle of response. As a means of minimising costs, many new tables are available with cushions that perform poorly. This is due to these tables being manufactured with a cushion that has been constructed in a way which we regard as inadequate. The issue of cushions is important since replacement of cushions costs several hundred pounds.

2. The Cloth on the Table
The most highly regarded billiard cloths are manufactured in England and the best of these are in the West of England. A true English billiard cloth is made from wool and has a directional nap on the surface. If you rub it lightly in one direction, it gives a smooth feeling to the hand. Rubbed in the opposite direction it has a rough resistant feel.

The better qualities of billiard cloth are very fine so that when the ball is in motion it rolls on there is relatively little friction to arrest its travel. The quality of cloth is important, as, once again, replacement of inferior cloth with the high quality article costs several hundred pounds.

3. The Pockets
The brackets holding the pocket nets should be made of metal. Some are made from plastic which tends to break. Quite often there is a "metallised" surface on the plastic so that they appear to be more durable than they actually are. We recommend that the pocket nets should be fastened to the table using a strong wire.

The use of staples tends to be inadequate if the nets are stapled to the underside of the table as the staples tend to come away under the pressure of heavily struck balls. In this event while the nets may remain perfectly good, the balls when potted will drop to the floor damaging them or the floor surface, or both. The metal brackets should be covered in strong leather which protects the balls as they strike the bracket before dropping into the net. We recommend that you check the fitting of the leathers to ensure that there is no position where the balls will actually strike the metal direct, allowing such damage to occur.

4. Timbers
Billiard tables should be made from quality furniture timbers. The use of custom wood or particle board is not sufficient. The table framework must be strong enough to carry the heavy weight of the slate bed. Over time, materials such as custom wood or particle board are unlikely to continue to take the strain.

5. The Slate
A quality billiard table will have a bed of slate. Slate should provide more consistency in keeping the table more level than other known substitutes. Such a level surface is essential if the balls are to run true. The slate should be lying flat, totally resting on the under frame. If this is not so, over time the slate is likely to sink under its own weight until it lies on the surface of the frame.

That is, the table will move out of level. If you see a series of wooden wedges between the top of the frame and the underside of the slate, we suggest that you do not buy the table because, here, the table has been presented so that it is level temporarily. It is likely to remain so only in the short term.

Such wedges have a tendency to become loose or they may drop out. Then the position of the slate will change and the table will be out of level. If a table is correctly constructed the levelling process in your home is carried out by means of adjustment from the base of the legs.

All new tables are made to look as attractive as possible, which makes your choice difficult. We suggest that if you are looking at a table which carries no brand name, pass it by.

Our maintenance support is ongoing, from the initial renovation to a contract if needed - we aim to go over and beyond our customers’ expectations, basing our rates on the location and materials used. Our service contracts can include monthly visits and we’re also available on emergency call out.

So, if a table cloth is ripped it can usually be repaired or replaced within 48 hours. Snooker Direct purchases cloth direct from the mill and other materials direct from manufacturers and so we are able to pass these savings on to you.

Contracts can be worked out for your specific needs, whether over one, two or three years and payments can be easily structured into a monthly standing order for your added convenience.
Own a snooker hall or club?    
Own a snooker hall or club?

We provide competitive quotes and large discounts on multiple orders

We also offer generous discounts for multiple tables and all our tables are built to the highest standards by qualified, highly trained manufacturing staff.

What's more, our pool and snooker tables are covered in 100% pure West of England high quality cloth, woven to the specific requirements of the snooker and pool industry.

Our services are carried out by some of the most highly skilled and experienced professional billiard table fitters known in the industry, so you can be assured Snooker Direct is a brand you can trust.
Replacement contracts & cushion re-rubbering

If your table cushions have poor bounce, are worn out or simply no longer performing well, we can prolong their life by repairing or replacing them to professional standards for optimum ball response.

Snooker Direct supply a full range of timber or steel block cushions for your snooker tables and we also renovate existing snooker cushions. At your request we can reshape and recover your cushions on site or repair them in our workshop and return at a later date to refit them.

We can also install temporary loan cushions so your tables can continue to be used while the repairs are taking place.