Buying A Pool Table For Your Home

Purchasing a pool table can be a hefty investment so there are several things you should consider if you plan on buying one for your home.

Quality vs. Price

The price of a pool table can cost anywhere from £200 to £10,000s. As you would expect, the more you pay for one, the better quality it will be meaning you will get a better pool playing experience. However, most people don’t have £10,000s to spend on such an item so how much should you spend?

If you are purchasing a pool table for the first time then we recommend that you spend no more than £500. This will ensure that you don’t overspend on a product that you will get bored of and stop playing after several months. If the pool table is for your children then this is a great way for them to learn the basics and improve their pool playing skills. Buying a basic table means you also limit the amount you spend as well as the risk of it being damaged by children and rendering it useless; after all, they are renowned for being a bit clumsy at times!

The playing surface of these basic pool tables are generally made of MDF (medium density fibreboard), making them cost effective and lightweight so they are easy to move around your home if required. However, the playing surface is likely to become slightly warped (especially if it is exposed to warm or humid conditions) and affect the run of the ball which may ruin your gaming experience.

If you are more of a serious pool player then we recommend purchasing one with a slate bed; as the name suggests, the playing surface is made of slate meaning that it won’t warp over time so you won’t have to worry about it affecting your playing experience no matter how long you have it. The negatives of having this type of table is that they are generally much more expensive than ones with and MDF bed, costing anywhere from £1,000 and due to the weight of the slate, it can be difficult to move around the home. If pool is your hobby then we suggest that you spend as much as you can afford and purchase a quality pool table with a slate bed; if you take care of it then it will be a worthy investment and last you for a long time.

Space

There is a calculation as to how much space you require in the room that will house the pool table. The average size of a full-size pool cue is about 5ft; this is the amount of space required around the pool table. So to calculate the amount of space required, take the amount of space required for cuing (approximately 10ft) and add this to both the length and width of the table. For example, if you plan to buy a 9ft x 4.5ft table then you will require a room that is at least 19ft x 14.5ft.

If you want to read our buying guide and find out the other things you may want to consider when buying a pool table, check out our pool tables website.