10 things you need to know when buying a pool table

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When it comes to buying a pool table, there are a few things to consider first. What size is your "games" room and do you go for the cheap wooden tables or the slate bed version like in the pub. Also what size table should you get and what sort of pool cues to go for. The game of pool has a few variations and the equipment you need depends on which of these variations you want to play. So I have come up with these top 10 tips you should be aware of before you take the plunge and get your own pool table for the home

1/ There is American pool and English pool. The difference is in the size of the equipment. American pool is usually played on larger tables, up to 9 ft. You will see these in pool clubs like Riley's. The balls used on these tables are 2 inches in diameter. American tables start in size from 7 ft up to 9 ft. English tables on the other hand are smaller at 6 or 7 feet and they use 2-inch diameter balls. They were developed for the pubs in the UK so they did not take up so much space. Most of the tables in the pubs are 6 ft with some 7 ft tables as well.

English pool is now very popular with its own association the EPA (English Pool Association) and they hold tournaments all over the UK. The tournament size of pool tables for EPA tournaments is 7 ft.

2/ The room size for pool tables is determined by adding 10 ft to the dimensions of the table, so a 6 ft table should be in a room 16 ft by 13 ft to allow for the cues as well as the table. A 7 ft table would need 17 ft by 13 ft 6 inches. The pool cues being 57 inches long.

3/ The pool cues have different tip sizes too. For American pool, the tip size for the pool cue is 12 or 13 mm and for English pool, the tip size is 8 to 9.5 mm the same as in snooker.

4/ The cheap pool tables like the folding pool tables and the fixed leg wooden tables are made from MDF which is basically fine wood dust compressed with a resin to produce very strong flat sheets, ideal for a pool table surface. The down side is being made of wood they are prone to warping after a while. They are available in sizes up to 7 ft and some of them are very good indeed and are certainly not cheap, like the black cat from BCE which has an 18 mm MDF table bed which is less prone to warping and the Phoenix from SCI that have steel rods inserted into the MDF to extend the life of the table and resist warping the best.

5/ If you can afford it, the best table to get is the slate bed version, either 6 or 7 ft English tables or the magnificent 8 and 9-foot American pool tables. These are more expensive with a starting price of around 600-700 for the English tables and up to 4000 for the top of the range American tables. These definitely give the best game and will last longer than you.

6/ The pool balls come in different colours, 8 ball pool, which confusingly is played with 15 pool balls, can have 7 reds and 7 yellows and a black no 8 ball or the spots and stripes version has 7 striped balls and 7 solid coloured balls and a black no 8 ball. Just get the set, you like the look of.

7/ Also bear in mind the rack or triangle for 8-ball pool comes in different sizes depending on the size of pool ball being used. A rack for 2 balls is a different size to one for the 2-inch balls. Another type of game more commonly played on American pool tables is 9-ball pool, which this time is actually played with 9 balls numbered 1 - 9. You need a special diamond shaped rack for the nine balls. To rack 9-ball pool, the one ball goes on the spot and the 9-ball in the middle. All other balls are racked at random.

8/ Pool table cloth is usually nap free or "speed ball" cloth and you can get it in many different colours with red and blue being the most popular. There are even some cloths with logos on and naked ladies etc, but bear in mind you could probably do without the distraction, go for a solid colour and green is still the best to play on.

9/ Why not consider an outdoor pool table for your decking if you are short of room in your house. These come in wood and fibreglass. The wooden table is made of pressure treated wood the same as your decking and have a slate bed covered with water resistant cloth. The fibreglass models have fibreglass frames and slate beds, again with water resistant cloth. These models are designed for outdoor use, and the wooden model comes with a full cover for the winter.

10/ When buying a pool table check on delivery costs. The slate bed variety of pool table is very heavy and is usually delivered by specialist companies, which means they are expensive. Expect a price of 120 + for delivery and maybe an extra 50 or more (much more for the multi slate American tables) to do an installation in your home.

I hope you can now make a more considered decision when buying your new pool table. Good luck and enjoy!