Choosing a Quality Table

A well-made, well-maintained pool table can last your family a lifetime. In fact, some of the most valuable tables available today were built before the Civil War. Since most people do not replace their tables every few years (unlike video games, home computers and automobiles), I usually advise them to be absolutely comfortable with their […]

Genuine slate is the heaviest, most dense material used on billiard tables. No other material will give the ball a true, almost frictionless roll. Italian slate has been the choice of professional players for years, because it is dense with excellent moisture content. This allows the installer to tighten it more securely without cracking. Most […]

The best rails will bolt through the slate, not next to it (where they can shift) or into the side of the slate (where they can crack the slate). Bolting through the slate helps achieve the rigidity that we discussed previously in the Slate section (approximating the concrete wall). It also assures that the cushion be kept […]

The frame or body of the table is important for strength, durability, and aesthetics. Formica® and other laminated finishes are easy to care for, and offer protection from burns, scratches and stains. However, the particle board backing usually used on laminated surfaces does not accommodate being taken apart and reassembled too often. Real wood tables will […]

Comparing construction techniques between different tables is admittedly difficult. Some designs support the end pieces of slate directly on the legs, with the middle piece supported by the carrying beams and side length. This design requires that the side length and beams be very thick and strong. It is a very old design, dating back […]

American-made tables are generally considered to be better-made, better-built, and better-playing than imported tables: particularly when compared to Chinese or Asian tables. Is that universally true? Not necessarily. Are American tables more expensive than the imports? Not necessarily. Is it important? That may be more of a political question, and possibly a matter of price. […]

As a general rule, cloth is not part of the table and is added by the table dealer – not the table manufacturer. Cloth is normally produced in weights from 14 to 22 ounces. The heavier cloth will generally last the longest. Backed cloth is usually used on coin-operated tables. It plays poorly, but is […]

It’s not easy to install a billiard table. Four to six hundred pounds of slate have to be lifted into place and perfectly leveled. Seams, screw holes and small voids must be filled, leveled, and made perfectly smooth. The cushions must be clothed (a very difficult job) and the bed cloth must be stretched tight […]

There is a very wide variety of qualities in billiard equipment, and the cheapest version is rarely the cheapest in the long run. Good cues and balls will affect your game the most -the quality of the triangle won’t make a difference at all. A table cover and a good horsehair brush will help keep […]

Make it easy on yourself: just shop at Seasonal Specialty Stores! Seriously, though, we do take billiards seriously. We are a full time, year-round retailer of professional quality billiard tables. We sell every major billiard line in the United States: Brunswick, Olhausen, Proline, Legacy and Imperial. Our service and installation technicians have over twenty years […]