The Ultimate Billiard & Pool Table FAQ

  1. What are standard pool table sizes?

    Modern pool table sizes are 7', 8' and 9'. In the past, some bar and coin-op pool tables have been smaller than 7', but these are not common. Find out more about pool table sizes in our room sizing guide.

  2. What are standard pool table dimensions?

    Usually when people ask this, they are looking for the playing field size of a table. Pool tables are always rectangular with a 2:1 “aspect ratio”. For the three different common sizes, regulation dimensions as measured between the inside pointy edges of the cushions are:
    7ft: 76″ by 38″
    8ft: 92″ by 46″
    9ft: 100″ by 50″

  3. Are pool table pockets universal?

    Oh heavens no! Traditionally, there are two types of pocket: drop pocket, and ball return. Beyond that, pool table pockets vary wildy from country to country, and even between different eras. For example, US pocket openings range between 4.5″ and 4.7″ inches on the corners and around 5″ on the sides, while in Russia pool table pockets are only slightly wider than the balls themselves.

  4. Is a pool table made of slate?

    Modern pool tables are built using three pieces of slate covered by cloth for the playing surface. The slate pieces are generally sealed with a special hard wax, although plaster is sometimes also used.

  5. Is it OK to stand on a pool table?

    It's never a good idea to stand on your pool table, for multiple reasons. Chief among them is the leveling: your pool table surface is built with three separate pieces of slate, joined together with wax and painstakingly leveled by your billiard mechanic. The localized pressure of a person standing on the table will almost certainly separate the underlying slate section from the rest, and require a service call to re-level, and possibly even require cloth removal to fix.

  6. How heavy is a pool table?

    Pool tables can vary significantly in weight depending on construction material. The one constant is slate – several hundred pounds of it. Beyond that, solid wood is usually heavier than manufactured materials, and commercial tables generally come with heavy internal reinforcement. Ball returns made of metal can have significant weight. A good ballpark is between 600 and 900 lbs for a full table, thought a big 9' table can easily weight well over 1000.

  7. Can pool table slate be repaired?

    Depending on the extent of the crack or chipping, the answer is often yes! Pool table slate is usually repaired in the same way that the pool table slate pieces are joined together – using ultra-hard specialized wax.