Pool tables: sizes, surfaces and pockets.

Nominal size vs playing surface

Dr. Dave Alciatore points out that a size such as 4.5 x 9 ft describes the table's outside rail-to-rail dimensions. What affects play is the playing surface, measured between the noses of the cushions. All the standard pool sizes keep a 2:1 ratio: the BCA reproduction says the play area must be twice as long as it is wide, within 1/8 in either way, and Wikipedia lists 9, 8.5, 8 and 7 ft as the common sizes, all at 2:1.

The WPA reproductions give playing-surface figures for two pool sizes. The WPA 9 ft surface is 100 x 50 in and the WPA 8 ft surface is 92 x 46 in, each with a tolerance of plus 1/8 in. Wikipedia names 9 x 4.5 ft and 8 x 4 ft as the WPA tournament sizes. No WPA or BCA figure for a 10 ft pool table was found; that size appears only in retailer and educational sources.

Playing surfaces by source

Sources agree on 9 ft. They split on 8 ft (a home 8 ft and a larger "pro" or oversize 8 ft both exist) and widely on 7 ft. Dr. Dave notes that bar box "7 foot" tables vary, so measure the specific table.

Olhausen's 2020 catalog labels its figures as overall sizes, but they match other sources' playing surfaces, so the labeling is unclear. Dr. Dave also gives bar box ranges: large bar box 78 to 82 x 39 to 41 in, bar box 74 to 78 x 37 to 39 in, and small bar box 70 to 74 x 35 to 37 in. For full snooker and carom table figures, see snooker and three-cushion.

Outside dimensions and weight

Few makers publish both. Diamond gives its Pro-Am outer dimensions (length x width x height) as 94 x 54 x 32 in at 800 lb for 7 ft, 104 x 59 x 32 in at 1,000 lb for 8 ft, and 114 x 64 x 32 in at 1,200 lb for 9 ft, and lists the same figures for its coin-op Smart table. More generally, Seybert's says complete tables usually weigh 650 to 1,000 lb, and Billiard Factory says a full-size slate table often tops 650 lb with frame, cabinet and slate.

Bed height, rails and sights

• Bed height. The WPA sets 29.25 to 31 in from the floor to the playing surface. The BCA reproduction gives the same range.
• Rail width. The WPA allows 4 to 7.5 in, cushion included.
• Sights. The WPA calls for 18 sights (or 17 plus a nameplate), spaced 12.5 in apart on a 9 ft table and 11.5 in on an 8 ft, centered 3 11/16 in (plus 1/8 in) from the cushion nose. Round sights are 7/16 to 1/2 in across; diamond-shaped sights run from 1 x 7/16 in up to 1.25 x 5/8 in. Dr. Dave notes the spacing is the playing surface length divided by 8, or the width divided by 4.
• Clearance. The WPA wants at least 6 ft from the outside edge of the rail to any obstacle. See room size for how home guidance compares.

Pockets

The WPA figures, from the two reproductions:

The side pocket is traditionally 1/2 in wider than the corner. The BCA reproduction lists looser numbers: a 4 7/8 to 5 1/8 in corner, a 5 3/8 to 5 5/8 in side, a 103° side angle (plus or minus 2), a 1 5/8 to 1 7/8 in corner shelf and a 1/8 to 1/4 in drop-point slate radius. Those may be an older BCA spec and could not be confirmed as current. Wikipedia describes WPA pockets as 1.75 to 2.25 times the ball diameter and British-style pockets as 1.6 times.

As one example of a table built to the WPA numbers, Brunswick says its Gold Crown VI Tournament has 4.5 to 4.625 in corners and 5.0 to 5.125 in sides, with longer rails that tighten the pockets.

Drop pockets vs ball returns

Drop pockets catch balls in a basket or receptacle under each pocket. If one fills, it can block later balls until someone empties it. A ball return (gully) table routes pocketed balls through channels inside the table to one collection compartment. Pool Table Portfolio notes returns are common on commercial tables, that a poorly integrated one can make a home table look commercial, and that hard channels can sound mechanical. Traditional leather drop pockets can carry shield shapes, fringe, stitching and metal irons.

Product examples: the Brunswick Gold Crown VI comes with drop pockets or a gully return, and a retailer listing says its drop pockets hold up to 10 balls each. Diamond's Pro-Am uses flush-mounted bi-level pockets that send balls through the table to an end collector, and its Smart coin-op table uses leather-topped bi-level pockets with ballistic nylon baskets and a side collector. Olhausen's 2020 catalog lists a ball return only on two tournament-series tables.

Slate vs non-slate

Billiard Factory says regulation and tournament tables use slate only. Non-slate beds include MDF, Slatron, Accuslate and fibre cement, each covered on the slate and cushions page. The short version from Pro Billiards: MDF is light and inexpensive but vulnerable to moisture and can warp, and its roll grows inconsistent. Bar Games 101 puts a slate table at about 7 times the weight of an MDF table.

Cabinets, frames and rails

Sawyer Twain recommends kiln-dried hardwood frames (oak, maple or mahogany) over softwood or particle board, with several crossbeams or a quad-beam design. Manufacturer descriptions, which are their own claims:

• Brunswick says its solid wood is kiln-dried to 6 to 8% moisture, stained and sealed, and its rails are solid hardwood. A retailer lists the Gold Crown VI base frame as bolted hardwood 3.5 in thick.
• Diamond offers Pro-Am rails and skirts in oak, maple or PRC (which it calls burn and dent resistant), with composite legs standard and hardwood as an upgrade. A retailer describes Pro-Am rails as Dymondwood, a phenolic resin composite.
• Olhausen's catalog spans solid woods, veneers and laminates. Olhausen says its Uniliner frame is almost twice as strong as other methods, its rails use T-nut construction, and its tables are built in Portland, Tennessee.

Budget, mid-range and premium

Sources describe the tiers mainly by bed material and build:

• Bed. Pro Billiards ranks beds by cost from MDF (lowest), through Slatron and Accuslate, then fibre cement, to slate. Triangle Billiards puts slate at the top, Slatron in the middle, and MDF and plain wood at the bottom.
• Slate thickness. Sawyer Twain says 3/4 in marks entry-level slate tables and 1 in is the commercial and tournament standard.
• Construction. Sawyer Twain's quality markers are kiln-dried hardwood frames, multiple crossbeams, natural gum rubber cushions and built-in levelers.
• Finish. Within Olhausen's line, cabinets step down from solid wood to veneer to laminate.
• Warranty. Bar Games 101 says slate tables are often sold with lifetime warranties, and Olhausen advertises one.