Recover That Worn Out Pool Table

Nothing brings new life to an old tired pool table, or livens up that boring game room, more than putting new felt on your pool table. Get rid of those scuff marks, tears, and stains, get rid of that boring old green, and try something bright and bold like a blue, gold or burgundy, or even try patterns and pictures. You'll be amazed at what a change it will make to both your pool table and to your game room appearance.

Recovering you pool table is generally a pretty easy task that anyone that can use a wrench and a stapler can handle in a day. Here are answers to a few of the basic questions before you start.

How do I determine the size of my table?

Tables come in four different sizes. You'll need to know the size of your table before you order the new felt. All you need to do is measure the width of your table between the bumpers. If it is 39", you have a 7' table, 44"is an 8' table, 46" is called an 8' oversized table, and 50" is a 9' table.

Do I need to glue the felt down?

Most felt is held down by stretching it over the edges and stapling it along the bottom edge. On some tables, the felt is held in place by a band of glue along the edges of the slate.

How do I know which side of my new felt is up?

The smoothest side, usually with a manufacturer's logo, is the top side.

Which pool table felt should I use?

Determining what brand of felt to buy to cover your pool table really just comes down to your budget. Available brands include:

Arcade by Forstmann is an economical felt. Arcade is a hard-wearing choice for high-traffic pool tables. This felt was developed specifically for the coin-op trade. If it can stand up to the hard use it gets in commercial environments, it will certainly last a very long time on home pool tables. It is a wool/nylon blend and comes in 8 colors.

Mali pool table felt is a middle-of-the-road felt. This is a 21oz wool/nylon blend. Mali felt comes in 16 colors.

A top-of-the-line felt is the SuperPro by Milliken. Using a blend of 70% Merino wool and 30% nylon, SuperPro worsted pool table felt gives you a smooth, long-lasting playing surface. All SuperPro felt is treated with SpillGuard protectant. SpillGuard is a special coating that protects every fiber, so it won't swell, smell, or stain. SuperPro's playing surface stays fast and responsive and looks good throughout the life of the felt. SuperPro pool table felt comes in 7 colors.

Generally considered the top-of-the-line is Simonis pool table felt. Simonis felt is used in most every professional tournament. Simonis felt is made in Belgium. Its combed worsted wool and high thread count assure long lasting wear. This felt is nap-free and will not pill or fluff. Simonis felt is available in both 760 and 860 versions. Simonis 760 is slightly faster than 860, and is best suited where 8-ball is the primary game played. Simonis 860 felt was developed especially for competition-level 9-ball billiards. It is slightly slower than the Simonis 760 blend. Simonis felt comes in 4 colors.

Comparable to Simonis is a felt made by Sterling. This quality pool table felt is worsted wool. Sterling is remarkably similar to Simonis 860. Featuring a high thread count and made from 90% wool and 10% nylon, it is guaranteed not to pill or fluff and is nap-free. It can give you consistent play over a longer period of time. Sterling felt comes in standard green.

For something really different, try an ArtScape pattern by Milliken. ArtScape pool table felt is a kaleidoscope of color and design. The eye-catching designs are the latest way to make a striking difference in your game room decor and make pool tables more exciting and fun. ArtScape layouts transform the playing surface of pool tables with vibrant, full-color patterns printed onto top-quality SpillGuard protected worsted wool felt. Pool tables become the center of attention and playing is more fun.

That's generally all there is to it; measure your table, choose your felt and color, take your rails off, and get to it. You'll be surprised how easy it is, and amazed at the difference it will make to your table and game room.