Anyone who has visited a sports bar knows what the purpose of a billiards table is. For some lovers of exquisite craftsmanship and fine art, however, the billiards table is the perfect piece of furniture.
Billiards tables, also called pool tables, are typically used for cue sports. Thus, a home’s game room may seem like the obvious choice for the placement of a billiards table, but the world of antique and customized tables beckons those interested in purchasing a billiards table to think otherwise. These tables could fit in with any style of furniture or living environment, contingent on the space available, of course.
When purchasing or building a billiards table, always remember that the room that will house the table should be large enough to retain a five-foot clearance behind each side of the table.
The standard billiards table rises about 32 inches off the ground but may be found in seven-, eight-, and nine-foot variants. The nine-foot size has a playing surface that measures 100 inches by 50 inches; the eight-foot table is 92 inches by 46 inches; and the seven-foot table, 76 inches by 38 inches. British pool tables, on the other hand, appear in two sizes: six feet by three feet and seven feet by four feet. Depending on the style and level of ornateness of the table, the overall size of the table may be significantly larger.
Depending on how much a builder or purchaser might want to spend, construction materials and methods may vary. Cheaper builds will use less expensive woods, apply fewer details, and use glue more liberally to attach parts together instead of bolts, nails, staples, or tacks. This will lessen the life of the table, as glue wears apart in a shorter time.
Modern tables tend to be flat and rectangular shaped, though there are some that are circular. The table is just that – a flat, elevated surface built into a shell made up of two portions, called the cabinet and the frame, and tucked inside the latter amid raised borders called rails. This surface, also known as the bed, is usually made of an oversized slab of quarried slate, covered with cloth, and bounded by rubber cushions attached to the inside of the rails, with pockets in each corner as well as the center of the longest sides.