Frequently Asked Questions

Installation time depends on the table configuration and any additional work needed. A standard professional installation typically takes 2-4 hours, including assembly, leveling, felt installation, and pocket adjustment. Complex installations or renovations may require additional time. Any installer should give you an estimate before the job starts.

Pool table felt typically lasts 3-5 years with regular use, depending on maintenance and play intensity. Signs you need refelting include visible wear patterns, pilling, burns, tears, or inconsistent ball roll. Increased friction and ball unpredictability are also indicators that refelting is recommended. A technician can usually tell in a few minutes whether the cloth or the cushions are the problem.

A complete refelt includes removing the old cloth, cleaning the slate and checking the seams, stretching new cloth over the bed and rails, replacing worn pockets if needed, and inspecting the cushions. If a quote leaves any of these out, ask why.

Minor slate damage like small cracks can sometimes be professionally repaired. However, significant cracks, splits, or structural damage typically require full slate replacement for tournament-quality play. Get a repair quote and a replacement quote side by side before you decide. Proper slate is essential for consistent playability and game integrity.

We do not move tables ourselves. Use a company that moves pool tables specifically: they take the table apart, wrap the slate, carry it on edge and re-level it at the new address. General movers often skip the reassembly, and leveling is the step that decides how the table plays. In southern New Hampshire and around Boston, we recommend Mr. Cue's Billiards.

Regular maintenance includes weekly brushing of the felt with a proper pool table brush, vacuuming to remove debris, and occasional professional cleaning. Monitor the table's level, check cushions for flattening, and inspect the felt for damage. Maintain consistent room temperature and humidity to prevent wood warping. Professional maintenance inspections annually help extend table lifespan.

Space requirements depend on the table size and the cue length. With a standard 58-inch cue, an 8-foot table needs about 13 ft 4 in x 17 ft of open space, a 9-foot table about 14 ft x 18 ft, and a 7-foot table about 13 ft x 16 ft. A shorter 52-inch cue takes about a foot off each dimension, so measure the room before you buy.

Slate tables, coin-operated bar tables, home tables and tournament tables can all be installed, refelted and repaired. Ask a company which makes they work on. Experienced technicians handle the common brands, and the better ones will tell you up front if your table is outside what they know.

Terms vary by company and by job. Ask whether an installation is covered if the table drifts out of level, whether new cloth is covered if it loosens, and for how long. Get the answer in writing before the work starts.

Call the company with the table's make and size, whether the slate is one piece or three, the address, and any stairs or tight turns on the way in. With that, they can quote accurately and send the right size crew.