Room sizes, cloth, slates and other questions

These are the questions we are asked most often about buying, installing and looking after a snooker or pool table. The answers come from our own fitters, all time served with apprenticeships at Riley Snooker when the manufacturing base was here in Accrington and Padiham.

If your question is not answered here, ask. Email is usually best to start with, and we normally reply within the day.

How much space do I need around the table?

You need four or five feet between the cushion rails and the surrounding walls or furniture, depending on the type of table. Most full size snooker cues are 58 inches long. 6ft and 7ft pool tables are supplied with 4ft cues, and 8ft, 9ft and 10ft tables are supplied with 54 inch cues.

Few games rooms are free of obstacles. Sideboards, fireplaces and furniture all affect the cueing action. We can supply an additional cue to suit these areas.

Can you install a table on the first floor?

It can be done, but bear in mind that a full size 12ft table has five slate pieces, each 6ft by 2ft 3in and weighing about 200kg. The slates are very heavy, so our fitters will need two extra able-bodied people at your end. It takes at least two people to remove or install a ground floor table and four if there is a set of stairs, so any help you can muster makes a real difference.

We will usually ask for some pictures of the access, or a video taken on your phone, before we plan the job.

Which cloth do you use?

We use the Hainsworth Smart range of wool napped cloth for all but a few of our snooker table refurbishments and installations. It is the industry standard throughout the country and the cloth you will find in most snooker clubs and private homes. This traditional napped cloth is hard wearing and reliable, and with regular use it only needs replacing perhaps every 7 to 10 years.

How long does a snooker cloth last?

According to our fitters, Hainsworth Smart and Strachan 6811 are very similar, and both give a hard wearing 7 to 10 years of use. Hainsworth Smart is the cloth found in most snooker halls and clubs the world over. The faster match cloths wear out much sooner.

• Hainsworth Smart and Strachan 6811: 7 to 10 years. The everyday cloth for clubs and homes.
• Strachan Tournament and Hainsworth Match: around 12 months. The cloth you would find on a snooker hall match table.
• Strachan Match and Hainsworth Precision: only a matter of weeks. The cloth used in professional tournaments.

Can I get cloth samples?

We do not carry samples in the workshop, but our cloth manufacturer Hainsworth will send up to five samples free of charge. Call the Hainsworth helpline on 0113 257 0391.

If you are looking for the cheaper American style cloth with no nap, the type found on pool tables outside bars in Spain or Greece, that is Hainsworth's Elite Pro range. We would not recommend it for snooker or UK pool.

What cloth goes on an American pool table?

Our American pool tables are supplied in any of the colours available in the Hainsworth Elite Pro range. Again this is the industry standard, and it is durable enough to be played outdoors. The upgrade in this case is Simonis cloth, which costs a little extra. Pro Cup American pool balls can also be ordered.

Should I choose turned legs or square legs?

All our table legs are made from solid timber. Each leg is made by gluing three separate pieces together, which reduces the tension in the wood grain and stops the legs splitting.

Square legs can be shaped any way you choose. The standard range is square plain, square fluted or square tapered. Turned legs come in a few profiles: turned and reeded, plain turned using the same profile without the reeds, or the turned ornate leg, which is £250 plus VAT extra on any table.

Can you match the table to the colour of my furniture?

Yes. You may have any RAL colour. RAL is the recognised standard colour coding for mixing paints and lacquers, so in practice that means any colour within the paint industry.

Is a 7ft snooker table the same size as a 7ft pool table?

No. Snooker and pool slates are different sizes. 6ft, 7ft, 8ft and 9ft snooker tables have a larger slate, and so a bigger playing area, than pool tables of the same nominal size.

Whichever you choose, add 4ft to 5ft of space all around the playing area for unobstructed play.

• 6ft snooker table: playing area 69 x 33 inches
• 6ft pool table: playing area 60 x 32 inches
• 7ft snooker table: playing area 81 x 39 inches
• 7ft pool table: playing area 72 x 38 inches
• 8ft snooker table: playing area 92 x 45.5 inches
• 8ft pool table: playing area 83 x 41.5 inches

Can you hold a table until my room is ready?

Yes. Many customers reserve a particular table they like until their snooker room is ready, and we understand that building works rarely go to schedule. As long as we are kept informed we will hold your table until you are ready, at no extra cost.

To secure a table we ask for a deposit of 20%, paid by bank transfer or cheque. Unless the table advert says otherwise, the balance is paid in cash or by bank transfer at the point of installation and your satisfaction. Whether new or refurbished, the table is finished especially for you.

What is the best way to get in touch?

Email is usually best to start with. It gives us the chance to gather the information together, and we will usually respond within the day. Text and WhatsApp work too, or phone if you prefer.

Will you buy my table?

We will buy good examples of tables, for ground floor collection only. Email us your approximate location and any information you have, such as images, age and condition.

Please understand that you are selling to the trade, so we can only offer trade prices; you may get a higher price by offering the table on an online auction site. Removing a table can take up to a day depending on location. Manpower, fuel, time and storage space are the enemy when uninstalling, and some tables sit in our storage for months until the right buyer comes along.

Who installs the table?

Most full size and multi-slate installations are carried out by Sovereign Snooker Services, whose staff have been involved in the manufacture, restoration and installation of snooker and pool tables for over 40 years. If you need any after-sales help they can schedule a visit when they are in your area, or give advice over the phone or by email.

What if cracks appear in the woodwork?

Wood is a natural material and can move and settle into a new environment over time. If any cracks appear in the woodwork, fill them with furniture wax or wood filler to remove the unsightly marks.

Table sizes at a glance