CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITIES
Buying a pool table is a long-term investment. Properly maintained, a well-designed and constructed pool table will last a lifetime and provide unlimited hours of enjoyment for you, your children, and your children's children. When comparing pool tables, you should carefully consider which one provides the features that will best serve your needs; not just now but in the years to come. There are some things you can't actually see when you look at a pool table, but will have significant effect on its long-term performance and reliability. Here are some of them:
QUALITY BEGINS WITH THE FRAME
The base frame of the pool table is one of the most important factors in the construction and playability of the table. The frame should provide strength, rigidity, and durability to the entire table. It must be firm and level because the slate will conform to the base frame and any variation will result in less than satisfactory 
playability.
There are 3 types of frames made today: solid wood, plywood, and particleboard. Solid wood framing is considered best for 2 reasons: 1) overall strength 2) screw holding capacity. Solid wood framing will be found on the better quality tables, tournament tables, and all antique tables. Next to solid wood, plywood has the best strength and support characteristics and average screw holding power. The only reason particleboard frames exist is to cut the manufacturer's cost of the table. It is neither as strong as solid wood or plywood nor does it have good screw holding power.
THE TOP RAIL
There is a vast difference on the market today among top rails. Quality tables will feature solid wood top rails, and lesser quality tables will substitute particleboard. Without doubt a solid top rail is better for the following reasons. First, the cushion glues directly to the solid wood, which has a better gluing surface than particleboard. When it comes time to replace your cushion rubber, the particleboard will chip and become unsuitable for re-gluing. Solid wood will hold staples better on the underside where the cloth is stapled on the rail.
THE CUSHIONS
The best quality rubber cushion will be molded gum rubber and will provide excellent rebound quality. It should also have canvas on the back to help adhere the rubber to the rail and canvas on top to control the action on the rubber in such a way to make it play more accurately and consistently.
THE SLATE
Most slates on the market are diamond-honed, matched and registered. Slate has been used on pool tables for hundreds of years; there has been nothing to equal its leveling capacity. Generally a good quality table will have 1" slate with a wood frame attached to the slate to staple the bed cloth to.
All of these features are important in a pool table. Do not settle for anything less because it will not meet your expectations as to how it holds up to wear.
| Table Size |
4 1/2' x 9' |
4' x 8' Reg. |
4' x 8' Home |
3 1/2' x 7' |
| Cue Size |
| 57" |
13'8" x 17'10" |
13'4" x 17'2" |
13'2" x 16'10" |
12'8" x 15'10" |
| 52" |
13' x 17' |
12'6" x 16'4" |
12'4" x 16" |
11 '10" x 15' |
| 48" |
12'2" x 16'4" |
11 '10 x 15'8" |
11 '8" x 15'4" |
11 '2" x 14'4" |
