Snooker Tables

A 7-ft billiard table with a slate bed starts around $1500 (entry-level Buffalo, Automaten Hoffmann), mid-tier $2500–4500 (Rasson Victory, Sam Leisure Atlantic), and pro 8-ft/9-ft tournament tables (Diamond, Brunswick, Rasson Ox) cost $6000–18000. Used premium tables often sell for half retail.

7-ft = "bar box", compact for homes and pubs (playing area 96×48"). 8-ft = club standard pool (~112×56"). 9-ft = WPA tournament pool (~100×50" playing area). Snooker uses 10-ft or 12-ft. Choice depends on room: minimum clearance around the table is +5 ft on each side for a full cue stroke.

An 8-ft table with a 3-piece slate bed weighs 900–1400 lb — slate alone 450–800 lb, frame 350–450 lb, cushions and cloth 100–200 lb. A 9-ft tournament table weighs 1400–2000 lb. Transport and assembly require a service (3–4 people). Floor load: 40 psf min — hardwood is fine, timber joists usually OK, but a basement with a wooden floor may need reinforcement.

Slate (stone) is the tournament standard — perfectly flat, does not warp, holds cloth smoothly. Thickness 3/4"–1" (WPA requires min 3/4"). MDF/melamine is a substitute in cheap home tables ($400–900) — warps over time from humidity, plays slower. For serious play → only slate.

Pool tournament standard: Simonis 860 (fast, thinner) or 760 (slower, more durable). Snooker: Strachan 6811. Carom: Simonis 300. Color: worsted (Simonis) in "tournament blue" or green. Thickness 6–8 mm. Recloth is a service job (stretching + gluing) — $200–500 depending on the table.