Billiard table accessories: cloth, lamp, cover

The table is only the beginning

Buying a billiard table closes one expense and opens a second list, shorter but compulsory. Without cloth there is no game, without light above the table there is no aiming, without a cover the cloth lives half as long, and without a spirit level a slate table plays like an MDF one. Below are all the accessories for a billiard table with prices, in order from those you cannot play without to those that are a convenience.

Cloth: the one thing not to save on

Cloth decides ball speed, rebound angle and how long the table plays evenly. Two kinds: worsted and woollen. Worsted cloth such as Simonis 860 and 760, Strachan 6811 or Hainsworth Smart has a short combed nap, the ball rolls fast and predictably and the cloth does not pill. It is the tournament and club standard. Woollen cloth is cheaper, slower and more forgiving of imprecise strokes, which is why it is found in pubs and on MDF home tables.

Indicative prices: a worsted set for an 8ft table (bed and cushions) 210–370 EUR, woollen cloth 95–160 EUR. Fitting by a technician is another 120–210 EUR. Worsted cloth lasts 5–10 years at home, 1–2 years in a club. It is replaced not when it has a hole, but when worn tracks show near the pockets and the ball starts to slow. Brands and the difference between 860 and 760 are on the Simonis page, listings in the cloth category.

Lighting: the lamp above the table

A billiard table needs even, shadow-free light over the whole playing area, because the shadow of the cue and the player on the ball changes the perceived contact point. The standard is a lamp close to the length of the table (for 8ft about 150–200 cm), hung 80–100 cm above the cloth, in a neutral 4000–5000 K colour. Classic lamps with three or four shades give spot light and shadows between the shades, which is why clubs moved to linear LED lamps.

Prices: a linear LED lamp 120–350 EUR, a classic shaded lamp 95–280 EUR, tournament systems 470–950 EUR. A cheap home alternative is two 120 cm LED panels hung on cables, about 70–95 EUR a pair. Listings in the lighting category.

Cover: 35 EUR that saves 350

Dust, sunlight, the cat and a glass set on the cushion are the four main causes of premature cloth replacement. A table cover in thick leatherette or lined fabric costs 35–95 EUR depending on size and solves all four. Choose a cover with 5–10 cm of margin on each side of the table's outer dimensions, so it covers the cushions and does not pull when put on. Listings in the table covers category.

Spirit level and levelling

A slate table has to be levelled after every move, after a new floor is laid and once a year as a precaution, because floors settle. A 60–100 cm spirit level with 0.5 mm per metre accuracy (8–20 EUR) and adjustable feet in the table legs are enough. Check in two axes in the middle and at each cushion, and on tables with sectioned slate also the joins between sections. Sections are joined and levelled with wax or plaster, and that is a job for a technician, not a Saturday.

Brush, cleaning and small items

A soft-bristle cloth brush (8–16 EUR) used after every session, always in one direction from the break end to the foot, removes chalk that abrades the fibres. Once a month a vacuum with a soft nozzle on the lowest power. Balls are cleaned separately, as described in the guide on Aramith billiard balls. Add a triangle and a 9-ball template (5–20 EUR), chalk for guests, a wall cue rack (15–47 EUR) and a rest (10–70 EUR), covered in the text on player accessories.

Table parts: cushions, pockets, nets

Cushion rubber loses its bounce after 10–15 years at home, sooner in a club and in a room with big temperature swings. The symptom: the ball rebounds dead and short, it "dies" at the cushion. A set of K-66 rubber for an 8ft table costs 95–190 EUR, replacement with cushion cloth 190–350 EUR. Leather and plastic pockets, nets and ball-return gullies wear out less often, and replacing them costs 12–70 EUR per item. Parts listings are in the table parts category, slate in slate beds.

Scoreboards and club odds and ends

A scoreboard, mechanical on the wall or sliding on wires above the table, is 25–95 EUR. For snooker an app works better: the online snooker counter tracks frame, break and fouls without login. In a club a cue rack at every table and a board with the league rules also help. League and club tournament results are run in BidBil tournaments with a bracket and a TV screen.

What it all costs

The minimum to play on a new table with cloth: LED lamp 120 EUR, cover 47 EUR, spirit level 12 EUR, brush 10 EUR, triangle and template 14 EUR, about 200 EUR in total. For a used table from a closing club add new cloth fitted, 350–580 EUR, and possibly cushion rubber, 190–350 EUR. The full bill for a table with all costs is in the guide how much a billiard table costs.

Frequently asked questions

Which cloth for a home table? Simonis 860 or Strachan 6811, meaning worsted. It costs 95–160 EUR more than woollen, but lasts twice as long and plays like a club table. Woollen only makes sense on an MDF table for entertainment.

Which lamp above a billiard table? A linear LED close to the length of the playing area, hung 80–100 cm above the cloth, 4000–5000 K, with no shadows between light sources. For 8ft about 180 cm long.

How often should a table be levelled? After every move and once a year as a precaution. Test: a ball rolled slowly along a cushion should run straight and stop without curving.

Is a cover needed if the table is in a windowless room? Yes. Dust settles on cloth in every room and abrades the fibres together with the balls. A cover is the only protection for the cloth between sessions.

When should cushion rubber be replaced? When the ball rebounds short and dead, or when rebounds of the same force differ in length depending on the cushion. Test: a ball sent firmly across the table should travel three to four lengths.

Summary

Worsted cloth, a linear lamp, a cover, a spirit level and a brush are the compulsory set for about 200 EUR, cloth excluded. Cushions, pockets and slate are replaced rarely, but on a used table they must be checked before buying. All table accessories are in the subcategories of billiard tables and equipment, and cloth and lamps also on brand pages and in shop listings.