A pool table is a great addition to a home arcade or game room. And depending on your budget and the space you have to work with, you have plenty of options to choose from including table size and the material that it’s made from.
And once you learn that in addition to pool tables you may also find billiards and snooker tables for sale, you may be confused as to what each means and why you might consider one over the other.
Pool Table Weight
Pool tables come in a wide variety of styles and sizes and thus the weight can vary as a result. Certainly, professional pool room tables like the one shown above may be much heavier than a table you’d typically buy for your home use when it has heavy, solid wooden legs. And it will be even heavier still when it is made from slate.
Typical pool tables are made with slate (stone) or wood and are normally 7′, 8′, 8′ oversize or 9′ in size. Slate pool tables are heavier than wood and the larger the size the more your table will typically weigh. A slate pool table will usually weigh 700 lbs – 1,000 lbs whereas a wooden pool table will typically weigh 275 lbs – 450 lbs.
A 7-foot slate pool table will typically weigh about 700 pounds, an 8-foot slate pool table about 850 pounds, and a 9-foot slate table around 1,000 pounds at the top end. A 7-foot wooden pool table will typically weigh about 275 lbs, an 8-foot wooden pool table about 320 lbs and a 9-foot wooden pool table about 450 lbs. As you can see, slate tables tend to be much heavier which makes them costlier to purchase and more difficult to move.
Slate vs Wooden Pool Tables
Since the type of material you choose largely determines how heavy your pool table is, which option is better: Slate or wood? Ultimately, your budget and personal preference will determine this but here are the pros and cons of each.
Slate Pool Table
| Pros | Cons |
| Highest quality pool table option that will last the longest. | More expensive to buy than wood and not as many options to choose from. |
| Offers superior game play over time and won’t warp the way wood can. | Much heavier than wood, up to 1,000 lbs in weight. |
| More durable and longer lifespan than wood. | More difficult to move than wood so they tend to need to be put somewhere permanent. |
Wooden Pool Table
| Pros | Cons |
| Cheaper to buy and widely available online and in retail stores. | Not as durable as slate and can warp over time leading to decreased game play. |
| Will suit the average pool player for home use so it has a wide appeal. | Wood can be negatively effected by high humidity or liquids spilling on it and can be damaged as a result. |
| Wood is lighter and easier to move within a room or to another location. | Wooden pool tables tend to offer slower play and less control than do slate tables which play faster. |
Pool Table Dimensions
The weight of your pool table will not only be affected by the material it’s made with but also the size and dimensions, too. And the size of your room will determine the size of the table you can fit in it. Standard 2-piece pool cues measure 48″, 52″ and 58″ in length so depending on the size of the pool cue you will use, you will need more space the larger the cue.
Here are minimum room size recommendations for 7 foot, 8 foot, 8 foot oversize, and 9 foot pool tables for each cue size you may use.
Seven Foot Pool Table: 3.5′ X 7
| Cue Length | Minimum Room Size |
| 48″ | 11′ 6″ x 14′ 6″ |
| 52″ | 12′ x 15′ |
| 58″ | 13′ x 16′ |
Eight Foot Pool Table: 4′ X 8′
| Cue Length | Minimum Room Size |
| 48″ | 12′ x 15′ 6″ |
| 52″ | 12′ 6″ x 16′ |
| 58″ | 13′ 6″ x 17′ |
Oversized Eight Foot Pool Table: 4′ X 8′
| Cue Length | Minimum Room Size |
| 48″ | 12′ x 16′ |
| 52″ | 12′ 6″ x 16′ 6″‘ |
| 58″ | 13′ 6″ x 17′ 6″ |
Nine Foot Pool Table: 4.5′ X 9′
| Cue Length | Minimum Room Size |
| 48″ | 12′ 6″ x 16′ 6″ |
| 52″ | 13′ x 17′ |
| 58″ | 14′ x 18′ |
Regulation Pool Table
You may read about a pool table being a regulation-sized table and wonder exactly what this means. A regulation pool table is simply one that when measured from cushion nose to cushion nose, is exactly twice as long as it is wide. If you review the playing surfaces for each of the 7′ – 9′ tables listed above, you will see that each playing surface length is exactly twice the width meaning each of these tables is considered regulation.
If your chosen pool table meets this criteria, it is considered to be a regulation size table.
Standard Pool Table Sizes
A pool table is measured across the long length of the table when referring to its size in feet. While you will typically find 7′, 8′, 8′ oversize and 9′ pool tables to purchase, which is the most popular size and which one have you most likely already played either at a friend’s or in a pool hall?
7′ tables: Often referred to as bar size. Typically found in bars, pool halls and in people’s homes, the 7′ table is a popular choice given its smaller size that larger tables meaning your room size isn’t as big a concern as with larger tables. Plus it’s a cheaper table to buy. If you are constrained by your room size, budget, or are just looking for a game for the family to play, a 7′ table will most likely suffice.
8′ tables: Considered the standard size pool table. 8′ tables are the most commonly found size in homes and thus is considered to be the classic pool table size. If you have the space and have grown up playing the 7′ tables in pool halls, the 8′ table will present a nice challenge as its larger size will initially take getting used to in order to master it. It’ll also make it easier if you go back to playing a 7′ table elsewhere.
8′ oversize tables: Not commonly found. An 8′ oversize table will tend to have similar dimensions as an 8′ table but will have a slightly larger playing surface which is the distinguishing feature. People may choose this size table for its relative uniqueness.
9′ tables: Referred to as pro or tournament tables, these are the tables you typically see the professionals using. They require the largest amount of space, tend to be the most expensive and given their large size are the most challenging for players, too. You might consider this large table for the challenge if you have the room to hold it. After mastering a 9′ table, playing a smaller table will tend to be easier by comparison.
The bigger the table, the more space you need and the greater the challenge playing it. Having said that, the average pool user will be happy with a smaller, more widely available and thus cheaper 7′ or 8′ pool table. A person seeking a greater challenge with the budget and room size could accordingly consider the larger 9′ table.
Conclusion
Depending on how much money you want to spend, the time in which you plan on spending playing pool and the amount of space you have, you have plenty of options when choosing a table that meets your needs.
Consider how long you’re planning on being in your home because if there’s a chance that you will be moving in the near future, you might hold off buying a table until you’ve actually moved. Relocating a large (slate) pool table adds to the work and cost of a big house move and pool tables can be easily damaged especially if they’re being taken from one basement to another.
While a larger pool table will suit many people, a 7′ or 8′ table will suffice for the average pool table user who simply wants an option for occasional or regular home game room play who may be constrained by room size or budget.