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What is the playing surface made out of?
Home » Game Rooms » Pool Tables » What is the playing surface made out of?The traditional playing surface of a pool table has traditionally been made using a large slab of slate.
Slate can be ground and polished into a perfectly flat surface fairly easily, which is why it is sought after for billiard tables. Slate can be found all over the world, but major exporters include Italy, Brazil, China and India. Italian slate is preferred for a quality billiard table.
Italian slate is considered the best slate to use because it absorbs water better than any other type. This means that there are few problems with dampness or humidity affecting the cloth.
The cost of transporting slate – due to the size and weight – add considerably to the overall cost of a quality table. The slate is normally three-quarters of an inch to one-inch (1.9 cm to 2.54 cm) thick and weighs between 400 and 600 lbs. (181.4 kg to 272.1 kg).
To make it easier to transport and less prone to fracturing from stress, the slate is normally split into three slabs, each about 150 to 200 lbs (68 kg to 90.7 kg). While this makes it much easier to move and set up, the three-slab version requires some work to ensure that the three slabs match perfectly and are flat all the way across. A few manufacturers use a single, large piece of slate instead of three pieces, but the three-slab method is generally preferred.
Ideally, the slate should be oversized so that the playing surface extends beneath the rails of the table, providing additional strength. Most quality tables have the slate framed as well, with a wood backing glued to the underside of the slate. The felt cloth that is stretched over the slate is stapled or tacked to the frame. Without the frame, the cloth would have to be glued directly to the underside of the slate.
The slate is carved out around the edges where the pockets will go. Also, holes are drilled along the edge so that the slate can be bolted to the top of the table frame.
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