Pool Tables Online. The UK's Longest Established Online Table Supplier

Pool Tables Online – The UK's Longest Established Table Supplier

Pool Tables Online has been providing pool tables to the UK and European home market for over 16 years. We are one of the longest-established online pool table distributors in the country. During this time, we have set up a first-class delivery system and table-fitting network. Whatever your requirement, we like to think we can provide the solution.

We have been involved in the pool table business for well over 40 years. We previously owned a pool table manufacturing business, which means we know precisely how tables are produced. We know all the models we sell inside out and refuse to put our name on any tables that are not up to the test.

Due to the nature of the internet, there are now hundreds of websites selling pool tables. Many are very good companies, but unfortunately, the majority are still not specialists. They tend to just get the tables drop-shipped by the manufacturers or installed cheaply by inexperienced third-party fitters. They also tend not to work from business premises and do not offer any real after-care service.

We are the exact opposite of this. We pride ourselves on customer care, product knowledge and after-sales service. For example, we offer heavy discounts to all our pool table customers on things like future cloth recovery or table relocation if you are moving house. It is certainly worth researching the company before making such a big purchase.

One of the biggest questions we regularly get asked is about the styles of tables available. Staying in is the new going out, which means more and more people require game rooms, particularly pool tables for the home. This has led to table producers creating more diverse ranges to satisfy demand. So, what table is best suited for you?

Below is a rough guide to some of the different styles of tables available in the UK today. This should help you make an informed and accurate decision. However, if you still have questions, please feel free to give us a call at 0345 226 5758. We would be more than happy to help.

UK Slate Bed Pool Tables

Our company is a leading slate bed UK pool table supplier, based just outside Manchester in the North West of England. We have been involved in the pool table industry for over 40 years and, up until a few years ago, manufactured tables with Excel Leisure Products.

By coincidence, all the leading slate bed pool table manufacturers are based in the North West, making it very convenient for our customers and us. The UK styles of pool tables were first manufactured in Stockport and Oldham by two companies called Hazel Grove Music and Alca Electronics, respectively, in the early 1970s. The success of these pool table suppliers sparked other competition in the area, with manufacturers such as Premier Leisure, DPT, Simply Pool, and Supreme becoming big players in the market, all based within a 50-mile radius.

All slate bed pool table manufacturers started life as producers of coin-operated tables for pubs and clubs when those locations were booming. As the pub market slowed down, these manufacturers had to turn their skills and equipment to start producing pool tables for the home. This is a relatively new phenomenon and has only really existed in any volume over the last 20 years.

This was great news for homebuyers because suddenly, they had access to full-size league-quality pool tables with slate bed playing surfaces as opposed to the inferior wood-bed low-quality imported pool tables from the Far East. What's more, the tables had quality pool table cloth and not cheap baize, proper cushion rails and rubber, and a ball return system simulating the typical pub pool table.

The table cabinet material is also used on the pub tables, which are built to withstand the use and abuse that happens in high-traffic commercial venues. With all that quality, a home pool table gives you a piece of equipment that will last a lifetime in a domestic situation and give you many years of enjoyment. In other words, you can have a game in the pub with friends and then go home and have the same experience.

The style of the original tables is still available in the Winner, Omega, and Barline pool tables. Today's market also offers a large choice of table styles and designs. You can choose from different cabinet colours, leg styles, cabinet sizes, and cloth colours.

You can now match a table to suit your home without compromising the playing aspects – perfect harmony!

Most UK pool tables are available in 6ft and 7ft versions, so don't worry about space constraints. We also supply cues from 36" to 57", so those space issues suddenly start to disappear.

Call us for completely impartial advice with no obligation, and we will help you make the decision that will change your home entertainment forever.

American Pool Tables

Make no mistake—whatever we may prefer here in the UK, the big ball, large pocket American Pool Table is the authentic original pool table game. In fact, the small ball UK specification pool table has only been around since the early 1970s. So, what is the difference between the games?

Well, the American Pool Table is bigger in every respect, including the balls, slate, and cabinet.

American pool balls are 2-1/4-inch in diameter and are always the stripe and spot balls numbered 1-15. The beauty of this ball set is that you can play a number of games, including the traditional 8-ball Game, 9-ball Pool, and Rotation Pool. These pool balls are a full ¼" more prominent than the UK equivalent. The best quality balls are the Aramith Belgian Balls, and Pool Tables Online is an official importer of them and can offer sets at terrific prices.

The second difference is the slate size; American pool tables have bigger slates. When you talk about a 7-foot American table, you are talking about the slate size, whereas with the UK-style pool tables, the 7-foot size would refer to the outside cabinet size. So when you order a 7-foot American Pool Table, remember the cabinet size will be closer to 8 feet, so you will need extra space.

The American Pool game is all about potting and is exciting. It is great fun for the family; even complete novices will make some pots. This is because the pocket openings are larger and allow one ball to pass another ball in the pocket's jaws. On the other hand, UK Pool Tables have tighter pockets and more of a tactical element to the game. American coin-operated pool tables can be seen in bigger venues such as Snooker Halls, Bowling Alleys, and Family Entertainment Centres, which have more space.

The official full size of an American Pool Table is the 9ft table, which is used in all major competitions and by professional pool players like Karl Boyes, who Pool Tables Online supports.

See our room fitting dimensions in all our pool table descriptions for further information, or alternatively, call us on 0345 226 5758. The major American Pool Tournaments use 9ft pool tables covered in Simonis 860 Tournament Blue napless pool cloth, which is a blend of 90% wool and 10% nylon and is a faster cloth than the traditional 100% wool napped cloth used in Snooker and UK Pool. For an even quicker game, try the Simonis 760, which is a very fast, hardwearing napless cloth made from 70% wool and 30% nylon.

Here at Pool Tables Online, we are the UK's official importer of all Simonis cloth and carry a vast range of styles and colours. We supply the finest American Pool Tables, including Dynamic American Pool Tables, Sam American Pool Tables, Buffalo American Pool Tables, and Billard Toulet, and Brunswick American Pool Tables.

Many of the American Pool Tables have 3-piece slates, which are covered in a cloth of your choice and erected free of charge in any room you choose. Cabinet styles range from tournament-style tables to classic billiard tables or even beautiful furniture, such as a pool dining table with a matching top.

We can supply whatever you choose, so don't hesitate to call us for free advice and help.

Pool Dining Tables

The Pool Dining table is a fabulous product that serves a dual purpose and provides hours of fun.

These days, everyone's schedules are so hectic that the daily family meal around the dining table is a thing of the past. Yet you still need the table for occasional entertaining. This means the dining table takes up a lot of space but is rarely used. Pool dining tables change all that and provide the best of both worlds.

With a two-piece matching dining hard top, you have a stylish diner. Then, lift off the tops to reveal a professional pool table to test everybody's skills. Pool Dining Tables ensure the space is put to full use and provide instant entertainment to surprise your friends and keep all the family occupied.

First and foremost, the pool diners are made for pool with the dining element as a bonus. The tables are built to the optimum playing height for pool, which means they are slightly higher than the standard dining height but not noticeably so.

Standard chairs fit comfortably under the pool dining tables as they are all slim in design. Most pool tables have a fixed height, although some more expensive products provide a lifting mechanism to raise the table to playing height and lower the dining height. The playing experience is great as you get a 6ft or 7ft league-size professional pool table with a ¾"slate bed playing surface covered in proper wool championship cloth in a colour of your choice to match your decor – or faster speed cloth if you wish. Full-size 2-inch balls, cues, triangles, brushes, and chalk are provided with extra spares in the package for every table if the installation option is taken.

Enjoy a game that is as good as you get at the pub or club. So there's the entertainment –what about the dining table? Well, all pool dining tables come complete with two pieces of matching laminate or natural wood veneer tabletops, depending on your choice of table. They are in two pieces because a 1-piece top would be too heavy to move around. The tops sit on the top frame of the pool table and do not slip because they are seated on the rubber pocket liners, which stand proud of the top frame. Some tops just butt together, whilst others, like the Tuscany pool dining table, are dowelled for a tight fit.

Whether you want Black, White, Oak, Mahogany, or Walnut, our range covers the spectrum. We stock the very best pool dining tables, including the DPT Fusion, the Simply Pool Tuscany and Sorrento, the Billard Plaisance range, including the Venise, the Gatley Classic Diner with concealed ball tray, and the Sam Le Lambert. Our range also covers Luxury Pool Dining Tables, American-style Pool Dining tables, and, of course, UK specification Pool Dining tables.

So, if you want to have some fun after dinner, the Pool Dining table is for you.

Coin Operated Pool Tables

We supply the very best Coin-Operated Pool Tables to Pubs, Clubs, Hotels, Youth Clubs, and anyone who requires a pay-to-play option.

Coin Pool Tables are a great way of raising revenue for commercial venues and can act as a money box in the home. Pay-to-play coin-operated pool tables usually come fitted with a simple push-shute coin mechanism, which provides a reliable mechanical way to vend the balls housed in the pool table.

The two main mechanical coin mechanisms used in the UK are the Essex Straight Six and the ESD Straight Five. As the names suggest, one takes 6 coins, the other 5. Each provides a coin mixture of 10p, 20p, 50p, and £1 so that you can set the price of a game to any combination of coins. You simply stand the coins vertically in the mechanism and push them through until they drop into the cash box while vending the game at the same time.

The alternative mechanism is the Multi-Coin-Operated Pool Table, which is battery-operated and has a small PC board that allows you to set numerous pricing options. The player can use any coins they have to reach the price of the game setting. 

In other words, if it is £1 per game, you can use a 50p piece, 2 x 20p coins and a 10p coin to reach the £1 game level or any other combination of coins. You can even have bonus games to incentivise your customers to play more games. Batteries can last up to 9 months in commercial venues before a low-cost replacement is needed.

All Coin Operated Pool Tables have meters to validate the number of games or cash taken. Both types of pool table mechanisms can be adjusted to free play if you wish.

The most popular coin-operated pool tables are the DPT Coin-Operated Omega Pool Table, the DPT Coin-Operated Ascot Pool table, the Supreme Coin-Operated Winner Pool Table, the Supreme Coin-Operated Prince Pool Table, the Simply Pool Coin-Operated Kensington Pool Table, and the Sam Coin-Operated Atlantic Pool Table. All pool tables are fitted with championship-quality pool cloth and a slate bed playing surface and are built for heavy-use environments.

Coin Operated Pool Tables are built with a ball separation unit under the slate, which is necessary as the object balls have to be retained in the pool table when they are potted, whilst the cue ball has to return during the game if potted with a foul shot. This requires the cue ball to be smaller at 1-7/8 inches instead of the object ball size of 2 inches. The cue ball returns during the game until the last object ball is potted, after which the cue ball is retained on the table. Simple but Effective.

We have been manufacturers of coin pool tables for over 30 years, so we have unrivalled knowledge that we are delighted to share with you.

Whatever your question is regarding Pool Tables, please call us, and we will be happy to give you any advice you need. Finally, if you want a return on investment or just want a fun way of saving money, a Coin-Operated Pool Table may be the product for you. 

Snooker Tables

Snooker is still recognised as the godfather of billiard games. Snooker tables were around in the UK long before the introduction of pool tables.

The old saying that being good at Snooker is a sign of a misspent youth dates back to the days of smoky snooker halls and clubs. These were the only places most people could play the game because a full-size snooker table, at 12 feet long, would not fit in most houses. 

How that has all changed with the introduction of a huge range of tables, from 6ft Folding Snooker tables to the 5-piece slate full-size 12ft Snooker tables, with 7ft, 8ft, 9ft, and 10ft tables making up the range.

Although well-established, Snooker is still growing in popularity worldwide, especially in China; it now has its own professional players and millions of amateur enthusiasts.

The 6ft Folding Snooker table is a great entry-level table for all ages. It has a wood bed-playing surface. The 7ft Snooker table is the next step up. It has a one-piece slate bed surface that provides a great level playfield.

If you have space and go for a bigger Snooker table, the installation becomes more complex, with the table being built in sections at your location. First, the snooker table frame and legs have to be erected, and then the 3 or 5 pieces of slate are butted together, sealed and then levelled. At his point, the slate bed of the Snooker table is covered in a wool snooker cloth, and lastly, the cushion rails are covered in cloth and then fitted to the frame.

Snooker cloth is 100% pure wool, is heavier than pool cloth, and always has a directional finish; in other words, it has a nap where the cloth fibres run smooth in one direction and rough in the opposite direction. There is a real skill in understanding the effect the nap can have on the control of the cue ball, and professionals and good amateurs use this to their advantage.

At Pool Tables Online, we offer a complete range, including the 6ft Executive Folding Snooker Table, the Regal 7ft Snooker Table with a one-piece slate bed, and the Riley Renaissance range of Snooker tables from 8ft to 12ft full size.

Our team of expert Snooker Table fitters, with their meticulous attention to detail, ensure a perfectly level table ready for play. They also provide a range of accessories including Aramith championship Snooker balls, Cues, Triangle, Chalk, Brush and cue rack. 

Whatever your preference, Pool Tables Online can offer you a table. If you have any questions, please feel free to call on 0345 226 5758 or email at info@pooltablesonline.co.uk