Pool Table Maintenance Guide

How to Maintain a Pool Table

The below guide is designed to maintain your pool table to ensure a long life. These simple tips can be the difference between enjoying great pool and having expensive repairs. This guide is a must for all pool table owners. May products to maintain your table can be found in our web shop - www.pooltablesonline.co.uk .

Keep your table in a room-temperature dry place – We always recommend keeping your table in a dry, temperature-controlled room. Tables should not be held in extremely cold places or locations that will be too hot in the summer months. Tables will last longer and perform better when kept in an environment you would feel comfortable in.

Provide enough space around your table to play shots - The tighter the space, the more likely the table will get scratched or knocked accidentally. It may also mean a player must lean heavily on the table when playing a shot and cause dangerously angled shots into the cloth because of obstacles. It helps to have enough space from the edge of the table for the longest cue you use on the table.

You should brush and clean your cloth/baize after use. Always use a good quality table brush to maintain a good-looking, longer-lasting cloth/baize. 

A traditional wool cloth should only be brushed in one direction. Always brush down the table with the wool nap, never against it. The nap should always run from the end, which you break off from, down the table. This will ensure the baize remains fast and consistent during play.

A speed cloth can be brushed in any direction, as it does not have a woollen directional nap.

Frequent brushing of your cloth removes excess chalk dust and general dirt and dust, ensuring the baize is kept clean, rolling true, and looking as good as it can. 

We also recommend investing in a cushion rail brush to clean under the rails. This brush style removes dirt and dust in the harder-to-reach spots under the cushion rails.

Also, a tin of cloth cleaner is helpful as this removes deeper marks and stains and maintains the life of your cloth. 

All these items can be found for sale on our website. Click here to view the category they are in.

A racking cloth will protect your baize when setting up the balls - Pool cloth maintenance is helped by using a spare piece of cloth when racking up the balls for each game. Place the spare cloth on the area where you rack up the balls. This prevents the abnormal wearing in one area caused by the banging down of the balls over time. Speed cloth will also avoid unnecessary bruising of the fabric.

Using a pool table cover—A basic pool table cover is available for most table sizes and comes in several different durability levels. A cover keeps household dust off the table cloth and avoids potential spills or accidental damage to the cloth. A cover is also vital if you have a pet that can climb onto the table. In our opinion, this is an essential accessory for pool table owners.

We have a range of covers for sale on our website. They are in our covers and cleaners section.

Using the correct colour chalk for your cloth—Using the same colour chalk as your cloth helps maintain your tablecloth. This ensures the quality and appearance of the cloth are kept intact. Every shot on a table leaves some chalk residue, and incorrect-coloured chalk looks unsightly and provides poor visual aesthetics.

Using a cue rest with your table—Having a cue rest for the table is a good idea. This is especially recommended for larger tables or venues where smaller children often play. It will stop players from putting large amounts of body weight on the table to play long shots or stretching to play an awkward shot, which may risk damage to the table or tearing of the cloth.

Make sure the cushions are on tightly. It is good to check that your cushion rails are firmly fastened. If the cushion fastening starts to get loose and make a different sound when playing, it will require tightening. If a cushion becomes loose, it will provide poor bounce and ball response, making it look like the cushion rubbers have perished. Removing the top frame and tightening any loose cushion rails is straightforward. Please feel free to call us if you would like any advice on how to do this.

Make sure your cue tip is good. A poorly maintained cue tip is often the reason for a tear in your cloth. If the tip is worn, comes loose, or falls off, it will often mean the ferrule is exposed. The ferrule is usually brass or metal and can easily damage your baize. A replacement cue tip is cheap to buy and can often save you hundreds of pounds.

Remark and re-spot your table cloth periodically—It may be helpful to remark your pool table markings once a year. This can be done using a D marking stick, marking pens or pencils, and table spots to maintain the aesthetic look of the playing surface.

Cleaning your table cabinet - You can clean your pool table cabinet using standard household cleaners and polishes. Most pool tables have traditional wood cabinets that require basic cleaning to ensure they stay in good condition.