Billiards

Buying a billiard table: start with the game

If you’re looking to buy a billiard table, choose your game first, because it decides which table, cue and balls you need. For pool there’s a wide choice of pool tables, with slate or MDF, as a dining table, for outdoor use or coin-operated. Prefer snooker? Then take a look at the snooker tables, such as the Buffalo snooker tables in 10 and 12 ft in mahogany. How big your room needs to be depends on the table’s playing surface: allow roughly one cue length of clear space all round, so you can also play shots tight along the cushion.

Choosing a billiard cue

When browsing our billiard cues, length and type decide what suits you. Pool cues range from 100 to 145 cm. A 145 cm cue, such as the Basic, the Stinger or the Cuetec TIP-TEC, is the length you’ll see most often in the range. Shorter 120 or 130 cm cues are useful for children or in a tight space. Two-piece cues, such as the 145 cm Tycoon, come apart so you can carry them in a cue bag or case. For snooker there are also rest cues from 213 to 274 cm for reaching balls far up the table. A wall-mounted cue rack keeps your cues straight and close at hand, and chalk goes with every shot.

Balls and accessory kits

Ball size depends on the game. Pool balls are usually 57.2 mm, snooker balls come in 52.4 and 57.2 mm, and carom balls in 61.5 mm. Aramith is the brand you’ll come across most often, from pool sets to snooker sets and single balls. If you’ve bought a table without accessories, an accessory kit from Aramith, Ventura or TopTable Playcraft contains what you need to start playing straight away. There are also training balls, such as the Jim Rempe Training Ball for pool.

Care, parts and finishing touches

A billiard table keeps playing well if you look after the cloth and the balls. In our table care range you’ll find cloth cleaner, ball care products, ball holders, triangles and cloth markers. The table accessories include:

• covers and cover boards that protect your table from dust;
• brushes for brushing the cloth;
• spare parts for pool tables;
• a table tennis top to fit on your pool table.

To kit out your games room there are lights, scoreboards and score blocks.