The various materials used in the construction of the pool table are
important to consider. The most important aspect of the construction is the
surface of the table. If you are on a tight budget, for around $400 you can pick
up a cheap, basic pool table constructed with a wooden surface and a cloth
overlay. Those who are looking for a better fame with more authenticity almost
always choose a table surface constructed with slate.
Slate is not subject to the same flexing or damage that wood surface tables
are, making it the absolute preference for those who are serous about their cue
sports. To make the surface of the pool table the slate is cut into a single
solid slab right out of the quarry. This hard dense stone is then polished to
almost perfect flatness and covered with the cloth outer surface. Slate is
incredibly durable and will not flex, dent, be ruined by moisture, or chip,
unless it is exposed to the most harsh of treatment. You will find slate pool
tables with varying thickness of slate, from the heavy traditional 2 ½" thick to
the more modern 1” thick. While slate pool tables can be incredibly heavy, the
general rule is that the thicker the slate the better the pool table. Some of
the older pool tables will weight as much as 1000 pounds, which definitely
increases both the construction and transportation costs.
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