Billiards table

A billiards table (sometimes improperly called pool tables, which are specific for pool games) are tables where billiards games are played on. There are many sizes and styles of billiard tables. Generally, tables are twice as long as wide.

On the sides there are "rails" (or "cushions"), which are elastic rails covered in cloth. Their purpose is to bounce balls without letting them lose too much of kinetic energy.

High quality tables have a slate bed. Pocket billiard tables typically have 6 pockets, three on each side. Tables are covered with billiard cloth which is typically green.

Bar tables which get lots of play use slower cloth which can handle more usage. Good quality pool cloth is faster. Snooker table cloth traditionally has a nap and balls behave differently when rolling against the direction of the nap.

Common pool table sizes for the USA are:

3.5' × 7' (1.06 m × 2.13 m) — Bar

4' × 8' (1.22 m × 2.44 m) — Home

4.25' × 8.5' (1.30 m × 2.60 m) — Commercial

4.5' × 9' (1.37 m × 2.74 m) — Tournament