Pool Table Maintenance

If you've taken the financial leap of faith and purchased that new pool table that you couldn't really afford, you'll want to read this article on pool table maintenance, and put the following pool table maintenance ideas in to practice.

Pool Table Maintenance

Not only will you be protecting your investment, but you'll keep that new pool table looking as good as the day you bought it.

Keeping your table clean is an extremely important part of pool table maintenance. Use a cover when the pool table is not in use, and disallow placement of any object on the table's rails or cloth. Make it a point to educate all players of your table that you expect it to be treated with care.
Leather pool table pockets require maintenance and care as well. The tanning process used during leather processing is hard on leather. The tanning dries out the leather enough so that without a little attention, its life will be shortened. There are many fine leather conditioning products on the market. Oil type products replace the natural oils in leather and in time make leather much more supple and extend its life to several lifetimes of the product in its untouched new state. Simply work the conditioner into all the external parts of the pockets (where the ball does NOT touch the pocket) and allow it to stay on the leather; it will eventually be absorbed into the leather. Do it again in six months and again in another six months. A year from now you will really notice the difference.
Ensure that visitors refrain from sitting or leaning on the pool table rails. Because of the sheer pressure involved, it can cause the rails to come loose.
When chalking your pool cue, ensure that it is not done over the table. Avoid resting the chalk on the table's rails. Stay away from using talc.
Be sure to brush the table and wipe the rails with a damp cloth after every session.
One time per month, use a damp cloth or towel to lightly wipe down the cloth. Ensure that your towel is 100% lint free. You can also use a spray bottle to apply a mist to the cloth before you perform your brushing routine.
Some aspects of pool table maintenance rest with other equipment. Once such case is the billiard balls. You should wash them all regularly. Use warm water at minimum, and if possible, use a mild soap.
The wood parts of your pool table require the same care and feeding as any good furniture. Use a good furniture oil or polish on lacquered surfaces. On oil finishes, a final coat of Johnson's Trewax should be applied and buffed off after drying. These measures of care are usually performed annually with a light dusting done periodically between regular pool table care and maintenance routines.
When practicing trick shots such as massé shots or jump shots, practice with a small piece of scrap cloth under the cue ball until your skill improves. This will prevent numerous marks from appearing in your cloth.
Vacuum your table's playing surface weekly, using a small dust buster. Don't make use of vacuums with rotating brushes, even if your table has a worsted wool pool table cloth. If your billiard table has a non-worsted or directional cloth, be sure top brush or vacuum the cloth in the same direction each time. This usually tends to be from the table's head to it's foot. vacuuming out the pool table brush itself is also an important part of pool table maintenance.
Some pool table retailer have suggested that you should use an iron on pool table cloth (only on the bed—not on the cloth over the cushions). Iron the pool table cloth in the direction of nap for the first seven times it has been brushed or vacuumed, then iron it once every six months. Ensure the iron is set on medium with no steam.

You will get about 3 years more life out of the cloth and immediately get better performance if you brush and vacuum the cloth correctly.

If you can keep up with these pool table maintenance items on a regular basis, your billiard table investment will retain it's value for years to come.

Pool Table Maintenance

Title: Pool Table Maintenance
Author: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)
Published: 5/7/2008 9:52:00 PM
Last Updated: 11/30/2020 4:53:11 PM
Last Updated By: billiardsforum

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