Baizewick guide
Upgrade your home pool or snooker table: what to do first
Start with the free fixes: level the table and clean the cloth and balls. Most home tables play better after a few cheap jobs, so work through them in this order before you spend on bigger ones.
1. Level the table (free)
An unlevel table is the most common reason a home table plays badly. Check it with a spirit level in every direction and adjust the levellers.
If a slate table has drifted, a fitter should re-level it. See how to level a pool table.
2. Clean the cloth and balls (almost free)
Brush chalk and dust out of the cloth and clean the balls. Dirty balls roll unpredictably and mark the cloth. See our table care guide.
3. Fit a cover
A fitted cover keeps dust, drinks and sunlight off the cloth between games. It costs far less than re-covering, and it makes every other upgrade last longer.
4. Fix the tips and chalk
A worn, flat or hard tip causes miscues. Re-tip or replace tired house cues, shape the tips and use decent chalk. See our cue care guide.
5. Light the table properly
A dedicated table light makes more difference to how the table plays than most equipment. Even, glare-free light makes balls and angles easier to read. See our lighting guide.
6. Upgrade the cues
Swap bent or warped cues for straight ones with the right tip size for your balls. If one wall is tight, add a short cue. See pool and snooker cues.
7. Replace the balls
Old, chipped or mismatched balls play inconsistently. Buy a full set in the right size for your table and pockets.
8. Re-cover the table
New cloth makes a big difference to a tired table, especially if the old cloth is worn, slow or loose. Re-covering is a job for a fitter, who can check the bed is level at the same time.
9. Re-rubber the cushions
Dead or inconsistent cushions are hard to live with. Re-rubbering is skilled work, often done at the same time as re-covering.
It is usually the last upgrade worth making before you replace the table.
When to replace instead
Upgrades may not be worth it if an MDF bed has warped, the frame is damaged or the table never fitted the room properly.
Compare the cost of re-covering and cushion work with a replacement table that suits your room.