How to Level a Billiard Table Top

Make sure that your billiards table is level before playing.

Billiards, often referred to as “pool,” is a fun pastime that’s most often played in bars or pool halls. However, some lucky people can afford to have a billiards table in their own home. However, it’s necessary to have the right amount of space so that the pool table and players can fit nicely into a room. One of the main goals when setting up a billiards table is to have it perfectly leveled - this is the only way to ensure a fair game of billiards.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic tarp
• Four-foot level
• Wooden shims

Instructions

1. Place the billiards table on a hardwood floor. While it’s possible to level out a billiards table that’s placed on carpeting, it’s much easier to have it on hardwood. If it must be on carpeting, place a plastic tarp underneath the table, slide it onto the carpet and then remove the tarp when the table’s in place.

2. Put a four-foot carpenter’s level on the top of the pool table. Check the level to see if the billiards table is even or if it’s tilting more to one side. Make sure to move the level to different areas of the table, both lengthwise and widthwise, and to all four walls of the pool table.

3. Lift the end of the table that is tilting downwards. Since billiards tables are so heavy, it’s best to have several people lift the table, so that nobody gets hurts in the process.

4. Place a wooden shim into the table to even out the tilt or underneath one of the legs to lift the table. Shims are typically thin wedges that are made from cedar and they’re placed between the frame and the slate of the billiards table. They can easily be made smaller by snapping the shim into smaller pieces.

5. Check the level again, once the shim has been inserted. Check that the table is level in several spots, not just where it was uneven before. Repeat the process until the table is completely level.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that it’s the table that’s tilted, not the floor. If the floor itself is tilted, it may be extremely difficult to level out the billiards table. In this case, it’s best to try to move the table to another area where the floor is more even. On the same note, the floor has to be strong enough to hold the weight of the billiards table.

• Place the pool table in a room that’s large enough to accommodate the table itself as well as players. For example, a 3.5 x 7 foot table needs a room that’s at least 11 feet 3 inches x 14 feet 6 inches. A larger table will need even more room.

References

• Refelting: Refelting Your Pool Table
• Dallas Pool Table: Pool Table Assembly
• Overstock: How to Level a Pool Table