How to Refinish a Pool Table
Torn fabric on your pool table is a disaster. Patching up the torn cloth won't help at all, because it will leave the cloth surface uneven and disrupt the path of the balls. If there is even the slightest tear in the cloth, the pool table's entire playing surface needs to be refinished. This involves removing all of the old billiards fabric from the table and placing all new fabric on top of it. When refinishing the table, make sure the new cloth is as tightly stretched across the surface as you can get it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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1
Disconnect the rails that border and surround the playing surface along the edges of the table. These rails usually are bolted in place with the bolts visible on the table's underside. Make sure you have the right size wrench for your table's bolts.
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Peel off all of the old billiard cloth from the table. Take note of what the surface is made of; it usually is slate, but it also can be wood. Visually divide this surface into four quarters to guide you while applying the new cloth.
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3
Glue the new fabric to a slate surface. Spray adhesive onto the surface about five inches from the edge to the center, then apply the same adhesive to the underside of the cloth. Wait 30 seconds for the adhesive to get tacky. Press the cloth to the surface as you stretch it tightly across, one quarter at a time.
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Staple the fabric in place if the table has a wood surface. Stretch the fabric across the table lengthwise, and staple it in place along the edges, one quarter of the table at a time. The staples on each end should go from the center pocket to the halfway distance from the corner pocket, with each staple two inches apart.
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Trim away the fabric with the razor blade where it overlaps the pockets. Cut it to where the fabric still sticks out a half inch from the hole's edge, then fold the fabric down and glue or staple it to the inside. You also must cut away the fabric where it covers the bolt holes for the rails.
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Attach the rails back onto the table, placing each rail in the same location it was before disassembly. There will be at least six rails--one for each short side and two for each long side.
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Tips & Warnings
There are two basic types of billiard cloth. Woolen cloth is the most common, often costs less and will have a fuzzy feel to it. Worsted cloth can last longer and is much smoother, allowing for faster play.
