Types of pool table covers
A pool table cover has a huge influence on the game-play as it determines how much resistance the pool ball faces while rolling on the surface. Besides, people who would be purchasing pool tables will see a large variety of pool table covers, or pool table felts. This guide may help narrow down your choices according to your needs.
Decide what you are looking for
You cannot have a pool table felt which has the best of everything. So you would have to prioritize your needs first, which would provide much more clarity to your options. If you are an amateur player who is looking to invest in a pool table surface, which will give you many hours of practice, you would have to be ready to have a higher budget.
Friction
The material of the pool table cover has an influence on the amount of friction it provides to a rolling pool ball. If the friction is lesser, the speed of travel will also be higher. Worsted cloth is much smoother than woolen cloth, which provides much more speed and accuracy. Even worsted cloth which has good finish gives a decent amount of speed, but it may be comparatively costlier than the others.
Durability
Although the cloth plays a role in the longevity of the pool table surface, you need to understand that the proper installation and maintenance also help to keep the surface usable. Also, the durability depends upon the amount of play that a pool table sees. Household pool tables may not see as many games as the ones in pubs, so chances are that the pool table cover will last longer in the household.
The weight of the fabric is a good indicator of the durability of the table in the long run. Heavier fabrics tend to maintain its accuracy and smoothness for a longer time. Also, certain fabrics like worsted cloth may look worn out without making any difference to the gameplay. In general it is always better to invest in a pool table cloth which would last for a longer period of time.
