Snooker Table Buying Guide

Snooker

Purchasing a snooker table is not only a big expense but also could be a controversial decision in the household due to the amount of space required to accommodate a snooker table. So before buying a snooker table, here are some guidelines to help you choose the right table.

Sizes

The standard full-size table is 12 feet by 6 feet, and the room containing the table should also be large enough to allow for the cues to be fully extended. With cues sizes of 58 inches, the room required needs to 22 feet by 16 feet. Not many people have rooms large enough, so there are many tables of smaller sizes.

However, if the maximum table size for your location is 7 feet, you may as well also shop around for pool tables, which also come in 7-foot sizes, thus giving you more choices.

Below is a rough guide for the minimum room size for the size of a snooker table.

Table Type Table Dimensions(feet) Minimum Room Dimensions(feet)
12' (full) 12' x 6' 22' x 16'
10' 10' x 5' 20' x 15'
9' 9' x 4½' 19' x 14½'
8' 8' x 4' 18' x 14'
7' 7' x 3½' 17' x 13½'
6' 6' x 3' 16' x 13'

Note - The room dimensions are for a snooker cue of length 58 inches. If you are only going to use cue sizes of 52 or 48 inches, then reduce the room length and width by 1 foot and 2 feet respectively.

Cloth

Tournament table cloth is made from 100% wool, though pure wool tables are expensive. Alternative, cheaper, table cloths are made from a material called baize, which is a nylon-wool mix.

Surface

A good snooker table will have the surface made from slate. This will ensure that the table surface has a consistent level, as slate will not warp like tables made from MDF for example.