Cloth, Felt, or Table Covering
The cloth, felt, or table covering is the fabric the balls roll on—and it’s probably the part of your equipment that has the greatest impact on how the game feels, even though it often receives the least attention. Choosing the wrong type, or simply neglecting its maintenance, can prevent even a great cue and high-quality balls from performing at their best.
When Should You Replace Your Pool Table Cloth?
If you’ve been using the same cloth for years and it’s torn, burned, or covered in pilling, it’s time to replace it—and not just for cosmetic reasons. A worn-out cloth directly affects the accuracy of your shots. As a general guideline, the cloth should be replaced every six months if the table sees frequent use, although this depends greatly on how often you play and how well you maintain it between replacements.
Fast vs. Slow Cloth: What Makes the Difference?
Most pool table cloths are made primarily from wool, blended with a percentage of polyester or nylon. What determines whether a cloth is good or poor—and whether it plays fast or slow—is the way it’s woven, the quality of the wool, and the manufacturing process. In other words, two cloths may look nearly identical at first glance but play completely differently.
Depending on how the fibers are processed, there are two main categories:
- Woolen Cloth (carded wool): Thicker, heavier, and slower. This is what you’ll typically find on bar tables and recreational coin-operated tables.
- Worsted Wool (combed wool): Finer, faster, and more expensive. This is the standard on professional tournament tables.
The quality of the weave also matters over time. A well-woven cloth resists pilling and helps maintain a consistent ball roll, even after extensive use.
The Best Pool Table Cloth Brands
For pool and carom billiards, the industry standards are Simonis and Championship. These are the brands you’ll find on most serious tournament tables. Simonis 860, for example, has been the official cloth of the World 9-Ball Championship since 1992—a testament to its reputation as the benchmark for professional play.
For snooker, Strachan is widely regarded as the leading manufacturer of premium cloth.
How to Clean Your Table Cloth Properly (and What NOT to Do)
There’s one piece of advice that needs correcting because it continues to circulate online—including in earlier versions of this very article: don’t use a robot vacuum on your pool table cloth. Professional table maintenance experts consistently warn against vacuuming the cloth, especially with high-powered vacuums, because they can stretch the fabric and even damage the seams between the slate sections. There’s also a much more obvious issue: robot vacuums are designed to move across the floor, not climb onto the elevated surface of a pool table.
The correct cleaning method is much simpler than most people think:
- Brush the cloth with a soft billiard brush, using straight strokes toward the pockets. Never brush in circular motions, as this can damage the fibers.
- Apply a cleaner specifically designed for billiard cloth—not a generic household cleaner. These products penetrate the fabric without soaking it and help lift chalk residue and stains trapped in the weave.
- Wipe the rails with a slightly damp cloth, then immediately dry them with a clean cloth.
A product such as Quick-Clean Felt Cleaner is specifically designed to reduce the need for excessive brushing or vacuuming. Simply spray it on, wipe it off with a dry cloth, and the table is ready to play in less than a minute. Products like this help extend the life of your cloth instead of shortening it through improper cleaning methods.
With regular maintenance, a high-quality cloth can last significantly longer than the general six-month guideline. The key is to clean it consistently and use the proper tools instead of whatever happens to be available around the house.
