Shadows on felt

[pescadoman]

What causes this?

 

[TipWilson]

Breaking.
Cue ball initial cloth impact, airborne hop, then landing skids.

 

[rexus31]

Use a scrap piece of cloth under the cue ball when breaking or you'll wear a hole in the bed cloth.

 

[garczar]

Is the op referring to the burn-marks or what looks like shadows coming off side pocket? Those can be caused by cloth improperly stretched.

 

[jtompilot]

He did say shadows not burn marks

 

[rexus31]

Is the op referring to the burn-marks or what looks like shadows coming off side pocket? Those can be caused by cloth improperly stretched.

Not sure but he's going to burn a hole in the bed cloth, so I thought I'd mention it.

 

[Island Drive]

What causes this?

Is this in a billiard room or a home table?

 

[pescadoman]

He did say shadows not burn marks

My apologies. The shadows that extend from the side pockets...

 

[pescadoman]

Is this in a billiard room or a home table?

Home

 

[rexus31]

My apologies. The shadows that extend from the side pockets...

From the cloth not being stretched properly.

 

[Sheldon]

Stretch shadows on a pool table are caused by uneven tension in the cloth during installation, which distorts the weave pattern of the fabric. When the cloth is stretched too tightly in some areas or not smoothly across the slate, the fibers align differently, creating visible light and dark patches that look like shadows.

Why they happen​

• Overstretching: Pulling the cloth beyond its optimal tension stretches the weave unevenly, especially common with worsted cloths like Simonis. This creates triangular or “road-like” patterns where the fibers bend and turn.
• Improper stretch technique: If the cloth doesn’t slide smoothly during installation—especially around pocket cutouts—it can bunch or distort locally, leaving shadowed areas.