Wouldn't Ya Know It.......Rules 4 Everything.
There are standards for tables and rails, etc. but just like pool balls, some variation is allowable. Below are the WPA Rules followed by BCA Rules.
Please note that BCA Rules I posted sanction diffreences of up to 1/2 ounce in pool ball weights and WPA also has the same identical rule.
TABLE BED HEIGHT: Shall be between 29 ¼ inches [74.295 cm] and 31 inches [78.74 cm]. Shall not have any sharp edges or materials that might cause injuries or damage clothes. Construction should be adequate enough so that the table will remain stable and level under all conditions of play.
SLATES: The thickness must be at least 1 inch [2.54 cm], and the playing surface must be capable, either by its own strength or a combination of its strength and that of the table base frame, of maintaining an overall flatness within + .020 inches [.508 mm] lengthwise and + .010 inches [.254 mm] across the width. Further this surface should have an additional deflection not to exceed .030 inches [.762 mm] when loaded with a concentrated static force of 200 pounds [90.7 kg] at its center. All slate joints must be in the same plane within .005 inch [.127 mm] after leveling and shimming. Tournament tables must have a set of slates consisting of three pieces of equal size with wooden frame of at least ¾ inch [1.905 cm] thick lumber attached underneath the slate. The slate sections must be secured to the base frame with countersunk screws or bolts.
PLAYING SURFACE: The playing surface (area) must be rectangular, and symmetrical when the pocket configurations are included:
9 foot – 100 (+ 1/8) x 50 (+ 1/8) inches (except cushions)/ [2.54 m (+3.175 mm) x 1.27 m (+ 3.175 mm)]
8 foot – 92 (+ 1/8) x 46 (+ 1/8) inches (except cushions)/ [2.3368 m (+3.175 mm) x 1.1684 m (+ 3.175 mm)]
RAIL AND CUSHION: The rail width must be between 4 [10.16 cm] and 7 ½ inches [19.05 cm] including the rubber cushions. 18 sights (or 17 and a name plate) shall be attached flush on the rail cap with:
12 ½ inches [31.75 cm] from sight to sight on a 9-foot regulation table
11 ½ inches [29.20 cm] from sight to sight on a 8-foot regulation table.
The center of each sight should be located 3 11/16 (+ ) inches [93.6625 mm (+ 3.175 mm)] from the nose of the cushion. The sights may be round (between 7/16 [11.11 mm] and ½ inch [12.7 mm] in diameter) or diamond-shaped (between 1 x 7/16 [25.4 x 11.11 mm] and 1 ¼ x 5/8 inch [31.75 x 15.875 mm]). Any nameplates and score counters should be flush level with rail top. All rail bolts should be thus located that when properly torqued render a quiet and optimum rebound from any point of the cushion nose of the table.
HEIGHT OF THE CUSHION: Rubber cushions should be triangular in shape with the width of the cloth-covered cushion being between 1 7/8 [4.76 cm] and 2 inches [5.40 cm] measured from the outer edge of the featherstrip to the nose of the cushion. Rail height (nose-line to table-bed) should be 63 ½% (+1 %) or between 62 ½% and 64 ½ % of the diameter of the ball.
CUSHION RUBBER: Table cushions should influence the speed of the table such that with placement of a ball on the head spot, shooting through the foot spot, using center ball english, with a level cue and firm stroke, the ball must travel a minimum of 4 to 4 ½ lengths of the table without jumping.
POCKET OPENINGS AND MEASUREMENTS: Only rubber facings of minimum 1/16 [1.5875 mm] to maximum ¼ inch [6.35 mm] thick may be used at pocket jaws. The preferred maximum thickness for facings is 1/8 inch [3.175 mm]. The facings on both sides of the pockets must be of the same thickness. Facings must be of hard re-enforced rubber glued with strong bond to the cushion and the rail, and adequately fastened to the wood rail liner to prevent shifting. The rubber of the facings should be somewhat harder than that of the cushions.
The pocket openings for pool tables are measured between opposing cushion noses where the direction changes into the pocket (from pointed lip to pointed lip). This is called mouth.
Corner Pocket Mouth: between 4.5 [11.43 cm] and 4.625 inches [11.75 cm]
Side Pocket Mouth: between 5 [12.7 cm] and 5.125 inches [13.0175 cm]
*The mouth of the side pocket is traditionally ½ inch [1.27 cm] wider than
the mouth of the corner pocket.
Vertical Pocket Angle (Back Draft): 12 degrees minimum to15 degrees maximum.
Horizontal Pocket Cut Angle: The angle must be the same on both sides of a pocket entrance. The cut angles of the rubber cushion and its wood backing (rail liner) for both sides of the corner pocket entrance must be 142 degrees (+1). The cut angles of the rubber cushion and its wood backing (rail liner) for both sides of the side pocket entrance must be 104 degrees (+1).
Shelf: The shelf is measured from the center of the imaginary line that goes from one side of the mouth to the other – where the nose of the cushion changes direction – to the vertical cut of the slate pocket cut. Shelf includes bevel.
Corner Pocket Shelf: between 1 [2.54 cm] and 2 ¼ inches [5.715 cm]
Side Pocket Shelf: between 0 and .375 inches [.9525 cm]
POCKET LINERS: The pocket liners and boots should be of long wearing plastic, rubber or leather. The material the liners and boots are made of should not permanently mark (stain) the balls or cues. The upper part of the inner wall must be so fashioned that whenever a ball hits the pocket liner wall below the rim at the top of the rail, the ball is directed downwards.
BALL RETURN AND DROP POCKETS: Both drop pockets and automatic ball returns can be used, but must be as noiseless as possible. Drop pockets must have a basket capacity of at least 6 balls. Automatic ball returns must be properly installed so that pocketed balls are not trampolined back to the table or off the table.
CLOTH: The cloth must be non-directional, nap-free billiard fabric which will not pill or fluff, composed of composed of between 80% and 85% combed worsted wool, and between 15% to 20% nylon. 100% combed worsted wool fabric is preferred. No backed cloth will be allowed.
FASTENING OF THE CLOTH (GUIDELINES): Before cloth-covering the slate, a strip of canvas (or table-cloth) should be glued to the vertical pocket cuts of the slates and their underlying wooden slate liner. The table-bed cloth must be stretched for “proper tension” and mechanically attached to the underlying wooden slate liner with fully driven fasteners (staples or tacks) spaced a maximum of 1 inch on center approximately, with at least inch [.9525 cm] penetration into the wooden slate liner. Guidelines for proper tension are as follow:
1. Length of the cloth should be manually stretched as tight as possible,
and then relieved ½ inch [1.27 cm] before attachment, and
2. Width of the cloth should be manually stretched as tight as possible,
and then relieved ¼ inch [.635 cm] before attachment.
When covering the cushions, the cloth must be lengthwise evenly and consistently well-stretched while inserting the featherstrip as well as thereafter. While the cloth is in a stretched condition lengthwise, the cloth must then be stretched in the width up to the moment when indentation of the nose of the rubber cushion is about to start and attached underneath the wooden rail with fully driven fasteners (staples or tacks) spaced a maximum of 3/4 inch [1.905 cm] on center approximately, with at least 3/8 inch [.9525 cm] penetration into the wood. At the side pocket openings, the rails are to be covered with a minimum overlapping of fabric over the facings. When doing overlappings, great care must be taken so that hidden folds, if any, do not cause balls to jump off the table during play. No folds are allowed in the cloth over the facings of the corner pockets.
BCA Specifications (Billiards Congress of America)
Table Sizes:
Pocket billiard Tables..............................................4 by 8 and 4 1/2 by 9
Carom Billiard Tables..............................................4 1/2 by 9 and 5 by 10
American Snooker Tables........................................4 1/2 by 9 and 5 by 10
Playing Area: Measured from the cloth covered nose of cushion rubber to the opposite cushion rubber, both width and length:
4 by 8 table...................................playing area 44" width by 88" length
4 by 8 oversize table........................playing area of 46" width by 92" length
4 1/2 by 9 table.............................playing area of 50" width by 100" length
5 by 10 table.................................playing area of 56" width by 112" length
The BCA will sanction Tournament Play on Home and Coin-operated tables produced in sizes other than those recognized above, if the playing area width is one half the length, measured cushion to opposite cushion.
Table Bed height: The table bed playing surface, when measured from the bottom of the table leg, will be 29 1/4 minimum to 30 1/4 maximum.
Pocket Openings and Measurements:
Pocket billiard tables: pocket openings are measured at two points - the first being measured between opposing cushion noses where the direction changes into the pocket (tip to tip). This is called the mouth. The second point of measurement is at the narrowest point at the back of the facing. This is called the throat.
Corner Pocket:
Mouth...................................................4 7/8" minimum to 5 1/8" maximum
Throat...................................................4" minimum to 4 1/4" maximum
Side Pocket:
Mouth..................................................5 3/8" minimum to 5 5/8" maximum
Throat..................................................4 3/8" minimum to 4 7/8" maximum
Vertical Pocket Angle 12 +,or - 1 degree
Shelf: The shelf is measured from the center of the imaginary line that goes from one side of the mouth to the other where the nose of the cushion changes direction to the center of the vertical cut of the slate pocket radius.
Corner Pocket........................................1 5/8" minimum to 1 7/8" maximum
Side Pocket............................................0" minimum to 3/8" maximum
Drop Point Slate Radius: The pocket radius measured from the vertical cut of the slate to the playing surface.
Drop Point Slate Radius...................1/8" r. Minimum to 1/4" r. Maximum
Playing Bed: The playing surface must be capable, either by its own strength or a combination of its strength and that of the table baseframe, of maintaining an overall flatness within a tolerance of .020" lengthwise and .010" across the width. Further, this surface should have an additional deflection not to exceed .030" when loaded with a concentrated static force of 200 pounds at its center. If more than one slab is employed, the slab joints must be in the same plane within .005" after leveling and shimming. The bed must be covered with a fabric, the major portion of which is made of wool, with proper tension to avoid unwanted ball roll-off. Commercial tables must have a 1" - 3 piece set of slate with a wooden frame minimum 3/4" attached to slate. All playing surfaces must be secured to base frame with screws or bolts.
Cushion: Rubber cushions should be triangular in shape and molded with the conventional K-66 profile with a base of 1 3/16" and a nose height of 1", with control fabric molded to the top and base area of the cushion. On carom billiard tables, the triangular k-55 profile cushion is to be maintained, with the control fabric on the underside of the cushion to effect a slower rebound action. On snooker tables, the triangular k66 profile or L-shaped snooker cushion is to be used. The balance of the rail section to which the rubber cushion is glued should be of hardwood construction and attached to the slate bed with a minimum of three (3) heavy duty, threaded rail bolts per rail.
Billiard Balls: Molded and finished in a perfect sphere, with both dynamic and static balance, in the following weights and diameters and used in the following games:
Pocket Billiard Balls:
Weight: 5 1/2 to 6 oz. / *Diameter: 2 1/4"
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