Height of pool table?

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
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In my case, not really. I can hold my right hand a little lower allowing me to have a more level stroke.

I don't understand yet. You seem to be saying is that a higher table forces you to elevate the cue stick more. I find exactly the opposite for various height tables, but mostly because a higher table is easier on my back.

Consider this: you are in your nice stance on a low table. Cue stick is nice and level. Now, the table starts to rise up. The only way the elevation angle of the cue stick increases is if the butt of the cue stick is rising faster than the tip.

How does that happen?
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
Yes Patrick, you are correct. Think of the cue ball as the fulcrum; then draw a straight line back to your back hand. Then look at the difference between a 12 degree angle and a 25 degree angle. The lower I can keep my back hand, the more level my stroke. The difference of just a couple of inches makes a difference in my stroke. That was the only point in my comment.
Sure, the rail forces the butt of your cue to be a certain height above the slate. Your back hand is higher above the floor if the table's higher, but its height above the slate (the important measurement for pool) should be the same.

pj
chgo
 

Tom1234

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sure, the rail forces the butt of your cue to be a certain height above the slate. Your back hand is higher above the floor if the table's higher, but its height above the slate (the important measurement for pool) should be the same.

pj
chgo

My point is that when closer to the rail, the butt end of my cue needs to be higher. Again, think of the cue ball as the fulcrum. On a lower (by an inch or two) table, my back hand is lower, allowing for a more level stroke. I’m six feet four inches tall, believe me, this makes a difference. Think of someone 40 inches tall. How high would his back hand have to be to play on a table 31 inches high? Now imagine someone six four playing on the same table. Whose back hand would be lower? I’m just saying that the tables (Brunswick) I grew up playing on were not as tall as the Diamonds I play now, and the tables at Breakroom Billards in Rapid City were the same height as those Brunswicks. I couldn’t tell you which room has set the tables at the correct height, I’m just saying slightly shorter tables help level my stroke.
 

Bob Jewett

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If the rails are the same height above the cloth on two tables, and the cue ball is on the spot and the cue stick is almost brushing the top of the rail as you shoot the cue ball up the center of the table, the height of the table makes no difference to the elevation of the cue stick. I think this is really, really obvious and Tom1234 must be talking about something else.
 

straightline

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maybe Geosnooker is referencing British pool tables which through good royal sense have been built taller to present an authentic playing experience.
 

9andout

Gunnin' for a 3 pack!!
Silver Member
I was legit curious. This was a serious thread. I dont know why pool is the height it is. Some days it feels like it should be higher. So I was curious what would happen if we made it higher.
Seems to me that Diamonds are slightly higher than GC's.
I have a 9' Diamond at home.
GC's at my local pool room are definitely lower. Measured some once. The difference was only 1"-2" max, but noticeable.
7' Diamonds at my local bars seem close to my home table height.
 

djoverboard

Registered
[Of course there is nothing to prevent someone from sawing off the legs of a snooker table or putting stilts on a pool table. I once played on a pool table where I had to bend way down at one end and stand higher than usual at the other end. It's better not to install a pool table on a hill ]


I have this problem in the basement of my 100 plus year old home. basement is pitched for drainage one corner of table is blocked almost three full inches. That is distinctly noticeable and effects stroke and stance etc But I really like having the ability to put a cue together and hit some balls and run some drills or just play with a friend at home whenever I like. If practicing or running drills I just use the oot end of the table where the height is most true.
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
On a lower (by an inch or two) table, my back hand is lower, allowing for a more level stroke.
So if two players, one taller than the other, play the same shot on the same table, you think the shorter one can't stroke as level as the taller one?

That's simply not true.

pj
chgo
 

markjames

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A Snooker table is slightly lower than an American pool table.

Some say the bigger and lower snooker table takes more physical agility. However, I play on both and have never noticed a difference.

hmm. i am still waiting for an explanation here
as in, what do you mean by lower, both, and american?
 
I'm enjoying a 60" cue and thinking about a 62" or 64". This got me thinking on this other "standard" and I found this thread. I'm contemplating a 2" block of wood (like 10" of a 2x10) under each table leg and came across this thread.

Has the table height standard increased over time? Would a table from the 1940's or 1960's be low by current standards or not? Seems to me there is good reason for table height standards to change over time, humans have grown taller

Human Height - Our World in Data

Car designers have increased interior dimensions as height (and weight) has increased, I see taller toilets, taller counter tops in higher end homes. Only thing I can think of going smaller would be an airline seat...
 

gerryf

Well-known member
I'm enjoying a 60" cue and thinking about a 62" or 64". This got me thinking on this other "standard" and I found this thread. I'm contemplating a 2" block of wood (like 10" of a 2x10) under each table leg and came across this thread.

Has the table height standard increased over time? Would a table from the 1940's or 1960's be low by current standards or not? Seems to me there is good reason for table height standards to change over time, humans have grown taller

Human Height - Our World in Data

Car designers have increased interior dimensions as height (and weight) has increased, I see taller toilets, taller counter tops in higher end homes. Only thing I can think of going smaller would be an airline seat...
As i understand it, the height of the bed of pool tables is 29-31 inches.

In the past it was higher, i believe 30-32 inches.

In my area, there are some halls with older tables. There is one beautiful set of four Brunswick's that are more than 50 years old and all are 31.5" to the bed.

When i got my table, i put a spacer under the legs to bring it up to 31.5 inches.
 

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
I'm enjoying a 60" cue and thinking about a 62" or 64". This got me thinking on this other "standard" and I found this thread. I'm contemplating a 2" block of wood (like 10" of a 2x10) under each table leg and came across this thread.

Has the table height standard increased over time? Would a table from the 1940's or 1960's be low by current standards or not? Seems to me there is good reason for table height standards to change over time, humans have grown taller

Human Height - Our World in Data

Car designers have increased interior dimensions as height (and weight) has increased, I see taller toilets, taller counter tops in higher end homes. Only thing I can think of going smaller would be an airline seat...

I tend to disagree about the interior height in cars now compared to yesteryear, I think there was far more headroom in older cars.
 

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
I don't understand yet. You seem to be saying is that a higher table forces you to elevate the cue stick more. I find exactly the opposite for various height tables, but mostly because a higher table is easier on my back.

Consider this: you are in your nice stance on a low table. Cue stick is nice and level. Now, the table starts to rise up. The only way the elevation angle of the cue stick increases is if the butt of the cue stick is rising faster than the tip.

How does that happen?
Maybe his legs or dont bend or he cant bend at the waist?????
 
I tend to disagree about the interior height in cars now compared to yesteryear, I think there was far more headroom in older cars.

I'll bite and look it up because I'm curious. Avoiding cars like Accords and 3 series BMW which tend to "grow" and be replaced by a smaller junior models:

Headroom 63 Vette vs 2019 Vette 36.9 vs 37.9
1965 Mustang vs 2020 Mustang 37.4" vs 37.6

Leg room 63 Vette vs 2019 41.6" vs 43"
1965 Mustang vs 2020 Mustang 42.1 s 44.5

I couldn't find info on older F100's to compare to newer F150s (though I think the trend above holds) and let's not even talk about a Jeep CJ5 compared to anything newer Wrangler wise LOL.
 

logical

Loose Rack
Silver Member
I assume tomorrow we will see a thread about why the 2 ball is blue.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 

Welder84

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I am curious why is a pool table has a height of less than 3 feet? Also do you think that if we raised it up it would make play easier or harder? Also also how difficult would it be to do this?

Thanks

Great post! I at 6 1" feel tables keep getting shorter. Lol
 

dquarasr

Registered
[Of course there is nothing to prevent someone from sawing off the legs of a snooker table or putting stilts on a pool table. I once played on a pool table where I had to bend way down at one end and stand higher than usual at the other end. It's better not to install a pool table on a hill ]


I have this problem in the basement of my 100 plus year old home. basement is pitched for drainage one corner of table is blocked almost three full inches. That is distinctly noticeable and effects stroke and stance etc But I really like having the ability to put a cue together and hit some balls and run some drills or just play with a friend at home whenever I like. If practicing or running drills I just use the oot end of the table where the height is most true.
I see this as an unintended happy advantage. Since you are used to playing both sides of your table, adapting to the different heights from the floor, you can probably adapt more easily to any tournament or league table you’d encounter, assumedly an advantage over your opponent.
 
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