Advice on max. table size for room...

Measle Ball

Measle Ball

King of the .99-ball run.
Silver Member
Howdy-

I really could use some advice on the maximum size of pool table I can fit in my basement. The usable dimensions are 17.83 feet X 15.20 feet (17'10" X 15' 2-1/2" for the non-surveyors :D). I thought I had 18 feet in the long dimension but unfortunately I am two inches short of such, but would like to put a nine-footer in there. Stretching the room would be a challenge as the walls are load-bearing.

I reckon I could use shorter cues when needed, but I suspect it would get old rather quickly- perhaps not...

Has anyone else squeezed a nine-foot table in a room shorter than 18 feet? If so, would you do it again if you could?

Or should I consider an eight-foot pro-size because of the dimensions...?

I hope this is the correct place to post such a question since I'm a bit new here. Thank you in advance.

-Measly
 
First, welcome to the forums! This is just the place to post this kind of a question.

My general rule of thumb is to allow for five total feet of useable space on each side of the table, since a cue is 58 to 60" long. So an 8' table is do-able, but it seems like a 9 footer might make things a bit tight.
 
I have a 9fter with a small obstuction. I would much rather have a 9ft table and on a rare occasion have to move the cueball or something. My table is mostly used for practice, but again I would rather have a slightly limited 9fter, than a non limited 8fter.

Ian
 
Hi Measly, welcome to the forum. I had a similar problem with a couple of columns in my basement. I got the 9 footer anyway and a couple of short Trouble Shooter cues.
You don't seem to have a problem with the width of the room & if you got a couple of 52" cues for those rare times when the cb ends up right on or close to the short rail, you should be OK.
Just my two cents. I'm sure you'll get a lot more responses.
Good luck,
Harry
 
Yeah it bears mentioning that if you don't mind using a short cue from time to time, then by all means go for the 9' table. I personally would prefer to have full range with my 58" playing cue on all shots. On something like this, it's entirely a matter of personal preference.

Take a tape measure and a roll of tape to the room, and make an outline of how a 9' table would sit in the room. It will help give you a visual for how full the room will be and how much space you'll have to maneuver. Maybe even set up some old boxes where the table will be to give yourself an even better visual aid.
 
Measle Ball said:
Howdy-

I really could use some advice on the maximum size of pool table I can fit in my basement. The usable dimensions are 17.83 feet X 15.20 feet (17'10" X 15' 2-1/2" for the non-surveyors :D). I thought I had 18 feet in the long dimension but unfortunately I am two inches short of such, but would like to put a nine-footer in there. Stretching the room would be a challenge as the walls are load-bearing.

I reckon I could use shorter cues when needed, but I suspect it would get old rather quickly- perhaps not...

Has anyone else squeezed a nine-foot table in a room shorter than 18 feet? If so, would you do it again if you could?

Or should I consider an eight-foot pro-size because of the dimensions...?

I hope this is the correct place to post such a question since I'm a bit new here. Thank you in advance.

-Measly
Click to expand...



The normal dimensions for the space needed for a 9ft table are 18 length by 14 width. If you are not putting anything like tables or other furniture on either end you should be fine.

JIMO
 
Thank you for the great responses so far.

It sounds like it is indeed worth the occasional minor inconvenience to use a stub cue on a nine-footer as opposed to having a shorter table...

Thanks again. Still open to suggestions (short of knocking out a wall!)...

-Measly
 
FYI, there is some good room/table size advice here:

I hope it helps,
Dave

Measle Ball said:
Howdy-

I really could use some advice on the maximum size of pool table I can fit in my basement. The usable dimensions are 17.83 feet X 15.20 feet (17'10" X 15' 2-1/2" for the non-surveyors :D). I thought I had 18 feet in the long dimension but unfortunately I am two inches short of such, but would like to put a nine-footer in there. Stretching the room would be a challenge as the walls are load-bearing.

I reckon I could use shorter cues when needed, but I suspect it would get old rather quickly- perhaps not...

Has anyone else squeezed a nine-foot table in a room shorter than 18 feet? If so, would you do it again if you could?

Or should I consider an eight-foot pro-size because of the dimensions...?

I hope this is the correct place to post such a question since I'm a bit new here. Thank you in advance.

-Measly
Click to expand...
 
If you go with the 9 make sure your short cue is a good one.You might want to find out how much a PJ custom would cost you.
 
9 footer for sure

I personally think you should put a 9 footer in that space. Normally you would like 15 x 19 and you almost have the length. I think being able to play on the big table outweighs the occaisional time when you'll need a shorter cue. The playing surface on a 9 is 50" X 100". Your room is 214 in length. This give you 114" to split for each end or 57". Most house cues are 57 anyway with 58-60 for two piece cues. The walls dont come into play as often as you think, only when the cueball is on the rail and you must shoot straight downtable, but more often than not your shooting at an angle that reduces the interference. If you decide to cheat the table an inch or two to one end, leave the extra room at the rack end as this is where 75% + or - , of the play happens. Good luck, sure beats the drive to SUMAS to play on a big table.
 
PUTT4DACA$$H said:
I personally think you should put a 9 footer in that space. Normally you would like 15 x 19 and you almost have the length. I think being able to play on the big table outweighs the occaisional time when you'll need a shorter cue. The playing surface on a 9 is 50" X 100". Your room is 214 in length. This give you 114" to split for each end or 57". Most house cues are 57 anyway with 58-60 for two piece cues. The walls dont come into play as often as you think, only when the cueball is on the rail and you must shoot straight downtable, but more often than not your shooting at an angle that reduces the interference. If you decide to cheat the table an inch or two to one end, leave the extra room at the rack end as this is where 75% + or - , of the play happens. Good luck, sure beats the drive to SUMAS to play on a big table.
Click to expand...

Where in Sumas do they have a big table? (Or *anything* that isn't boarded-up?)... I'm curious.
 
I'd certainly recommend a 9-footer over an 8-footer, since the former is better for developing your game if you will be playing outside your home on 9-footers.

If you center a 9-foot table length-wise, you'll have 57" between the edge of the short-rail cushion and the wall. That's not enough for a full length cue plus backswing. So I'd suggest offsetting the table (moving it away from the wall) by another 7 inches or so on the racking end, so that a full-length cue can be used comfortably on three sides of the table. That, of course, will mean you'll need quite a short cue in some situations on the other end, but I'd still rather do it that way than to have the table compromised on both ends.
 
backstroke?

PUTT4DACA$$H said:
I personally think you should put a 9 footer in that space. Normally you would like 15 x 19 and you almost have the length. I think being able to play on the big table outweighs the occaisional time when you'll need a shorter cue. The playing surface on a 9 is 50" X 100". Your room is 214 in length. This give you 114" to split for each end or 57". Most house cues are 57 anyway with 58-60 for two piece cues. The walls dont come into play as often as you think, only when the cueball is on the rail and you must shoot straight downtable, but more often than not your shooting at an angle that reduces the interference. If you decide to cheat the table an inch or two to one end, leave the extra room at the rack end as this is where 75% + or - , of the play happens. Good luck, sure beats the drive to SUMAS to play on a big table.
Click to expand...

Plan on moving the cueball or using a short cue....if you end up on the rail, you'll need to backstroke some distance (a few inches?).....at least I can't put the tip close to the cueball, and just stroke forward.

Charlie
 
Diamonds in Bellingham

I don't know about Sumas having any tables but if you are looking for a Diamond I believe that the Rogue Hero in lovely Bellingburg still has a couple of their 8 foot Smart Tables in there looking for a home.
Let me know if you are interested, I can find out a few more details,
Tommy
 
Measle Ball said:
Howdy-

I really could use some advice on the maximum size of pool table I can fit in my basement. The usable dimensions are 17.83 feet X 15.20 feet (17'10" X 15' 2-1/2" for the non-surveyors :D). I thought I had 18 feet in the long dimension but unfortunately I am two inches short of such, but would like to put a nine-footer in there. Stretching the room would be a challenge as the walls are load-bearing.

I reckon I could use shorter cues when needed, but I suspect it would get old rather quickly- perhaps not...

Has anyone else squeezed a nine-foot table in a room shorter than 18 feet? If so, would you do it again if you could?

Or should I consider an eight-foot pro-size because of the dimensions...?

I hope this is the correct place to post such a question since I'm a bit new here. Thank you in advance.

-Measly
Click to expand...

Just a hair tight lengthwise for a 9' table. You can do it, but you will have an occasional shot where a slightly shorter cue (52") will help. By the way you can shoot almost any shot just fine with a good short cue. 52" is not too short. What I would recommend though is to find an oversized 8' table. The playing surface is 46" x 92", smaller than a full size 9' by 4" x 8". It's actually a good size table to play on, and will prepare you for playing on nine footers and seven footers. On this table, you can use a full length cue on any shot. No need for "shorty."

By the way, no less than Luther Lassiter always practiced (at his brother's house) on this exact same sized table. He said it helped him "get his cue ball."
 
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Another thing I could do...

...since the room adjoining the basement is unfinished, is to notch out sort of like a "pass-through" in the drywall so the cues would not run into it. The stub cue (we used to call these "pygmy sticks" but I suspect that's not appropriate today, kinda like an easy-to-sink ball was known as a "cripple") would then be reserved where the wall studs interfered with proper play. Not an elegant solution by any means but it should work.

The only current problem with the idea is that my reloading bench is on the other side...

Thanks again for the advice y'all, I really do appreciate it!

-Measly
 
Measle Ball said:
...since the room adjoining the basement is unfinished, is to notch out sort of like a "pass-through" in the drywall so the cues would not run into it. The stub cue (we used to call these "pygmy sticks" but I suspect that's not appropriate today, kinda like an easy-to-sink ball was known as a "cripple") would then be reserved where the wall studs interfered with proper play. Not an elegant solution by any means but it should work.

The only current problem with the idea is that my reloading bench is on the other side...

Thanks again for the advice y'all, I really do appreciate it!

-Measly
Click to expand...

Just remember one thing. The problem is not at table height. Where your cue comes back is anywhere from 6" to 12" above the height of the bed of the table, which is approx. 30" high. An opening between 3' and 4' high on the end walls should work. Kind of a novel solution but an effective one.
 
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jay helfert said:
Just remember one thing. The problem is not at table height. Where your cue comes back is anywhere from 6" to 12" above the height of the bed of the table, which is approx. 30" high. An opening from three feet to four feet high should work.
Click to expand...

Yep, I considered that, thank you for the reminder! (hopefully I don't forget it lest I be reminded again via perforations in da wall!)
 
Good luck with your table. I looked before I found a house that would fit a 9 ft. table. I wanted something that was at least 15 ft x 20 ft. They say 18 x 14 is the smallest, but that has always been too small for me.

I play a lot of one pocket, so the cueball is froze to the rail a lot. Even on my table, some of the shots can be tight if you are dead froze to the rail and shooting straight up table.

You can definitely make adjustments that will allow you to play, but I hate making those concessions. I would get an 8 ft Diamond and have the pockets tightened up. The only thing you will lose is the longest shots.
 
I wish Diamond made an 'oversize' (pro-size) eight-footer...

...but they don't, at least not yet. Mr. Helfert's recommendation is an excellent one so I may opt for a Gold Crown if I go that route.

I suppose I should mention that my main ambition is to practice 14.1 so sending the cue ball from the short rail at Mach 1 could always be done with a shorty if needed.

I'm beginning to realize there's a lot more things involved than merely placing a table in the basement- I just hope that when I have a bad pool day I don't put my reloading bench to use and add a few more pockets to the table! (though I could have a ***LOT*** of fun with a cue ball and a box of primers :D:D:D)
 
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