Home pool room advices

AlexandruM

AlexandruM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello, everybody.
Soon I want to start building my house with a pool room for a 9 ft. table. Now we working at arhitecture project, so I want to ask AZers what should I take in consideration when projecting and building my home pool room?
Can you give any advices, recomendations about this subject?

Thank you.
 
Brunswick (and other pool table sellers) will tell you that you need a 14'x18' space for a 9-foot table. IMHO this borders on a lie. If you're shooting a ball off the rail with a standard 58" cue, you'll be hitting the wall with the butt of the cue.

The minimum space required is 16'x20' and that doesn't include any space for seating, small table, etc.
 
bdorman said:
Brunswick (and other pool table sellers) will tell you that you need a 14'x18' space for a 9-foot table. IMHO this borders on a lie. If you're shooting a ball off the rail with a standard 58" cue, you'll be hitting the wall with the butt of the cue.

The minimum space required is 16'x20' and that doesn't include any space for seating, small table, etc.
Click to expand...
Agreed. My room is roughly 16'x20'. I have a Diamond player's chair unit on one side and have ample room to stand and stroke comfortably, mostly because the chair unit is designed to stay out of the way. For extra seating, I use short bar stools. Anything deeper, like a sofa, would get in the way on some shots.
 
Since the size has been addressed, I'll look at another part. Make it your own.

This was advice given to my before I finished my basement while buying my first table. The thought was that so many "man caves" look alike. Sports posters, beer signs etc. The woman asked me what else I was interested in. I told her motorcycles and photography. And, that in fact I was building a darkroom and studio that would go in next to the table. She asked if I had prints. Oh, bunches I say.

She then advised that I make the pool room area a photo gallery with the installation of wall wash lights in the ceiling to show off my best prints. I did just that and now have a unique pool room and gallery. There is no doubt, that it is me.

I also have at the back end of the basement a small "train room". Someday I expect to rip that out and put in a display of a pristine BSA 441 Victor or a '59 Triumph Tiger Cub. That would be out of my youth too.

So think long and hard and make it your own.
 
If you can, make it accommodate a 9' and a 7 footer at the same time, you won't regret it....if you can afford it.
 
Ask yourself, "What am I going to use this room for"? Will I be mostly playing by myself, have buddies over, your kids and their friends playing, part of a total entertainment room, etc.? If it's for yourself 16 by 20 is the bare minimum. If part of an entertainment room with a bar...I guess you get the picture.

One more consideration, height of the ceiling. Why? Because good table lighting is important and lights can be recessed or hanging. After you bang your head or cue on the light a few times, you will soon see the mistake. A higher ceiling will improve air control.

Any quality builder will suggest using a steel beam in the ceiling to give you a large enough room without poles. It will not add much expense if included in the original plans.

Another thought: windows and doors. Outside light is not conducive to optimal playing conditions and the possibility of balls hitting the glass will remind you of Murphy's Law. Good blinds or curtains may minimize this. If smoking is considered, a door outside to a patio smoking area will help.

It is usually more pleasant to play pool in a cooler room, so I suggest it be on a lower level of the house instead of the bonus room. And a fireplace by the bar may look great but may not be practicable.

Flooring? My floor is concrete with carpet over it. For three reasons: to deaden the sound, it's more comfortable, and it will keep the table more level than a wood floor. Believe me, a loud pool room in the house can make it very unpleasant for the rest of the family. To reduce noise, insulating the pool room walls will help keep ball banging noise escaping to the rest of the house.

If you are going to put a TV or sound system in, plan for it now. If a bar is an option, you may need water and sewer. And that leads to my final comment, if many people will use this room, close access to a restroom instead path trough the house is practicable.


When I built my home, I planned for two bedrooms and a full bath connected to the entertainment room. If I or my kids had friends over, it was much more convenient.
 
Room size is the single most critical factor; allow a minimum of 5' or more on from the outside edges of the table. The 16x20 recommendation is pretty good but keep in mind anything that may infringe on that such as shelving or a big screen TV hung on the walls. Also allow sufficient space for seating so a shot won't require having to move a chair.
 
Last edited:
And light, if there are window, the need to be covered with something that pretty much eliminates intruding light.

If you are building the room from nothing, decide where the table goes and have electricity available over the center of the table.
 
A lot of good advices, thank you.
The room will be for playing myself and maybe sometimes with friends, but I don't want a bar. One time I played in a room with bar, and a ball fligh right in one of glass shelve, so no glass in my room.

Noise is one of my concerns, I want to be able to practice and play in night time, when all family sleeps, I thought it will be good to use noise reduction materials. Is there a real need of that, or it's enough a carpet and close doors?
 
AlexandruM said:
A lot of good advices, thank you.
The room will be for playing myself and maybe sometimes with friends, but I don't want a bar. One time I played in a room with bar, and a ball fligh right in one of glass shelve, so no glass in my room.

Noise is one of my concerns, I want to be able to practice and play in night time, when all family sleeps, I thought it will be good to use noise reduction materials. Is there a real need of that, or it's enough a carpet and close doors?
Click to expand...

My table is 2 floors away and on the opposite side of the house from my bedroom and wife says she ca hear some shots.

I only soft break at night, so it is either that, the ball return or she diesnt like me to play pool:wink:
 
Make sure you put the foot rail away from any windows. Sooner or later someone is going to bounce the cue ball off the table during a break shot and shatter a window. Keep windows on the head rail side of the table or the sides but NOT the foot rail side.

Source: been there, done that :(
 
Buzzard II has one of the most comfortable, unique home rooms I've seen. Plenty of room to play, plenty of comfortable seating, and lots to look at around the room! See you at SBE next month Jim! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Buzzard II said:
Since the size has been addressed, I'll look at another part. Make it your own.

This was advice given to my before I finished my basement while buying my first table. The thought was that so many "man caves" look alike. Sports posters, beer signs etc. The woman asked me what else I was interested in. I told her motorcycles and photography. And, that in fact I was building a darkroom and studio that would go in next to the table. She asked if I had prints. Oh, bunches I say.

She then advised that I make the pool room area a photo gallery with the installation of wall wash lights in the ceiling to show off my best prints. I did just that and now have a unique pool room and gallery. There is no doubt, that it is me.

I also have at the back end of the basement a small "train room". Someday I expect to rip that out and put in a display of a pristine BSA 441 Victor or a '59 Triumph Tiger Cub. That would be out of my youth too.

So think long and hard and make it your own.
Click to expand...
 
Black-Balled said:
My table is 2 floors away and on the opposite side of the house from my bedroom and wife says she ca hear some shots.

I only soft break at night, so it is either that, the ball return or she diesnt like me to play pool:wink:
Click to expand...

I give my girlfriend a cocktail I learned from Bill Cosby. She never complains when my friends are over playing pool.
 
......................
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0353.jpg
    IMG_0353.jpg
    97.8 KB · Views: 105
Last edited:
If it's an upstairs room, be darned sure it can handle the table weight, and the passage into that room allows the table to get there.
 
a small thing, but could be overlooked if not thinking about it. I have the power, above the table for the light, controlled by it's own switch on the wall.
 
Black-Balled said:
My table is 2 floors away and on the opposite side of the house from my bedroom and wife says she ca hear some shots.

I only soft break at night, so it is either that, the ball return or she diesnt like me to play pool:wink:
Click to expand...

Start making her finish the entire drink ... then make her another. Problem solved. You're welcome! ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top