Yea. It's only what everyone has been telling people since the first pool tables were built. But I'm sure you're much more correct.
What table size for room size
- Thread starter sorin
- Start date
Yea. It's only what everyone has been telling people since the first pool tables were built. But I'm sure you're much more correct.
Yes, I am correct. And if you actually do measurements, you can report your findings here. Or not. When people try and fit their 8’ table in an 18’ x 14’ room and discover they’re shorter on the width versus the length, I’ll be sure to send them to this thread. Fair?
Keep in mind....if you choose to get an 8' table, then later on change you mind to a 7', Eight footers have a very limited market of buyers.
sellingboe
Active member
My room was supposed to be 18x14 finished. It ended up 17'10" x 13'11". I have an 8 foot GC1 and I NEVER need a short cue. I use 58" cue. Up against the rail with a straight shot my backstroke is limited, but I still have at least a few inches which is enough. Would I like more space.... OF COURSE! But I'd rather be on a bigger table.
BTW, I was considering a 9' table based on the manufacturer/retailer recommendations and determined those recommendations are for selling tables. I would be pissed all the time with a 9 footer and having to use a shorty frequently. Good luck.
BTW, I was considering a 9' table based on the manufacturer/retailer recommendations and determined those recommendations are for selling tables. I would be pissed all the time with a 9 footer and having to use a shorty frequently. Good luck.
Last edited:
sellingboe
Active member
I disagree. The market for 8 footers is probably the largest segment of home buyers. Unfortunately for those poor souls who buy new they will lose most of their "investment" should they ever need to divest themselves of the table. That represents a huge opportunity for this guy to buy extremely low if he just wants a furniture table to play on. As you and virtually everyone on this website already knows, with a few exceptions it's a buyer's market for used tables.
So OP, choose an 8 or 7 based on your own objectives. For myself having played mostly 9s when I was younger, I wanted as large as my room could handle. Thin cuts the length of the table are hard, and they get harder the longer the table. Get good on an 8 or 9 and 7s will be easy by comparison. Since I may join a league eventually or partake in some tournaments, practicing on an 8 to play on 7s made sense for me. Do what makes sense for you.
Last edited:
sellingboe
Active member
Have you ever played a 9' in a 13'10" x 18" room? You either sell tables at a retailer or you pulled that off some retailer/manufacturer website. It has no basis in reality. My reply is probably going to be nicest reply you get.
Below is a copy and paste from another thread - found here - https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/you-have-a-14x18-room-7-8-or-8-table.531603/
Given my room is 17' 8" and yours is 17' at best - you didn't say if that was inside or outside dimensions of building - I wouldn't even consider an 8' to be honest.
***** Paste from other thread *****
I have an 8' Gandy and the rails are 5 1/2" from tip to edge. The room is 212" (17' 8") and I play with a 58.5" long (including bumper) and I have about 3-4" of back swing when the CB is stuck on the rail, it's tight, but it's doable. If you do the match - the tip of the cushion is 62.25" away from the wall, my cue is 58.5", that leaves 3.75" of back swing (with a level cue). Going from an 8' to a 9' would take up 6" (playing surface is 12" longer in total) so even a 56" cue would leave you zero backswing. Out of luck, I bought this table when I did but that is one of the reasons I didn't search out a 9' table when I decided to really start practicing, it just wasn't worth it.
Doing the same on the side, my room is wide enough (15'?) but there's a bar shelf that sticks out to roughly 14' for half the length of the table, the other half of that side is open so it's moot. From the wall my table is 59 1/2" to edge of table and 65" to the tip of the cushion at 87" to center, with a 14' wide room you'd have to go to 84" to center. On my table that leaves 6.5" of back swing with my 58.5" cue. Losing 3" from going to 84" center and 3" for going to a 9' would leave about 1/2" for a back swing. That's a bit tight but nothing a 57 or 56" cue couldn't fix.
If a local deal for a nice 9' GC came up I'd buy it in a heartbeat, am I going to go spend a ton of money for a fancy new table, nope.
Hope this helps.
Given my room is 17' 8" and yours is 17' at best - you didn't say if that was inside or outside dimensions of building - I wouldn't even consider an 8' to be honest.
***** Paste from other thread *****
I have an 8' Gandy and the rails are 5 1/2" from tip to edge. The room is 212" (17' 8") and I play with a 58.5" long (including bumper) and I have about 3-4" of back swing when the CB is stuck on the rail, it's tight, but it's doable. If you do the match - the tip of the cushion is 62.25" away from the wall, my cue is 58.5", that leaves 3.75" of back swing (with a level cue). Going from an 8' to a 9' would take up 6" (playing surface is 12" longer in total) so even a 56" cue would leave you zero backswing. Out of luck, I bought this table when I did but that is one of the reasons I didn't search out a 9' table when I decided to really start practicing, it just wasn't worth it.
Doing the same on the side, my room is wide enough (15'?) but there's a bar shelf that sticks out to roughly 14' for half the length of the table, the other half of that side is open so it's moot. From the wall my table is 59 1/2" to edge of table and 65" to the tip of the cushion at 87" to center, with a 14' wide room you'd have to go to 84" to center. On my table that leaves 6.5" of back swing with my 58.5" cue. Losing 3" from going to 84" center and 3" for going to a 9' would leave about 1/2" for a back swing. That's a bit tight but nothing a 57 or 56" cue couldn't fix.
If a local deal for a nice 9' GC came up I'd buy it in a heartbeat, am I going to go spend a ton of money for a fancy new table, nope.
Hope this helps.
sellingboe
Active member
14' width is not enough and 18'6" is a bare minimum IMHO. 14' width would give 1" of back stroke (58" cue) on the sides with CB up against the rail. With 18'6" in length there would be 3" at each end for back stroke. I could live with that if I had to but it certainly is a bare minimum. Everyone can decide their own minimums and ideals, but I'm living with a 3.5" draw on a CB frozen to the side rails. For me that's very close to minimum.
15 x 20 would be very comfortable for a standalone billard room no doubt, but I'd prefer 18 x 22 to have a few chairs and pub tables for sitting and setting beverages. My own room is not my ideal, but it is a very playable room with my 8' GC1. I'm in there most nights for a couple hours with either a movie that I've already seen (so I don't have to pay close attention) or reruns of Seinfeld playing on the tv mounted in an upper corner.
So OP, playing pool in your own home is always better than not being able to play in your own home. Playing comfortably will keep you happy.
sellingboe
Active member
Hey Chili, that's my post from almost a year ago when I was in the market. Think I'll take a nostalgic look at it and review the advice I received.
I’d have to disagree with that - among recreational home tables, 8 foot home tables are by far the most common size, and it’s not even close.
In pool rooms, yes you are correct, generally either 7-foot and/or 9-foot tables.
Been wrong before thx guys...
8' tables are everywhere. So many people buy them. Every person I know that plays 'recreational' pool owns an 8'. Most players own a 9' or 7'. Any table is better than no table, TBH. 7' Diamonds are very nice even with league cut pockets.
Fwiw, I have a 20'x20' building out back that comes to 19' 8"ish inches square furred out. And you can't hit the wall cueing frozen to the rail unless you have an 8" extension on the cue.
But always, a barbox or 8' is better than having to face a packed pool room full of drunks, lol. The ability to play on any table at home is a blessing.
Fwiw, I have a 20'x20' building out back that comes to 19' 8"ish inches square furred out. And you can't hit the wall cueing frozen to the rail unless you have an 8" extension on the cue.
But always, a barbox or 8' is better than having to face a packed pool room full of drunks, lol. The ability to play on any table at home is a blessing.
Do people start these threads hoping that the laws of mathmatics have been updated in the last few years?
I might accept a single pole being less than 62 inches from the nose of the cushion but not an entire side of the table. I grip a 58 inch cue almost 4 inches from the butt end so I could live with an occasional 54 inch cue shot due to a pole. Anything shorter or anything more frequent would ruin the experience for me.
17 feet is 204 inches. Even 54 inch cue with 4 inch stroke is 58...times two is 116. 204 -116=88 inches = standard 8 foot table. So you can play two ends of the table restricted or get 7 footer.
I would definitely get the 7 foot or stretch the room to 18 feet plus for an 8 foot, 19 feet plus for a 9 footer.
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
I might accept a single pole being less than 62 inches from the nose of the cushion but not an entire side of the table. I grip a 58 inch cue almost 4 inches from the butt end so I could live with an occasional 54 inch cue shot due to a pole. Anything shorter or anything more frequent would ruin the experience for me.
17 feet is 204 inches. Even 54 inch cue with 4 inch stroke is 58...times two is 116. 204 -116=88 inches = standard 8 foot table. So you can play two ends of the table restricted or get 7 footer.
I would definitely get the 7 foot or stretch the room to 18 feet plus for an 8 foot, 19 feet plus for a 9 footer.
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Last edited:
bignick31985
NOW.....................I wanna see proof, that there are more 8's sold than 9's or 7's, why? It seem to be important.
Last edited:
Just contact any pool table retailer in a larger market and they’ll tell you - over 80% of their pool table sales to home owners / buyers are 8 foot tables. I’ve been selling pool tables for 26 years.
Since it seems important, I'd contact the table mfgs.
The only reason I'm keeping on is this.
I was married for 13 yrs to woman who was never wrong, so when I push back on this type of confrontation/dialogue I'd much rather be wrong with proof than being ''told'' I was incorrect.
I hope your correct with proof, then I'll learn something.
Since in grew up in the Chicago area which is.....Brunswick territory I saw very few 8's in homes.
The only reason I'm keeping on is this.
I was married for 13 yrs to woman who was never wrong, so when I push back on this type of confrontation/dialogue I'd much rather be wrong with proof than being ''told'' I was incorrect.
I hope your correct with proof, then I'll learn something.
Since in grew up in the Chicago area which is.....Brunswick territory I saw very few 8's in homes.
Last edited:
Some people simply don’t have the experience or knowledge to know, nor do they have the knowledge or experience to obtain that information so they come here and ask.
I’ve been on forums for almost 2 decades and if I had a penny for every time someone repeated a question I wouldn’t be sitting here, I would be on a boat sailing around the world.
People do the best they can with the tools they’re given
