If you’re here, you’re probably wondering: what’s the difference between UK pool tables and American pool tables? At Hamilton Billiards, we have over 40 years of experience, both as table makers and as restorers and renovators of antique tables, so we know a fair share about the different types of pool tables. Now, it’s time for us to pass on all of our knowledge to you, the lucky readers.
The Cloth
First of all, let’s talk about the cloths. The cloth on a British pool table has a very specific and distinctive texture. The fuzzy, napped, felt-like material results in an overall slower ball speed. However, our friends over in America lined their tables with a ‘speed’ cloth, made primarily of nylon, causing less friction and therefore leading to faster speeds and more rolling.
The Size
One of the most noticeable differences between British and American tables is their sizes. While British tables are almost exclusively either 6ft or 7ft in length, American pool tables are either 8ft or 9ft (the official size used in professional games and tournaments). However, on our website, you’ll be able to find some 6ft and 7ft American pool tables, like our Fabio Pool Table and our Bently Pool Table.
The Balls
As with their tables, American pool balls are bigger than British ones by ¼ inch. It may not seem like much of a difference, but at 2 ¼-inches, they’re heavier and can therefore carry more forward momentum when rolling than the 2-inch British pool balls. American pool tables tend to use spots and stripes to differentiate players, while British games often use reds and yellows.
The Cues
American pool cues have larger tips (between 12 &14mm) than British ones (between 8-11mm). American cues often have a ferrule made of plastic, which acts as a shock absorber for the larger, heavier balls. The ferrule on British cues is made of brass, they’re made more for accuracy than power.
The Pockets and cushions
The pockets in UK pool tables are narrow with soft, rounded shoulders, making it easier to shoot side pockets, but harder to shoot the corner pockets, as the shoulder can cause your ball to rebound in any direction. Conversely, American pockets are wider, with harsh, straight-cut corners, making it easier to pot corner holes from a distance. This encourages players to go for long shots, taking advantage of the ‘speed’ cloth.
As a result of the smaller pockets, most tables in the UK often have internal ball return systems, as it would be uncomfortable to retrieve the balls from such a narrow hole.
The diamond marking system
American pool tables often have a diamond marking system, where the diamonds act as aiming references for shots.
The general idea is that if you hit the cue ball from one diamond towards one on the opposite wall, it’ll bounce back and travel directly towards a pocket, making the game a lot easier. Most UK tables don’t have this feature, making it harder to predict where your shots will end up.
Now that you’re an expert at differentiating between the two types of tables, it’s time to make the decision. Whether you want a British table, like this Supreme Prince Pool Table, or an American table, like this Buffalo Riva American Pool Table, we have a large variety on our site. We even have pool dining tables. Happy shopping!