Here at Luxury Pool Tables we only ever sell Slate Bed Pool Tables apart from the odd exception when a customer requires a lightweight table for various reasons.
There is a misconception that only high quality Pool Tables have slate beds however the quality and thickness of the slate is an important factor when choosing your Pool Table.
The thickness of the slates that we use on our custom Pool Tables depends on the size and style of each table, however we always use high quality slate mainly sourced from Brazil who are now largely regarded as the leading manufacturer of Pool and Snooker Table slate beds.
The slates that we use come in 19mm, 25mm and 44mm thicknesses. As a general rule the thicker the slate the more stable and less prone to sagging. In the next section of this blog we will explain which thickness of slates we use for each type and size of table and the reasons for this.
Our Pool Dining Tables are built with a 19mm slate. This is due to a key design element of a good Pool Dining Table is that they require a slim frame to allow ample leg room whilst keeping the dining height as close to the standard dining height of around 76cm. If we were to use a thicker slate then a wider frame would be required to support the extra weight and keep the table stable. To compensate for using a relatively thin slate on our Pool Dining Table we ensure that we only use the best and most stable slates available. Our tables are also designed with very good support under the slates to ensure once installed they remain perfectly level.
For all of our other Pool Tables, regardless of whether they are built as English Pool Table, American Pool Table or Snooker Table we will use the following size slates depending on the size of the table. You will see that the bigger the table the thicker the slate. This is due to the bigger the span a slate has to cover the more strength it requires to remain stable.
5′, 6′, 7′: 19mm slate
8′, 9′, 10′, 11′: 25mm slate
12′: 44mm slate
The final element to consider with regards to the slate on a Pool Table is the number of sections that it is made up of. This will depend again on the size of the table, but also it’s location once installed. For an indoor, ground floor installation we generally use a one piece slate for all tables up to 7′. A 3 piece slate for 8′, 9′, 10′ and 11′ slates and finally a 5 piece slate for our 12′ tables. Our Outdoor Pool Tables are always supplied with a one piece slate due to the movement of the table would otherwise cause the slates to become disjointed. Installations which are not ground floor are considered on a case by case basis. One advantage of having a single piece slate is that if you require to move your Pool and Snooker Table occasionally without the danger of slates moving.
If you have any further questions about our slate beds or anything else regarding our Pool & Snooker Tables, please contact us!