The
billiard table is a table that is
used to play the game of billiards. Right from the time this game came into
existence in the 16th century
till date, the structure of the table has undergone many changes. Though the
tables available today are highly sophisticated and ideal for the game,
manufacturers are coming up with many more features to make these tables
versatile and multifunctional. There are different types of tables for people
to choose from based on their skill level, budget and many other factors. A
billiard table is made up of many parts that make it ideal for the game.
One
of the important parts of the billiard table is the cushions. Also referred to as ‘bumpers’, ‘rail cushions’ or
‘cushion rubbers’, they have a very important role to play. They can be found
on the inner side of the wooden rails present in the table. The role of these
cushions is to help the ball rebound off the side and lose a slight amount of
kinetic energy in the process. The profiles of these cushions differs from one
variety to another. For example, the profile of the cushions for American
tables is different from that of the Australian tables. Though vulcanized
rubber is the main material used to manufacture cushions, some manufacturers
use other materials such as cloth.
The
bed, which is the term used to refer to the playing surface of the billiard table, is also an important
part. The bed of these tables have to be absolutely smooth to prevent the balls
from bumping off the playing surface to the ground. Though wood is used to make
these beds, professional tables use slate. The number of slate slabs used to
manufacture the playing surface can range from two to five based on the size of
the table.
The
felt or the cloth used to cover the playing surface is also an important part
of the billiard table. the amount of
wool in the cloth determines its quality. The higher the percentage of wool,
the better is the quality.

