Important parts of a billiard table

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 16^th 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.