Slate vs non-slate pool tables: what you give up

The bed under the cloth is the most important part of a pool table, and it is the first place a cheap table cuts costs. Serious tables use slate. Many tables at lower prices use MDF, particle board or a honeycomb core instead. Every pool table we sell is slate, so this guide is as much about explaining why as it is about comparing. Here is what slate does that the alternatives do not, what you give up without it, and what slate means for your floor and your next move.

What slate does

Slate is a dense, naturally flat stone. On a home pool table it is cut into three pieces, typically 3/4 in to 1 in thick, laid on the frame, and then seamed and leveled before the cloth is stretched over it. Every pool table in our lineup has a three-piece slate bed that is 1 in thick.

The reasons it is used are practical:

• It stays flat. Slate does not absorb moisture, so humidity swings that warp a wood bed do not move it.
• It holds a level. Once the slate is shimmed and leveled, the ball tracks straight and keeps doing so.
• It is dense. The mass keeps the bed quiet and solid under the shot, and the ball behaves the same across the whole surface.
• It lasts. The cloth, cushions and rails wear. The slate does not, which is why a good table can be refurbished and played for decades.

What you lose with MDF or honeycomb

Non-slate beds are made of engineered wood fiber or a lightweight core. They are cheaper, lighter and easier to ship, and they have real appeal for a first table or a kids' room. The costs show up over time:

• Flatness. Fiber and wood-based beds can sag or swell with humidity and with the weight of the cloth and cushions. A bed that is not flat means a ball that drifts.
• Feel. A lighter bed sounds hollow and plays differently, with less consistent roll across the surface.
• Repair value. You can recover a slate table and play on it again. A damaged non-slate bed usually means replacing the table.
• Resale. Buyers shopping for a used table tend to look for slate, and a non-slate table is often treated as a game table.

Weight and floors

Slate is the reason pool tables are heavy. The Brunswick Allenton weighs about 725 lb, the 8 ft tables about 890 to 900 lb, and the 9 ft tables about 1,050 lb for the Augusta and 1,250 lb for the Centennial. That weight is spread over four legs on the 7 and 8 ft models and six on the 9 ft models, with leveling feet at each.

On a concrete slab or a well-built ground floor, that load is routine. On a second floor or over a long unsupported span, have the load checked before ordering. At 1,250 lb on six legs, the Centennial is one table where we do recommend a floor check. Also think about the room: wide planks, soft carpet over padding and uneven slabs all affect leveling, and the installer will shim around them.

Moving a slate table

A slate table is not a piece you slide across the room. To move it, an installer removes the cloth, lifts out the three slate pieces, takes the frame apart, and reassembles and re-levels it at the new spot. It is a real job, which is why you should choose the table's position carefully the first time. Our room size guide and room size calculator help you pick the spot. The delivery path matters too: slate arrives in sections, so measure every door and stair, and see our shipping and returns page for how delivery works.

When non-slate makes sense

We do not sell non-slate pool tables, but there are honest reasons someone would buy one. A temporary rental, a kids' playroom on an upper floor, or a first table for someone who has not yet decided whether they play enough to justify slate can all be sensible. If you expect to play for years, the extra cost of slate returns itself in a better surface and a table that can be refurbished.

How to tell what you are buying

• Ask for the bed material, thickness and number of pieces in writing. For slate, expect three pieces at 3/4 in to 1 in.
• Check the weight. A pool table with a real slate bed is far heavier than a table that looks the same but uses a composite.
• Look for leveling feet and a real frame. Slate needs adjustable support to hold a true level.
• Read the warranty. Slate tables come with frame terms that cheaper tables rarely match.

Every table in our pool tables category lists its bed material, weight and room needs on the product page, so you can compare line by line. If you are weighing options, see how each model ranks in our best pool tables for home game rooms.

Bottom line

Buy slate if you want a table that plays true for decades and can be recovered and refurbished. Accept the weight, plan the floor and the delivery path, and pay for professional leveling, because the slate only helps if it is set correctly. Our financing page explains how to spread the cost if the price is the sticking point.

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