Interactive tools
Pool Table Slate and Cloth Simulator
How a pool table plays over the years comes down to two choices: the bed under the cloth and the cloth on top of it. Chic Pool built the two tools below so you can test woolen felt against worsted speed cloth on an identical shot, then see how three-piece slate compares with MDF and Slatron-type beds.
Worsted Speed Cloth vs. Woolen Felt: One Stroke, Side by Side
The cloth decides how fast the ball travels, how spin grabs and where banks land. Woolen felt carries a nap, plays slower and pills as it ages. Worsted cloth, favored in league and tournament play, has no nap and rolls quick and straight. Choose a stroke, an aim and a humidity level, fire both tables together, then try the spill test to find out which cloth lets you blot a drink in time.
Aim by tapping or dragging on either table. Keyboard users can focus a table, steer with the arrow keys and press Enter to shoot.
Woolen felt
Traditional napped blend. Heavier, slower, more forgiving.Worsted speed cloth
Tournament-grade weave in the style of Simonis. Quick, smooth, spill-resistant.Slate, Slatron or MDF: How a Pool Table Bed Holds Up Over Time
The bed under the cloth exists to stay flat. Natural slate shrugs off moisture and will not sag under its own weight, and its three slabs can be re-shimmed after a move. Wood-composite beds leave the factory flat, yet years of humidity and constant load can bow the panel between supports. Pick a material, a room and a span of ownership, then roll a straight shot and watch where the ball finishes.
Simplified model. Bed movement is exaggerated so it is easy to see; actual results depend on construction, frame, climate and upkeep.
The spill test
A treated worsted cloth keeps a spill sitting on top long enough for you to blot it. Woolen felt draws it down into the fibers in a matter of seconds.
Weighing the two cloths
No single cloth suits every room. A fast cloth rewards a practiced stroke, while a slower one is more forgiving for family play.
| Woolen felt | Worsted speed cloth | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Slower, so the same distance takes a firmer hit. | Quicker and more even across the whole table. |
| Banks | Banks tend to land slightly short. | Banks travel farther and stay on line. |
| Spin | The nap soaks up draw and english sooner. | Draw, follow and english respond sharply and predictably. |
| Nap | Napped, so it needs brushing from head to foot. Slow shots may drift with the grain. | No nap, so the ball behaves the same whichever way it rolls. |
| Aging | Pills as it ages and slowly loses speed. | Holds up against pilling and often speeds up a little once broken in. |
| Spills | Soaks up liquid fast and may stain. | Treated cloth beads liquid, buying time to blot. |
| Ideal for | Game rooms, beginners and modest budgets. | League and tournament players and dedicated home rooms. |
| Price and longevity | Costs less and needs replacing sooner. | Costs more and lasts longer. |
Simplified model. Rolling resistance, cushion rebound, nap drift and humidity are approximated to show how the cloth types differ from each other, not measured from any particular product. Simonis is a trademark of Iwan Simonis; Chic Pool is not affiliated with or endorsed by the manufacturer. Simulator by Chic Pool, ChicPool.com.
Anatomy of a three-piece slate bed
Using three slabs is intentional. One slab that large would be fragile and almost impossible to move, while three matched slabs can each be shimmed until the full surface is level, then joined and sealed at the seams by a trained installer.
How the beds compare
Typical traits of each bed type. Details differ from one maker and model to the next.
| Three-piece slate | Slatron-type panel | MDF or particleboard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made of | Quarried natural stone, ground flat and divided into three matched slabs | A man-made slate alternative, usually a wood-fiber core with a sealed or laminated top | Wood fibers or chips pressed together with resin |
| Humidity | Takes on almost no water and stays stable year-round | The surface coating helps, yet the core can absorb moisture along edges and seams | Soaks up moisture and may swell, most of all at edges and cut faces |
| Sag over time | Will not sag under its own weight when the frame is sound | May slowly bow between frame supports | Susceptible to creep, a gradual sag under constant weight |
| Leveling | Every slab is shimmed on its own and can be leveled again after a move or as the house settles | Leg levelers fix tilt, but not a bowed panel | Leg levelers fix tilt, but not a bowed panel |
| Cloth attachment | Attached to a wood backing on the slate; pulled tight and replaceable as long as the table lasts | Typically stapled straight to the panel | Typically stapled straight to the panel |
| Setup | Very heavy; delivered, assembled, leveled and clothed by professionals | Lighter; easier to position and move | Lightest; easiest to position and move |
| Playing life | Made to hand down | Fits casual play over a shorter span | Fits occasional or short-term use |
A slate table plays only as true as its installation.
The Chic Pool white-glove crew handles delivery, assembly, leveling and clothing in your home, nationwide.
This page is for education. The simulator is a simplified visual model and does not measure or predict the performance of any specific table.
Pool Table Slate and Cloth Simulator from Chic Pool, ChicPool.com
