Pool tables don’t require much maintenance once they are set up and leveled outside of occasional cleaning, but you can’t skip felt replacement. The quality of your felt will impact how well the balls move across the table, so it is important that your felt is in good condition.
How long does pool table felt last? How long the felt on your pool table will last depends on how often you play pool and how well you take care of the felt. Generally, if you play pool daily, you can expect the felt to last 3-5 years.
If you don’t play on a daily (or near-daily) basis, your felt could last twice as long. In this article, we will go over what you can do to extend the life of your felt and how to know when it is time to replace it.
How to Prolong the Life of Pool Table Felt
If your pool table sees a lot of use, that’s fantastic. It means you’re getting your money’s worth out of the table. However, it also means that your felt will wear faster. The interaction between the felt, the balls, and the chalk on a pool table eventually leads to the felt wearing out.
Even if you play daily, you may be able to get more life out of your felt by taking good care of it. We’ve put together this list of best practices to help you keep your felt in good condition longer.
- Use a pool table cover when the table is not in use.
- Brush the table regularly to keep it clean.
- Consider using a vacuum with an upholstery brush to remove chalk from the table.
- Do not allow drinks or food on or near the table.
- Don’t make scoop shots.
- Don’t allow pets on the table.
- Don’t chalk over the table.
- Keep your billiard balls clean.
- Wipe down the rails. Dirt on the rails can move onto the bed.
- Keep in mind that sunlight will fade the felt.
If you follow these guidelines, your pool felt will certainly last longer than if you didn’t. On the other hand, most people want to change up their felt color long before the felt is worn out. If you like to change up your décor often, then taking extra care might not be as important to you.
We have some very helpful posts if you’re looking to clean a stain out of your pool table or remove the chalk.
When to Change Your Pool Table Felt
Because felt wear is largely dependent on how much you use your pool table, you can’t just put a reminder in your calendar for your next felt change. You’ll need to keep an eye on your felt.
Signs your felt needs to be changed:
- It looks like it needs to be replaced. By the time the felt looks like it needs to be replaced, it most certainly does.
- It feels bristly.
- It has become damaged.
- It bunches when you press into it with your hand.
- It is showing any signs of being loose.
If your pool table felt shows any of these signs, it is time to have it replaced, like it or not.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace Pool Table Felt?
Replacing the felt on a pool table will definitely cost in the hundreds of dollars. Most of the time, replacement costs between $300 and $500 depending on the size of the table and quality of felt.
You can save some money by buying a piece of felt and refelting the table yourself, but it is not recommended. Even a small mistake can lead to an annoyingly imperfect playing surface. But if you’re comfortable with DIY methods and have thoroughly researched the process, it is possible and will save you a couple hundred dollars.