What are the standard pool table sizes and dimensions, and how large of a room is required for each?
Standard size pool tables, along with the playing surface dimensions (measured between the noses of the cushions) are:
- 12-ft (snooker): 140″ (356.9 cm) x 70″ (177.8 cm)
- 10-ft (oversized): 112″ (284.5 cm) x 56″ (142.2 cm)
- 9-ft (standard regulation size table): 100″ (254 cm) x 50″ (127 cm)
- 8-ft+ (pro 8): 92″ (233.7 cm) x 46″ (116.8 cm)
- 8-ft (typical home table): 88″ (223.5 cm) x 44″ (111.8 cm)
- 7-ft+ (large “bar box”): 78-82″ (198.1-208.3 cm) x 39-41″ (99.1-104.1 cm)
- 7-ft (“bar box”): 74-78″ (188-198.1 cm) x 37-39″ (94-99.1 cm)
- 6-ft (“small bar box”): 70-74″ (177.8-188 cm) x 35-37″ (88.9-94 cm)
The distance between the diamonds can be found by dividing the playing surface length by 8 or the width by 4.
For recommended room sizes, see the table of data quoted below.
More info can be found here: Wikipedia pool table dimensions resource page.
See also: table size effects and table difficulty factor (TDF).
from RSB FAQ:
The minimum space for a table is the playing area plus the length of a cue (58″) plus about 6 inches for the back swing, more for comfort, on each side. This gives:
| table | playing area | room size (feet, inches) | room size (meters) |
| 8′ | 44″ x 88″ | 14’4″ x 18′ | 4.37m x 5.49m |
| 8+’ | 46″ x 92″ | 14’6″ x 18’4″ | 4.42m x 5.59m |
| 9′ | 50″ x 100″ | 14’10” x19′ | 4.52m x 5.79m |
| 12′ (snooker) | 70″ x 140.5″ | 16’6″ x 22’5″ | 5.03m x 6.83m |
“Seven foot” tables vary in size. Work down from the 8′ dimensions. “8+” is an “oversized” 8-foot table.
If your room does not meet these minimum size requirements, many billiard retailers will suggest that you can still put a table in, and use short cues (52″, or 48″). Many people have found they are unhappy having to resort to shorter cues, and should have either gotten a smaller table, or no table at all. Others, of course, take the opposite view — they are delighted to have any table.
In the end, only you will know whether you are happy with the room dimensions and need for short cues. Before you spend $2000 for a table that will cause you to smash the walls in frustration, try this:
(1) Find an indulgent pool hall when it’s not busy.
(2) Measure your space (at home) carefully, including the distance from the table to all walls that require a special cue
(3) Go to the pool hall with a piece or pieces of plywood or some such, and a short cue, and set up the “walls” to replicate where the walls would be in your house. Play for several hours, using the short cue when needed.Between two tables you can do with about the length of a cue, the limit is caused not by the cue, but by the player being able to go into his stance between the tables. Deluxe rooms really need more room on all sides to let possible passers-by move without bumping into the players.
from realkingcobra (on AZB):
A 4 1/2 x 9ft pool table gets it’s measurements from finish of rail to finish of rail.
4 1/2 feet = 54″
9ft = 108″
Take the playing surface of a 9ft pool table, it’s 50″x100″ now add in the 2″ of cloth on the cushions on the side rails to the playing surface, what you come up with is 2″ of cushion/cloth on the left side rail, plus 2″ of cloth/cushion on the right side rail, plus the 50″ of the playing surface from side to side. Now, add that together and you have 2″+2″+50″ = 54″ which equals 4 1/2 feet.
Now, if you double that measurement you’d be adding up 4 side rails at 2″ each … remember you’re DOUBLING the width, so that means instead of adding just 2 rails, you’d be adding up the width of 4 rails, at 2″ each, plus you’d be doubling the width of the table side to side being 50″ twice, so thats 100″ … now add up … 2″+2″+2″+2″+50″+50″= 108″ which equals 9 feet even, EXCEPT … we all know all pool tables only have 2 end rails and NOT 4, so in order to keep the playing surface twice as long as it is wide … you have to subtract 2 of them 4 rails as ghost rails … meaning they’re not really there on the pool table, so if you take and subtract the 4″ of ghost rails from the 9ft … 108″ that leaves you with 104″, now subtract the 4″ of cloth/cushions that ARE on the table, and you end up with 100″ … so that’s how you get a 50″x100″ playing surface out of a 4 1/2 x 9 pool table.
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