When you decide you want to invest in a pool table for your at-home game room, basement, or another area, it is essential to ensure you have plenty of space for your new table. How much room you need for a pool table depends on several different factors, as follows:

#1. The size of the room

The last thing you want to do is purchase a pool table for your home and, when the installers arrive to set it up, realize it will not fit in the room. You need to measure the open space available in the room to determine if there is sufficient space for a pool table.

Many people make the mistake of using the room’s dimensions and not measuring the open space. This is a mistake because you have not accounted for wall hangings, furniture, light fixtures, and other items in the room that reduce the available space.

#2. Space around the pool table

Secondly, you will need to have space around the perimeter of the pool table to move the pool cues when playing pool and not worry about hitting the wall. The standard length of the cue is 58 inches. So, you need to account for the size of the pool cues and the range of motion to slide it backward and hit the ball.

There are shorter cues available in 52 inches and 48 inches. So, if you have your heart set on a specific table and need a little more room, this could be an option.

#3. The size of the pool table

The size of the pool table is equally important. You need to make sure that there will be nothing in between the table and the wall that will make moving around it difficult. You also do not want the pool table placed up against the wall, as you would not be able to make any shots from that side of the pool table.

Standard pool table sizes range from 6-foot tables to 9-foot tables. There are also 10-foot tables and 12-foot tables if you want an oversized table or regulation-size snooker table. The thing to keep in mind when looking at the different sizes of pool tables is most will follow the regulation requirements of having a 2-to-1 ratio, meaning that the length is two times the width.

For instance, a 6-foot table is 3 feet wide and 6 feet long. So, the table’s footprint will take up this space in the room. You would also want to add several feet around the table to allow for easy movement around the table and several more feet to be able to use the pool cues.

Minimum Room Dimensions for Different Pool Table Sizes

To help you determine what size pool table will fit easily in the space in your home where you want to install a pool table, here are some general dimension guidelines for you to use.

• 6-Foot Table – You will need a room that is at least 15 feet x 12 feet.
• 7-Foot Table – The minimum dimension you will need is 16 feet x 13 feet.
• 8-Foot Table – You will want to have a room that is at least 17 feet x 13 feet.
• 9-Foot Table – You will need an area that is 18 feet x 14 feet.

In general, as the length of the pool table increases by one foot, the length of the room also increases by one foot.

Options for Installing a Pool Table in a Smaller Space

It is possible to install a pool table into a smaller space by using shorter pool cues. In general, as you go down one size pool cue, the minimum required space also drops about a foot, as follows:

• 52-inch Pool Cue:
  • 6-Foot Table – 14 feet x 11 feet
  • 7-Foot Table – 15 feet x 12 feet
  • 8-Foot Table – 16 feet x 12 feet
  • 9-Foot Table – 17 feet x 13 feet
• 48-inch Pool Cue:
  • 6-Foot Table – 13 feet x 10 feet
  • 7-Foot Table – 14 feet x 11 feet
  • 8-Foot Table – 15 feet x 11 feet
  • 9-Foot Table – 16 feet x 12 feet

Other Considerations

While verifying the room dimensions in your home will accommodate a pool table, another consideration is the ceiling height in the room. Most people will want to install lighting over the pool table’s playing surface to make it easier to see the balls and play pool in the evenings.

For example, if you have 8.5-foot ceilings in the room, your light fixture should not hang down more than 3 feet from the ceiling. This leaves approximately 5.5 feet from the floor to the bottom of the light fixture and about 3 feet from the top of the table and base of the light fixture. On the other hand, if you have 10-foot ceilings, the light fixture can hang down 4.5 feet from the ceiling.

Last, do not forget to double-check the room’s dimensions to ensure you have sufficient room around the pool table and plenty of space to move the pool cues without hitting the wall.

For further assistance in selecting the right size of handcrafted pool table for your home, or to learn more about custom designing a table, please feel free to contact Blatt Billiards at 212-674-8855 today!