How to Buy a Used Pool Table
A used pool table is one of the best deals in the game. Moving a slate table is enough of a hassle that sellers often let good tables go cheap just to get the space back. Know what to inspect, budget for the move and a recloth, and you can land a slate table that outplays anything new at the same price.
Insist on slate
The whole point of buying used is getting slate quality at a discount. A used MDF table has usually taken on humidity and may already sag, so it is rarely worth moving at all. Confirm the bed is slate. Ask the seller, and if you can, lift a rail or feel under the cloth at a pocket. Slate is cold, heavy stone. MDF is light and feels like wood.
What to inspect in person
- Slate condition: Look and feel for cracks, chips at the pockets, and whether the three pieces sit level and seamed.
- Cushions: Roll a ball into each rail. A dead, dull rebound means the rubber has hardened and needs replacing.
- Frame and legs: Check for warping, water damage, wobble, and loose hardware.
- Cloth: Worn or torn cloth is normal on a used table and a cheap fix, so use it to bargain.
- Completeness: Confirm all the rails, bolts, and pockets are there.
Budget for moving and refelting
Never move a slate table in one piece. It has to come apart, the slate carried separately, then reassembled and re-leveled at the new place. Movers who specialize in tables typically charge a few hundred dollars for that, and they earn it. Plan on new cloth too. A recloth runs a few hundred dollars installed, and it lets you start fresh with the color and grade you want.
Negotiating and total cost
Fold the moving and refelting into your offer. A free or cheap table that needs $600 in moving and $300 in cloth still often beats a new budget table, but only if the slate and frame are sound. Cracked slate or a warped frame? Walk away, whatever the price. Neither one gets fixed cheaply.
Our picks
Links open the current selection and price on Amazon so you can compare real reviews before buying.
Professional Table Moving Service
Safely relocating a used slate tableSpecialists take the table apart, move the slate separately, then reassemble and re-level it. This is the one line in the budget you should not cut when buying used slate.
Check price on AmazonReplacement Table Cloth (Worsted)
Refreshing a used table's playing surfaceA recloth in worsted speed cloth turns a tired used table into one that rolls fast and looks new, for a fraction of what a new table costs.
Check price on Amazon
Cushion and Rail Repair Kit
Reviving dead rails on an older tableNew K-66 gum-rubber cushions bring lively rebound back to a table whose rails have gone dead with age, a common used-table problem and a fixable one.
Check price on AmazonFrequently asked questions
Is a used pool table worth buying?
A used slate table with a sound frame is often a great value, since sellers discount them heavily to avoid moving them. A used MDF table usually is not worth the moving effort.
How can I tell if the table is slate?
Slate is cold, heavy stone. Ask the seller and, if you can, feel under the cloth at a pocket. A light, wood-feeling bed is MDF and worth far less.
How much does it cost to move and recloth a used table?
Professional moving and re-leveling typically runs a few hundred dollars, and a recloth another few hundred installed. Add both to the price before you decide it is a bargain.
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