The cost of leveling a pool table is not fixed. If you hire an expert for this task, then the specialist will charge you an hourly rate of around $80.
The service call fee may range from $60 to $100.
Here’s a detailed look at the costs associated with leveling a pool table.
Cost Breakdown
Leveling is usually performed on a pool table during its installation and assembly stage. The cost ranges from $250 to $360.
During setup, different steps are carried out to make sure that the pool table is ready for the game. This includes refelting, leveling, and complete assembly.
However, you can save a lot of costs if you carry out the job on your own.
If you are unwilling to pay the steep cost involved in leveling, then you can take the DIY route. However, managing the task on your own can damage your pool table and even cause injury.
If an uneven leg length is the cause of the unbalanced surface, then you will not specialist skills to resolve this issue. However, you may need the help of assistants and be prepared to lift heavy.
A brief outline is provided to help you level the pool table on your own.
How to Level a Pool Table Yourself
If you plan to level the pool table yourself, here are some of the things you should know.
Carpenter Level
If you find that the pool balls are traversing the table surface erratically, then you can use a carpenter level to address the issue.
Place the carpenter level in the middle of the table and observe the way the bubble travels. To begin, keep the orientation of the carpenter level along the length of the pool table.
This means that the level should be lined parallel to the long sides of the pool table.
If the table surface is perfectly level, then the bubble will settle in the middle between the two marked lines in the carpenter level.
However, if the surface is not level, then the bubble will not sit between the two marks. Instead, it will move towards the side in which the table is leaning.
This way, you will use the carpenter level as a reference to ensure that the pool table is perfectly flat. Besides helping identify a tilt, the carpenter level can also show you the direction of the tilt and enable you to pinpoint the problem area.
You should now place the carpenter level so that it is parallel with the shorter sides of the pool table. Look at the way the bubble moves to ascertain the direction of the tilt.
Tacking the Most Common Factor Behind Pool Table Tilt
In most cases, a tilt is caused when one leg of the table is shorter than the rest. So, you should place the carpenter level close to the edges along the sides to find out which leg is problematic.
You will find some tilt at all sides. However, when you position the carpenter level near the problem leg, you will notice maximum tilt. Keep in mind that one reason why the table may tilt is that the floor on which it is standing is not exactly level.
In case you do not have a carpenter level, then you can use other simple methods to find the direction of the tilt and the short leg. You can roll a ball along the playing surface and check its trajectory to confirm the leg causing the tilt.
Other Simple Ways of Checking for Pool Table Tilt
Another simple way of checking for the tilt is to use a flat glass plate and marble. Put the glass plate on one side of the table. Place the marble on it carefully.
Watch the direction in which the marble rolls off. This will show you the direction in which the table is leaning. You should repeat this procedure for all sides and pockets to find the problematic leg.
Use one of the aforementioned methods to determine the lowest pocket.
Read the User Manual
Before going any further, you should make sure that you have read the user manual provided by the manufacturer.
The manual will provide you with many important details from which you will gain an understanding of how to remedy different problems.
Most pool tables are adjustable so that you can make them level when needed irrespective of their surface.
Some pool tables come with metal plates that you can insert under the lower side to raise it just to the required level.
Some pool tables are built with legs that you can adjust for height. You can turn these legs are clockwise or anticlockwise to lower or raise them as required.
The owner manual will indicate the best way of adjusting the pool table so that it sits perfectly flat and level.
In case you do not have the user manual with you, simply inspect the table to understand the best way to adjust for height.
Take a close look at the legs to see if they are adjustable. In case you do not find adjustable parts, you can use other methods to vary the height.
If the legs are adjustable, you can raise them by turning them towards the clockwise and lower them by rotating them counterclockwise.
Check Bolts and Screws
Before you go on to adjust the legs, you must be certain about one key point. With time, the bolts and screws holding the pool table together can loosen to skew the playing surface.
So you must inspect all the screws for tightness. Use a screwdriver to make sure that they are all tight. Sometimes, you can make the table level just by tightening all the screws properly.
There is one more thing that you need to know. Adjusting the table legs for levelness can be a rather tricky procedure. You may sometimes have to experiment to find the set of adjustments that will make the table surface flat.
This can be time-consuming and challenging so you must be patient so that you don’t get flustered. There may be plenty of trial and error involved so feel free to experiment.
Use Shims to Balance Your Pool Table
You can use shims to adjust the heights of the table legs. Shims are thin tapering wedges of wood that you can deploy to adjust heights and fill in gaps.
These bits of wood can be easily found in carpenter shops and hardware stores for a low price. You can find different sizes of shims for all sorts of tasks.
In case your pool table lacks the adjustability feature, shims can enable you to fine-tune the leg heights.
In case the shims are showing underneath the table legs, you may need to carve off bits so that these wooden pieces are not visible. However, if the feet of the pool table is wide enough, then the shims should not show.
If you must go ahead with shims then enlist the help of some able-bodied assistants for heaving power. Have at least two or more assistants on standby so that they can lift the corner when necessary.
Once you locate the leg that needs adjustment, you can lift the table from the long side with the help of your assistants.
Another person can then place the shim underneath the short leg. Place the leg back on the shim as gently as possible.
Each time you place a shim, use the carpenter level or one of the methods outlined above to check the level of your table.
Keep putting shims under the table legs until the table surface becomes perfectly level.
If you are using a carpenter level, then you may not get the bubble to stand exactly in the middle where it should be if placed on a balanced surface.
So you must use the glass plate and marble test as described previously to come as close as possible to the perfectly level surface.
Remember, the surface need not be balanced. It should be just good enough to play without any noticeable adverse effect on the game.
So if the marble sits still on the glass plate in all areas, then your surface is good enough.
Conclusion
If you were wondering about what is the cost of leveling a pool table then you will certainly have a good idea after reading the article.
Leveling the pool table with professional help is not the cheapest of options.
However, with a little grit and resourcefulness, you can carry out a little DIY as described above to get a level playing field.
If you manage to do it well enough, then your DIY venture can be a cost-effective and pragmatic alternative to expensive professional work.
Other Pool table related articles you may find useful:
- How Much Does It Cost to Refelt a Pool Table?
- How Much Does a Slate Pool Table Weigh?
- Why Are Pool Tables Green (or Blue in some cases)?
- Can You Put a Pool Table Outside?