How to Stretch Pool Table Felt?

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Playing pool is one of the best ways to enjoy quality time indoors with your loved ones. This is especially true when you spend more time indoors.

If you have recently bought a pool table, you might be wondering how to stretch and install the pool table felt.

How to Stretch Pool Table Felt

It is necessary that the pool table felt is stretched properly. Imperfections, such as an uneven surface, can prevent players from making accurate shots.

Here, we discuss how you can install and stretch the pool table felt the right way.

1. Clean the Surface

Before installing your pool table felt, make sure that you must clean the table. You can use a dry cloth to remove dust from the table surface.

Avoid using a dusting spray or wet cloth to clean the surface as it can prevent the proper installation of the felt.

2. Install the Felt

Once you’re done cleaning the surface, the next step is to install the felt. Run your fingers over the felt to ensure that there is no roughness or bump under the surface. The felt should feel smooth when you run your fingers over it.

Cut the extra pieces using a sharp scissor or a razor-sharp blade. Make a cut of about an inch and rip off the remaining section with your hands.

When installing the felt, you should know the correct face-up. Many people install a pool table felt wrongful only to realize later that they have made a mistake.

There are generally pointers or stickers that can help you with the installation of the felt. If there are no pointers available, you can consider calling a professional.

Another important tip when installing the felt is to lay more felt on the foot and less on the head side.

Additionally, you should inspect for rips and scratches on the felt. Replace the felt in the case of scratches or rips by contacting the seller.

If you have not pulled the felt enough and there are loose felt or wrinkles on the table, you can lightly pull the felt at the foot side of the table.

3. Stretch the Felt

Before stapling, stretch the felt until there are no wrinkles. Leave enough cloth on one end and one side of the slate to allow stapling the felt into the wooden frame.

Stretch the felt across the table tightly, and use a stapler to staple the felt in two spaces at the sides of about 2-inch apart, and one space at the end of the pool table.

The felt should be stapled to the underside of the slate frame. Again, inspect the felt to ensure that the surface is smooth and that there are no wrinkles.

Instead of stapling the felt, you can also glue the felt to the slate.

Apply glue and place the felt over the table. Stretch the felt and cut the edges of the felt and then apply the glue to the corners.

How to Properly Maintain Your Pool Table Felt?

A pool table felt can last longer if it is properly maintained.

If you want to protect your investment, it is important that you follow these simple maintenance tips.

Keep the Table Covered

Cover the pool table properly when not in use.

Apart from preventing dirt or dust from accumulating on the table, this will also make the felt last longer and allow smooth play.

Set Rules

Loose jewelry, bracelet, and wristwatches can scratch a pool table felt creating a hole. A small pick in the cloth can grow into a noticeably larger hole.

You will have to re-felt the pool table if it gets damaged. If you want to protect the felt from the dents and scratches, you can set rules for all the players to keep these items in their pockets.

Brush the Felt Regularly

Make a habit of cleaning the felt using a pool table brush. Generally speaking, brushes that are safe for a pool table felt have soft bristles that won’t damage the surface.

Do not use an abrasive brush to clean the felt. You can buy a pool table brush from your local pool table store or an online shop.

Brush the table at least once a week. You may need to clean the table frequently if the pool table is used daily.

Brush the pool table felt using straight and quick strokes. Avoid using a circular motion as it can spread the dirt and damage the pool table felt.

You must use light strokes and avoid hard scrubbing strokes.

Start cleaning the pool table from the center. Brush the felt from the outward edges to remove the dirt. The dirt should be brushed into lines so that you can easily remove it from the table.

After you have brushed the table from the edges, brush it again this time from the end of the table. This will ensure that you thoroughly remove all the dust, thereby protecting the pool table felt.

Avoid brushing dirt under the bumpers. This is recommended since it will make it hard to remove dirt from the table. You should brush the lines of dirt a few inches from the table.

Brush the table in the same direction towards the pockets. Rubbing the brush in the opposite direction will cause damage to the felt.

Moreover, you should gently scrub the surface. Hard scrubbing can damage the pool felt due to which you will have to replace the felt.

Vacuum the Table Felt

Vacuum piles of dust on the table after brushing the entire felt. You can use a handheld or a standard vacuum cleaner having a hose attachment. Avoid using a brush attachment as it may damage the felt.

You should vacuum the felt careful to remove dirt from under the bumpers. Consider using a nozzle attachment to target dirt in this area.

Conclusion

A pool table felt should be installed correctly, smoothing out any wrinkles. You need to properly stretch the pool table to ensure that the surface is smooth.

An uneven surface will frustrate the pool players as they try to put the balls in the holes. The felt should be properly stretched so that there are no uneven surfaces.

It is recommended to call a professional installer if you are finding it difficult to install the felt. A professional installer will install the felt so that there is no damage during installation.

You can have peace of mind knowing they will install a perfectly smooth felt that will cause accurate movement of the balls.

Always keep the felt clear of dirt and debris. Also, ensure that the table felt does not get damaged from jewelry, watches, or other items. Moreover, you should cover the table felt when not in use to avoid damage.

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