How Much Does a Slate Pool Table Weigh?

Slate is a type of metamorphic rock that is used in pool tables. This fine-grained, smoothened-out rock is what affects the overall weight of a pool table and makes it heavy.

In fact, slate makes up about 65% of the overall weight of a pool table.

If you are wondering what the weight of a pool table is, then you have come to the right place.

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How Much Does a Slate Pool Table Weigh?

A regular slate pool table can weigh anywhere between 650 to 1,000 pounds. The weight can vary depending on the price of the table.

Typically, a mid-range slate pool table weighs somewhere around 700-800 pounds. The weight of the pool table also depends on many factors, for instance, the type, size, thickness, and style of your pool table.

Let’s take a look at the major factors that determine the weight of a slate pool table in detail below.

Factors that Determine the Weight of a Slate Pool Table

As mentioned above, the weight of a slate pool table can be as much as 1,000 pounds!

To put this into perspective, a non-slate pool table, such as a wooden pool table, hardly ever weighs more than 300 pounds.

So, what is it that makes slate pool tables significantly heavier than wooden pool tables?

Here are 4 factors that affect the overall weight of a slate pool table:

1. The Type of the Slate Table

If you ask any professional pool player, they will tell you that they prefer slate pool tables to non-slate pool tables.

This is because slate provides a smoother and more level surface than wood. It allows your pool balls to roll in a straight line every single time.

There are two types of slate pool tables that you can choose from – one-piece and three-piece slate tables.

The weight of slate pool tables depends heavily on the number of slates used in the table. Each slate part weighs around 150 to 250 pounds.

As the name suggests, one-piece slate tables are made using a single slate board. This is why they weigh less, are easier to move around, and cheaper to fix than the three-piece ones.

You can easily find these commercial pool tables in bars and clubs.

The three-piece slate pool tables are expensive, heavy, and perfectly leveled. They are made by fastening together three separate pieces or plates of slate.

They are significantly harder to move since they weigh more than one-piece tables and you also run the risk of ruining the plates.

Pool lovers and professional pool players usually only play on these heavier three-piece slate pool tables due to their smooth and level surface.

2. The Thickness of the Slate Used

The thickness of the slate used in a pool table is another prominent factor that heavily impacts its weight.

Most regular slate pool tables have a 1-inch slate bed, but it’s not unusual to come across tables with ⅞ inch, ¾ inch, or even a ½ inch slate bed. The thicker the slate bed, the heavier a slate pool table will be.

Typically, slate pool tables with one-piece slate beds are ¾ inch thick, while the ones with a 3-piece slate bed are about 1 inch thick.

The industry standard for the thickness of slate beds is around 1 inch. However, some manufacturers also provide slate beds with a thickness of one and a quarter inches.

Here are some weight and thickness standards for slate pool tables of different sizes:

For a ¾ inch 3-piece slate pool table that is 7-foot long, the usual weight of each slate piece is around 150 pounds.
For a 1 inch 3-piece slate pool table that is 8-foot long, the weight of each slate is around170 pounds.
For a 9-foot long slate pool table with a 1 inch 3-piece slate bed, the weight of each slate piece is about 230 lbs.
A typical 8-foot single-piece slate weighs about 425 pounds.

3. The Size of the Pool Table

It stands to reason that the size of a slate pool table will also affect its weight. The standard sizes of pool tables are 7, 8, 9, and oversize 8 feet.

A 7-foot slate pool table usually weighs about 700 pounds, while an 8-foot slate pool table typically weighs around 850 pounds.

The weight of a 9-foot slate pool table is somewhere around 1,000 pounds.

4. The Structure of the Pool Table

Apart from the type, width, and number of slates used in a pool table, the overall structure of the table also adds a little to its weight.

Slate pool tables need a solid surrounding structure that can withstand the weight of the slate. It needs to be made of sturdy and supportive materials to fully handle the weight of the slate bed.

This is why hardwood, such as oak, is used to build the surrounding structure of slate pool tables. The weight of the body or frame of a slate pool table can be as much as 200 pounds.

The legs of a slate pool table may weigh somewhere between 10 and 20 pounds each. Their weight depends entirely on the material of wood used and whether they are hollow from the inside or not.

The rails of a slate pool table also weigh somewhere between 10 to 15 pounds each. You can usually separate the rails into 6 parts, so they are easy to transport.

However, at times, only one huge rail simply drops down over the top of the pool table.

A typical in-house 8-foot slate pool table with 5-inch hardwood rails, drop pockets, rubber bumper cushions, and a 3-piece, the 1-inch slate bed will probably weigh around 700 pounds.

Most of this weight will be due to the heavy slate pieces.

So, if you plan on taking apart your slate pool table so you can carry it from one place to another, it’s probably not a great idea to only take apart the rails and legs— this won’t make much of a difference to the overall weight of your pool table.

Why It’s Important to Know the Weight of a Slate Pool Table

You must be wondering why it’s important for you to know the weight of your slate pool table.

Well, if you ever want to relocate your pool table or even buy a new slate pool table, it always helps to know just how much each slate pool table can potentially weigh.

It will also help you prepare a proper plan of action to disassemble and move your slate pool table.

It is easier to disassemble and relocate a three-piece slate pool table. However, you need to make sure that you don’t damage any of the individual slate pieces.

This is because each piece is fashioned to perfectly match the other two. If you damage even one slate piece, you will have to replace all three!

Because of its weight and construction, a one-piece slate pool table is quite difficult to carry down a flight of stairs or through a narrow hallway.

This is also why it will cost you a lot more to service or move a one-piece slate pool table.

Conclusion

The weight of a slate pool table can fall anywhere between 650 and 1,000 pounds. However, there are multiple factors that determine the weight of each slate pool table.

These common factors include the number of slate pieces used, the thickness of the slates that are used to make the bed, the overall size of the table, as well as the frame or body of the table.

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