Choosing the right color for your pool table felt matters more than you think!
Although the color of the pool table felt will not make a huge difference in your gameplay performance, it can either stimulate or distract you while you play and hence, affect your concentration.
So it’s important to choose the right color of pool table felt that would help you focus on the game and compliment instead of sabotaging your skills.
What are the Best Colors for Pool Table Felt?
Green
The best and the most popular pool table felt color is green. It makes the pool table feel a lot lighter than other standard color options for pool table felt. This color gives off a soothing and smooth atmosphere in the eyes of the players.
Very bright colors can trigger headaches to the players. Green, in contrast, establishes a dark and dull room, which is perfect for concentration.
Such a color also promotes excellent visibility in the game. The player can intently focus as the shots launch because the lighting effect of the green felt improves the range of vision.
Blue
Surprisingly, blue is just as popular as green pool table felt. Blue pool tables are commonly used in billiard championships and professional games of snooker or pools.
While many people assume that the reason why green is used in pool tables is that it resembles a grassy field, it got enthusiasts thinking about the relevance behind blue pool tables.
The introduction of the blue color in the realm of billiards is rooted in the year 1970. The US Open Pocket Billiard Championships first used blue pool tables for the games aired on television.
Since it was being watched on screen, following the balls will be hard for the viewers if a green felt was used for the pool table. They, later on, realized that blue pool tables make the ball more visible and bring viewing ease on or off the screen.
Red
The color red is another hue for pool table felt that is slowly growing in popularity. Red, being next in line, is considered to be a good color for table felt, as well as its shades of maroon red, burgundy red, Windsor red, and bright red.
Red is also expected to dominate in the upcoming years. Other unconventional colors might get into the industry soon, especially since this sport is continually emerging.
Tips for Choosing the Right Felt Color
1. Avoid Selecting Felt that is too Bright
Going for a bright color when you already have a nice beaming light over the pool table may not be an ideal setup for you.
Combining the brightness of the felt and the blinding shed of your room can strain your eyes and lead you to slip away from your focus. Other players even experience headaches while they play.
If your room has an adept intensity of light already, you might want to browse a few pool tables that are more muted or neutral. You can narrow down your options by considering the contrasts and compliments of the colors available.
For example, a deep burgundy red sets perfectly over a bright lush of red, while a jewel tone blue can lay over a bright shade of blue.
2. Steer Away from Black and Other Dark Colors
One can never go wrong with black. It establishes an edgy and sleek appearance on any table. Black is an ideal option for aesthetics yet a tricky color for the players.
The following reasons are the definite cons of using the color black for pool table felt:
- The 8-ball Disappears On it: The 8-ball is part of the pack, and it will be difficult for you to launch a shot when you can’t see where to hit.
- Creates Extremely Dark Shadows: Black is a color that is prone to create a blind spot for the players because of the dark shadows.
- Pocket Disappears in the Dark Shadows: Dark colors can block the pocket, making it hard for players to take a shot.
3. Consider the Colors You Prefer
At the end of the day, your personal preferences are all that matter. Colors that can match the theme of your room are available anywhere, but you don’t need to suppress your inner voice and proceed with the color that’s not within your likeness.
You are the player, so the color that you pick must be something that soothes and settles with you. If your preferred color is neither of the popular colors green, blue, and red, then go further than the norm. Also, if you are confused about the wide range of colors available, neutral tones might work for you.
4. Match the Decor of the Room or the Table
Take into account the decor of your room and the design or type of the pool table. A pool table structured in ornate wood might complement a deep maroon fabric. If you have a polished dark blue table, then a muted gray tone will finish off the look.
5. Consider the Lighting
The pool table light can also be a factor in choosing the pool table felt color that can match the playing space. Pool tables with bright green lighting, for example, would be a disaster when paired with a neon orange felt cover.
6. Check Out a Showroom
Showrooms will help you decide on a particular color as you inspect the fabric laid on the mock pool tables. You will have a better view of what each hue would look like in a room.
From there, you will be able to picture the shade that works best for your own space.
You don’t need to think too deeply about the color of a pool table. Just avoid the ones that are too dark or too bright for your table, and everything will just be in place.
7. Consider Your Skills
Pool players who have been in the game for a while now are much more skilled when it comes to their vision and senses. So they can work well with different pool table colors as it’s not really a hindrance to them.
Beginners, however, will fare much better with familiar or neutral colors. This will help improve their vision and skills over time, and soon enough, they’ll be ready to adjust to a different felt color.
Bottom Line
Hopefully, this article has assisted you in making your decision for which pool table felt color you choose to use. When choosing the best color of pool table felt for you, it all comes down to preference and what you are looking to get out of your pool table.
Green, blue, and red are getting more popular in the industry as the best pool table felt colors, yet there are even more colors that you can choose from in order to give a personal flair to your pool table.
Your choice of color may come down to wanting one that is easy on the eyes and facilitates playability, or you may want to get a table felt color that blends in with the rest of the design of the room or table itself.
You can consider Simonis 760 or Simonis 860 as they are both available in 27 different colors. Simonis is producing arguably the best table cloth since 1680, and they are based in Belgium with their own factory in Verviers.
No matter what color you pick, the felt is just as important to take care of in order for it to stay intact. Below are some articles that may be of interest if you’re looking into taking care of it:
