Pool Table Slate Bed and Cloth Simulator
How a pool table plays across the years comes down to two things: the bed beneath the cloth and the cloth covering it. Try the two free interactive tools below from Russian Pyramid to weigh three-piece slate against MDF and Slatron-type beds, then put woolen felt and worsted speed cloth to the test on the very same shot.
Slate, MDF or Slatron: How Each Pool Table Bed Ages
A pool table bed has a single purpose: remaining perfectly flat. Natural slate resists moisture and never sags under its own mass, and all three of its slabs can be shimmed back to level after a move. Wood-composite beds leave the factory flat, but humidity and steady weight can bow the panel between supports as the years pass. Set the bed material, room conditions and years of ownership, then roll a straight shot to see where the ball comes to rest.
Slate is the foundation of a pool table that plays true for generations.
Every professional pool table rests on a slate bed hidden beneath the cloth: three precisely ground slabs, leveled one at a time and joined at nearly invisible seams. MDF and Slatron-type composite beds begin flat, yet years, load and humidity can pull them out of true. Explore how they compare below.
See how each pool table bed ages
Select a bed material, a room and a span of years, then roll a straight shot. The side view traces the bed's profile, while the top view reveals where a perfectly struck ball stops.
Illustrative model only. Bed movement is magnified for visibility; real-world results vary with construction, frame, climate and maintenance.
Anatomy of a three-piece slate pool table bed
The three-slab design is intentional. One slate slab of that size would be brittle and almost impossible to transport, whereas three matched slabs can each be shimmed until the entire bed reads level, then joined and sealed at the seams by a skilled installer.
Pool table bed comparison: slate, Slatron and MDF
General qualities of each pool table bed type. Construction varies between manufacturers and models.
| Three-piece slate | Slatron-type panel | MDF or particleboard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Natural stone from the quarry, ground flat and cut into a matched set of three slabs | A man-made slate substitute, typically a wood-fiber core topped with a sealed or laminated playing surface | Resin-bonded wood fibers or chips pressed into a panel |
| Moisture | Absorbs almost no water and remains stable in every season | A treated surface helps, but moisture can still reach the core at edges and seams | Draws in moisture and can swell, most often at edges and cut faces |
| Long-term load | Holds its shape under its own weight on a sound frame | Can bow gradually between frame supports | Prone to creep, a slow sag under constant weight |
| Re-leveling | Each slab shims independently, allowing the bed to be re-leveled after a move or as the home settles | Leg levelers correct tilt but cannot flatten a bowed panel | Leg levelers correct tilt but cannot flatten a bowed panel |
| How the cloth attaches | Fastened to a wood backing on the slate, stretched tight and replaceable throughout the table's life | Generally stapled directly onto the panel | Generally stapled directly onto the panel |
| Installation | Very heavy; professionally delivered, assembled, leveled and clothed | Lighter, simpler to place and relocate | Lightest, simplest to place and relocate |
| Years of play | Built as an heirloom | Fits casual play over a shorter horizon | Fits occasional or temporary use |
Find the right pool table bed for your room
Four short questions. Your recommendation adjusts with every answer.
Every slate pool table merits a professional installation.
The Russian Pyramid white-glove crew delivers, assembles, levels and clothes each table inside your home, anywhere in the country.
This guide is educational. The simulator is a simplified visual model and does not measure or predict the behavior of any specific table. Slatron is a trademark of its respective owner; Russian Pyramid has no affiliation with or endorsement from the trademark holder.
Worsted vs. Woolen Billiard Cloth: The Same Shot on Two Tables
The cloth on your pool table controls ball speed, spin and bank angles. Woolen felt has a nap, plays on the slow side and pills with wear. Worsted cloth, favored by league and tournament players, is nap-free and rolls quick and true. Pick a stroke, aim and humidity level, fire both tables at once, then try the spill test to see which cloth gives you time to blot up a drink.
Identical stroke, two billiard cloths.
Set up one shot and play it simultaneously on standard woolen billiard felt and tournament-grade worsted cloth. See how far the cue ball rolls on each, how the banks react, and what happens when a drink spills.
Tap or drag on either table to aim the shot.
Woolen pool table felt
Traditional napped wool blend that plays thicker, slower and more forgiving.Worsted speed cloth
Tournament weave in the style of Simonis that plays fast, smooth and spill-resistant.Spill test: felt vs. worsted
Treated worsted cloth holds liquid on its surface long enough to blot it away, while woolen felt pulls a spill into its fibers within seconds.
Choosing pool table cloth: the trade-offs
The right cloth depends on the room. A quick cloth rewards a skilled stroke; a slower felt is more forgiving for family games.
| Woolen felt | Worsted speed cloth | |
|---|---|---|
| Roll speed | Slower, requiring a firmer hit to cover equal distance. | Quicker, with consistent pace across the full length of the table. |
| Bank angles | Rebounds tend to fall a little short. | Banks run longer and hold a truer line. |
| Spin response | The nap takes the bite out of draw and english sooner. | Precise, dependable response to draw, follow and english. |
| Nap | Has a nap that needs brushing from head to foot, and slow rolls may drift with it. | No nap, so the ball rolls identically in every direction. |
| Aging | Pills with play and gets slower over time. | Resists pilling and frequently quickens slightly once broken in. |
| Spills | Absorbs liquid quickly and stains easily. | Treated versions let liquid bead, buying time to blot. |
| Best suited to | Recreation rooms, new players and value-minded buyers. | League and tournament players and serious home billiard rooms. |
| Cost and longevity | Lower initial cost, more frequent replacement. | Higher initial cost, longer service life. |
Illustrative model by Russian Pyramid. Rolling resistance, cushion rebound, nap drift and humidity effects are simplified to demonstrate relative differences between cloth types and are not measured from any specific product. Simonis is a trademark of Iwan Simonis. Russian Pyramid and this tool are not affiliated with or endorsed by the manufacturer.