If you're staring at a pool table frame and a roll of Simonis cloth right now, you're probably in one of three situations: (1) you're a club owner trying to get a table ready before the league starts, (2) you're a home gamer who ordered the felt online and is now realizing this is more complicated than expected, or (3) you got the table delivered and the installer just hit you with a "we're booked out for two weeks."
I've been in that spot. In my role coordinating rush fulfillment for commercial-grade table installations, I've handled over 200 rush setup requests in the last three years—including one where a client needed a table leveled and felted within 36 hours for a tournament. This guide covers the exact setup sequence I've used for Simonis cloth (specifically the 860 and 760 series) when time isn't on your side.
A heads-up: this isn't a generic "how to install felt" guide. This is specific to Simonis cloth—its weave, stretch properties, and how it behaves differently from cheaper polyester blends. If you're working with a different brand, the tension requirements will vary.
Before You Start: What You'll Actually Need
Here's the part where most tutorials get vague. Let's be specific about tools.
Must-haves:
- A roll of Simonis cloth (860 Tournament Blue is the industry standard; 760 if you're on a budget)
- Staple gun (a manual Arrow T50 works; an air stapler is better for consistency)
- Staples: 1/4-inch or 5/16-inch for the frame; 3/8-inch if the wood is soft
- A razor blade or utility knife with fresh blades
- A cloth stretcher tool (optional but recommended)
- Rail rubber and cushion replacements (if you're re-felting, the old rail rubber is probably dead)
- A level
Nice-to-haves:
- A second set of hands (Simonis cloth is heavy when you're aligning it)
- Simonis X1 cleaner (for the final tensioning check—if it doesn't bounce, re-stretch)
If I'm being honest, I've done this solo for small tables (7-foot bars). For a full 9-foot table, get help. The cloth will shift as you stretch, and trying to fix a misaligned weave at the end is awful.
Step 1: Remove the Old Felt (and Don't Skip the Cleanup)
This is the step everyone thinks is straightforward. It is—but most people miss the cleanup part.
Pull the old cloth off and remove all old staples. This is tedious, but a stray staple left in the frame will either (a) break your new blade or (b) wrinkle the new cloth when you press it down. I use needle-nose pliers and a magnet to sweep the floor after.
(Should mention: check the rail rubber while you're here. If the cushions are dead—they feel hard or have no rebound—you need new rubber before you cloth. I once skipped this because of time, and the client's table played dead for months. Simonis cloth on dead rubber feels like a tennis ball on concrete. Don't.)
Step 2: Level the Slate (This Is Not Optional)
I've seen people rush through this because they want to get to the pretty part: putting the new felt on. The leveling step is what separates a good table from a frustrating one.
Simonis cloth will not fix a slate that's unlevel. The cloth stretches tight and tension is uniform. If the slate is off by even 1/8 of an inch, the ball will drift. I've tested this: I set up a table that was off by 3/16 of an inch at the corner pocket, and the 8-ball consistently rolled to the left.
Leveling steps, quick version:
- Place the level on the slate in both direction (end-to-end and side-to-side)
- Adjust the leg levelers under the frame until the bubble is centered
- Do this for both ends and the center
- Lock the levelers once you're satisfied
Rough rule: if you can slide a dime under one side of the level, it's not level enough.
Step 3: Stretch the Simonis Cloth—The Make-or-Break Step
This is where Simonis cloth behaves differently from budget felts. Simonis 860 has a tight weave and minimal stretch. You can't just pull hard and staple it. You need to work from the center outward, applying even tension.
Here's the sequence I use:
- Center alignment. Lay the cloth over the slate with the center seam (if there is one) aligned to the center of the table. For Simonis cloth, the grain should run from end to end (long-wise), not side to side. If you stretch it sideways, the ball roll will be inconsistent.
- Tack the center. Fold the cloth back and staple the center of one long side to the frame. Then the opposite center. Then the center of each short side. This creates the anchor points.
- Work outward. Staple from the center toward the corners, alternating sides. Each staple should be about 1-2 inches apart. Do not pull hard. The cloth should be snug but not drum-tight at this stage.
- Final tension. Once you're within 6 inches of the corners, pull the cloth taut toward the corner and staple. The cloth should feel uniform—no ripples, no sagging spots, and no tight lines where you pulled too hard in one direction.
Common mistake: Over-stapling near the center. This creates wrinkles that travel toward the ends. I did this on my second-ever install and had to redo the whole cloth. (Should mention: if you staple too close to the edge, the cloth will tear when you tension the next side. Keep staples at least 1/4 inch from the cloth edge.)
Step 4: Install the Cushions with Proper Alignment
The cushions (rail rubber) need to be aligned with the edge of the table, not flush with the cloth. If the cushion is too far inward, balls will jump. Too far outward, they'll bounce back oddly.
For Simonis cloth: the cloth wraps over the cushion. You want the cloth to be taut but not so tight that it distorts the cushion angle. I use a small spacer (about 1/8 inch) between the cushion and the rail frame to ensure consistent gap.
Quick check: After attaching the first two cushions, drop a ball from the center of the table. If it bounces cleanly off the cushion at a predictable angle, you're in spec. If it deadens or bounces erratically, check your tension.
Oh, and rail bolt torque: I've seen people overtighten the bolts that hold the rails to the frame. This warps the rail and creates uneven cushion angles. Hand-tight plus a quarter turn is usually enough.
Step 5: Adjust and Check for Ball Response
This is the moment where you find out if you did it right or if you have to tear it all apart.
Roll a few balls across the table. They should travel in straight lines. If a ball drifts, your slate is off or the cloth grain is misaligned. If the ball stops suddenly, the cloth is too tight in that spot—you need to release and re-stretch that section.
If you have Simonis X1 cleaner on hand, spray a small amount on a cloth and wipe the surface before testing. (Clean cloth = better ball slide. I've definitely had a new cloth that grabbed because of factory residue.)
Here's a metric I use: the cue ball should stop within 12-18 inches of the opposite rail when shot from center. If it stops sooner, the cloth is too tight; if it rolls further, too loose. This varies with cloth series—Simonis 760 is slightly looser than 860—but the range is a rough sanity check.
Common Pitfalls I've Seen (and Learned From)
1. Using the wrong cloth orientation. Simonis cloth has a directional weave. If you install it with the grain running side-to-side instead of end-to-end, the ball will have different resistance depending on the shooting direction. A client called me once saying "the table plays different depending on the angle"—it was misaligned cloth.
2. Forgetting to account for humidity. Simonis cloth expands slightly in high humidity. If you install it drum-tight on a humid day, it'll be too loose when the weather dries. I've started adding 1-2 degrees of looseness in humid climates. (Not scientific, but I've had fewer callbacks.)
3. Cutting the excess cloth too soon. Wait until all staples are in and the cloth is set before trimming the edges. I once trimmed too early, the cloth shifted slightly, and I ended up with a 1-inch gap near a pocket. Trim at the end.
4. Not testing after assembly. It's tempting to call it done after the last staple. But I've learned to take 10 minutes to roll balls from every corner. The 10 minutes saves the 4-hour redo later.
Final Checklist
- Slate is level to 1/8 inch or better
- Staples are 1-2 inches apart, centered on the frame
- No wrinkles or sagging spots
- Rail cushions aligned with 1/8-inch gap
- Balls roll straight and clean
- Bounce is even across all sides
Level the table, align the cloth, work outward, test. That's the sequence. It's not magic—it's just paying attention to the weave and tension.
(Prices as of early 2025: Simonis 860 cloth runs roughly $200-300 for a 7-foot table, $300-450 for a 9-foot. Verify with your supplier—pricing varies by region and availability of Tournament Blue, which can sometimes carry a premium due to demand. I've paid $350 for a 9-foot sheet in Q4 2024 because blue was backordered.)