I Wasted $3,400 on Wrong-Sized Simonis Cloth – Here's My 5-Step Ordering Checklist

Who This Checklist Is For (and Why I Wrote It)

If you're a billiard table dealer, repair service, or facility manager who orders Simonis cloth regularly, you've probably had one of those orders that went sideways. Wrong size, wrong type, delayed delivery — and suddenly a simple re-cover turns into a $900 headache.

I've been handling cloth orders for 7 years. In my first year (2017), I ordered Simonis 760 for what I thought was a standard 7-foot table. Turned out the customer had an 8-foot Valley coin-op — classic beginner mistake. That one error cost $340 in wasted cloth plus a 1-week delay, and I lost the customer's trust. Since then, I've documented every major screw-up (47 now) and built this checklist that our team follows religiously.

Step 1: Confirm the Actual Table Dimensions — Don't Trust "Standard"

Here's something vendors won't tell you: "standard size" can mean different things. A regulation 7-foot table has a playing surface of 39" x 78" (inside rail to inside rail), but many coin-op tables vary by up to 1". And if you're dealing with a table on a cruise ship — say, the Icon of the Seas water slide area's game room — they might use a custom metric frame.

What most people don't realize is that Simonis cloth comes pre-cut for specific sizes. Ordering the wrong cut means either wasting material or having to seam it. Seamed cloth on a pool cue's path? That's a bumpy shot waiting to happen.

Checklist point: Measure the inside playing surface length and width to the nearest 1/8 inch. Then cross-reference with Simonis sizing charts (they list exact dimensions for each SKU). Don't just ask "is it a 7-foot?" — get the model number or serial plate.

Step 2: Choose the Right Simonis Grade — 860 vs. 760 vs. Others

I still kick myself for not understanding the difference between 860 and 760 early on. 860 Tournament Blue is a worsted wool-nylon blend, about 21 oz per yard — slower, more controlled, what pros ask for. 760 is lighter (19 oz), slightly faster, and less durable. Both are Simonis, but they're not interchangeable.

If a customer says "I want simonis 860 pool table cloth because I saw it at a tournament," don't try to upsell them to something cheaper. The surprise for me was that 860 actually lasts longer in high-use commercial settings, so the total cost of ownership is lower. But if they're a home player who wants speed, 760 might be better.

Checklist point: Confirm the player's skill level and usage frequency. Recreational home? 760 is fine. League play or commercial? 860 all the way. Also, note that Tournament Blue is just one color — Simonis offers 15+ shades, so ask if they want a specific look.

Step 3: Double-Check Color Availability Before Promising a Date

Look, I'm not saying inventory is always a problem, but it is. In September 2022, I had a $3,200 order for a 9-foot table at a high-end hotel — they wanted Simonis pool felt in Tournament Green. I checked the price, placed the order, and then found out that shade was backordered 3 weeks. The hotel had a grand opening in 2 weeks. That's when I learned never to promise a delivery date without first confirming stock with my distributor.

Here's the thing: the "rush order premium" (often +25–50% for 2–3 day turnaround) is worth it when a deadline is real. For that hotel, we paid $400 extra for expedited shipping on an in-stock alternate color. Missed deadline would have cost us the entire $15,000 contract. The time certainty premium paid off.

Checklist point: Before quoting a delivery date, send a stock inquiry. If the exact color is out of stock, offer alternatives immediately. And if the customer is in a rush, budget for rush shipping — it's cheaper than losing the job.

Step 4: Verify Your Cutting and Installation Tools

I knew I should replace my dull staple gun before installing that $280 Simonis 860 on a customer's table. But I thought, "what are the odds it jams midway?" Well, the odds caught up with me when the gun misfired in the middle of the last side — left a visible crease in the cloth. $280 wasted, credibility damaged. Lesson learned: always inspect and test equipment before starting.

Also, a standard pool cue tip is 13mm; if you're using a butt that tapers, make sure the cloth stretch is even to avoid dead spots. A poorly stretched cloth can affect cue ball spin and deflection — something serious players notice instantly.

Checklist point: Replace staple gun o-rings, check air pressure (for pneumatic), and have a spare strip of cloth for practice tensioning. Do a test fold on an offcut before the real install.

Step 5: Know the Standard Table Sizes (and How They Affect Your Order)

Ask yourself: what is the standard size of a pool table? The answer varies by region and type. Regulation sizes:

• 7-foot (bar box): 39" x 78" playing surface
• 8-foot (home): 44" x 88"
• 9-foot (professional): 50" x 100"

But many tables sold as "8-foot" actually measure 44.5" x 88.5". If you order Simonis cloth cut for a true 44" x 88", it'll be too tight. Worse, the cloth might not staple properly under the rail cushions. I once ordered 10 pieces of Simonis 860 based on "standard 8-foot" — only 8 fit because the others were off by 1/2 inch. That was a $450 mistake plus a 3-day production delay.

Checklist point: Always request the exact inside rail dimensions and compare against Simonis's published cutting specs. If the table is non-standard (like a European carom table or a custom build), order oversize and trim on-site.

Final Thoughts (and One More Caution)

If you're ever tempted to skip a step because "it's basically the same as last time" — don't. That mindset cost me $3,400 total in my first three years. Since implementing this checklist, we've caught 47 potential errors in 18 months, saving about $11,000 in waste and delays.

One last thing: when you're dealing with an urgent project — like equipping a cruise ship's game lounge before departure — pay the rush premium for guaranteed delivery. The alternative is missing a $15,000+ contract. The time certainty premium isn't a luxury; it's insurance. Trust me on this one.