Simonis Pool Table Felt FAQ: What Buyers Should Know Before Refelting a Pool Table

I'm not a table mechanic. I'm the office administrator for a mid-sized entertainment center, which means I order supplies, schedule maintenance, and approve the invoices for about 40 pool tables. Over the last few years, I've learned a lot about Simonis pool table felt—mostly by making mistakes that cost time and budget. This FAQ is the buyer's version of what I wish someone had told me.

Which Simonis cloth should I order: 860 or 760?

The majority of our orders are Simonis 860 Tournament Blue. That's the product our table technician asks for and the one most often recommended for tournament-style play. Simonis 760 is also a legitimate cloth option, but it is not the same specification. I don't trust my memory for a full technical comparison, so I ask a dealer to explain the difference before I place an order. If they can't explain it, I find a dealer who can.

You also need to be precise about the table itself. Simonis cloth is cut for different pool table sizes and table styles. A coin-operated bar table may need a different kit than a 9-foot tournament table. When someone tells you they want Simonis cloth on a pool table, ask whether they mean the bed cloth, the rail cloth, or both. Getting that wrong is an expensive mistake.

Is Simonis pool table felt worth the price?

I used to think that expensive cloth was a tournament-only luxury. I changed my mind after trying a cheaper option on one table. It looked fine when it was new. A few months later, players started asking why that table felt heavier and played slower than the others. The cloth had worn unevenly, and we had to refelt the table earlier than planned. The labor cost and table downtime made the original savings disappear.

Now I compare total cost, not just the cloth price. When the job is done, the cost of installation is about the same whether you install good cloth or questionable cloth. In a commercial setting, downtime also costs money. Simonis tends to be the safe choice when the goal is consistent speed and durability. This has shifted over the past few years: tournament-grade cloth is no longer reserved for competition rooms. Many operators use it on daily-play tables.

How often should a pool table be refelted?

The honest answer depends on use. A home table that gets a few hours of play per week can go much longer between refelts than a busy table in a bar or family entertainment center. In our building, the busiest table was refelted after about 14 months—maybe 16, I'd have to check the service log—while the private table upstairs lasted about three years. Those are not industry standards; they're just service logs.

The signs I watch for are more important than the calendar. If the table seems to play slow, if the ball drifts or slows unexpectedly, or if you can see a polished path between the rack and the foot spot, it's time to have the cloth checked. Don't wait until you can see a hole or a frayed edge. By then, the cloth has already been doing uneven work for a while.

How hard is it to refelt a pool table yourself?

People search for how to refelt a pool table because the labor cost is significant. My advice, after trying it once, is to treat it as a serious skill, not a weekend DIY project. Removing the old cloth and staples is easy. The hard part is installing the new Simonis cloth with even tension and the correct cloth direction, then matching everything around the pockets and rails. A small mistake can cause a ripple or a visible seam issue.

When I tried to do one myself, I made a tension mistake that affected ball roll near a side pocket. I called a professional to fix it, and the total cost was higher than if I had hired them in the first place. If you are a dealer or repair service and you are adding table recovering to your list of services, invest in proper training and tools. A bad install will eventually reflect on your business, regardless of the cloth brand.

What should a professional refelting job include?

When I request a quote, I ask for a detailed scope. A full refelting job should include removing the old cloth from the bed and rails, checking and cleaning the slate, inspecting the rail cushions, and installing the new cloth with proper tension. The installer should also finish the pockets and facings correctly. If the pockets or rails look weak, this is the moment to address them, because replacing a cushion later requires removing the cloth again.

Not every quote is the same. Some prices include only the bed cloth, while rail cloth is extra. Some include the labor for pocket work and some don't. I ask for an itemized breakdown so there are no surprises. I also ask whether the installer has experience with Simonis cloth specifically. Experience matters more than the brand of staple gun.

How should I clean and maintain Simonis cloth after installation?

The biggest improvement for us was learning to brush the cloth instead of aggressively vacuuming it. A soft brush removes chalk dust before it becomes ground into the fibers. If you use a vacuum, pick an upholstery nozzle and avoid a beater bar. We also wipe down the pool balls before tournaments; dirty balls can transfer dust and oil onto the table surface.

For spot cleaning, I keep Simonis X1 cleaner in the supply closet. I won't give you a step-by-step here because the instructions on the product matter. What I can tell you is what not to do: don't use household cleaners, glass sprays, or rough scrubbing pads. Residue from the wrong product can attract even more dirt and make the cloth play differently.

Will new Simonis cloth fix an older table's problems?

No, and that's an important point for buyers. Simonis cloth can make a sound table play beautifully, but it cannot fix dead cushions, a table that isn't level, or a failing seam. Before we order cloth for a problem table, our technician checks the basics: Is the table level? Do the cushions return the ball? Are the pocket openings and facings still in good condition? If the base is bad, new cloth just makes the surface look better while the table still plays badly.

Thinking of cloth as part of a larger system will help you in the long run. If you're planning a refelting project, budget for the inspection and any small rail repairs at the same time. Doing it while the table is open is far cheaper than pulling the cloth off again six months later.