Simonis Pool Table Felt FAQ: What Cost-Conscious Buyers Need to Know (Including Slate Tables)

Quick Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Simonis Pool Table Felt

I don't like fluff. If you're here, you probably want straight answers about Simonis cloth, slate pool tables, and maybe even why I'm talking about treadmill workouts for weight loss in a felt article. Let's get into it.

1. What exactly is Simonis pool table felt?

Simonis is a Belgian brand that makes woven worsted wool cloth for pool tables. It's not felt in the fuzzy sense — it's a tightly woven fabric that provides consistent speed and minimal friction. The two most common grades are Simonis 860 (tournament-grade, 70% wool / 30% nylon) and Simonis 760 (slightly thicker, 60% wool / 40% nylon). The 860 is what you'll find in most pro tournaments, and its Tournament Blue color is basically a standard across the industry.

I'm not a textile engineer, so I can't speak to the exact weave density. What I can tell you from a procurement perspective: after tracking over 6 years of orders, the 860 consistently lasts 40-50% longer than cheaper blends. That's not hype — it's in my cost tracking logs.

2. What is a slate pool table — and why does it matter for felt?

A slate pool table uses a solid piece (or multiple pieces) of natural slate rock as the playing surface, typically 1 inch thick or more. Slate is the gold standard because it's flat, stable, and doesn't warp with humidity. Cheap tables use MDF or plywood, which means the felt will never play right even if you put Simonis 860 on top.

If you're buying felt for a non-slate table, don't overspend on premium cloth — the table's unevenness will kill the benefit. But if you've got a true slate table, Simonis 860 makes a big difference. (Should mention: I once recommended a customer buy a $200 slate table off Craigslist and put $300 worth of Simonis felt on it. He's been happy for 5 years.)

3. Why is Simonis 860 pool table cloth so popular?

Because it's the known quantity in competitive play. The 860 Tournament Blue comes in a specific shade that professional players recognize. The cloth's consistent nap — the direction the fibers lay — means the ball rolls predictably. Cheaper cloths have more friction and inconsistent texture.

But here's the catch: you don't need 860 if you're a casual home player. 760 is more durable and costs about 15% less. Over the total cost of ownership — including installation labor, which doesn't change between grades — 760 can be the smarter choice for home tables. I saved $4,200 annually across 12 tables by switching a client from 860 to 760. The players couldn't tell the difference in a blind test.

4. Small orders get treated badly — is that true with Simonis?

It can be, but it shouldn't. When I started out, I was ordering for a two-table bar — maybe $400 in cloth per year. Some distributors literally laughed at my order size. The ones who didn't? I'm still buying from them 8 years later, now at $15,000 annual volume.

Small doesn't mean unimportant — it means potential. A good supplier will treat your 1-yard order the same as a 100-yard order. If they don't, they're showing you their true values. I've got a spreadsheet (no joke, 8 vendors compared over 3 months) that proves smaller orders actually get better service from the right partner. You just have to look.

(Oh, and don't assume 'small' means you get worse pricing. Simonis doesn't have a minimum order quantity for dealers — the difference is in markup, not availability.)

5. How do I calculate total cost of ownership for pool table felt?

Here's my formula from 6 years of tracking:

• Cloth cost per table (include shipping — it varies a lot)
• Installation labor ($200-400 typically, same regardless of cloth)
• Expected lifespan (Simonis 860: 8-12 years home use, 3-5 years commercial; cheaper cloth: 3-5 years home, 1-2 commercial)
• Repair/replacement frequency (low-quality cloth rips sooner)

Example: A $250 Simonis 860 cloth + $300 installation = $550 total. Lasts 10 years. That's $55/year. A $150 cheap cloth + $300 installation = $450 total, but lasts 4 years = $112/year. You actually lose money buying cheap. That's the TCO argument I use every time.

6. Wait — why did you mention treadmill workouts for weight loss and push press dumbbells?

Fair question. Here's the connection: as a procurement manager, I've seen countless companies buy expensive gym equipment — say, a $3,000 treadmill for employee weight loss programs, or $200 premium push press dumbbells — while pinching pennies on their pool table felt. The logic doesn't hold up. If you're investing in recreation or wellness (whether it's a treadmill workout or a game room), the spending should be proportional to use.

I once analyzed a client's recreation budget: they spent $8,000 on a commercial treadmill (with a 12% usage rate) and $150 on pool table felt (used daily). The cheap felt wore out in 18 months. A simple swap to Simonis 860 would have lasted 6+ years — and the treadmill ended up collecting dust. The moral: don't allocate budget based on flashiness. Whether it's a push press dumbbell set or a pool table, invest in the pieces that get used.

(This isn't an attack on fitness equipment — I'm all for workplace health. But a 'cheap felt' mindset is the same as using flimsy dumbbells: you end up paying more in the long run.)

7. What's the biggest mistake people make when buying Simonis felt?

Thinking all Simonis products are the same. The Simonis X1 cleaner, for example, is a specific maintenance product — not a cloth. I've seen people order X1 thinking it's cloth and then complain. Also, color matters more than you think: Tournament Blue is the standard, but Simonis offers other shades like Tournament Green, Burgundy, and even a dark 'Midnight Blue.' One client ordered 'green' without specifying the shade, and it clashed with their room decor. Costly mistake.

If I could redo one decision: I'd spend more time upfront discussing color matching with the end user. At the time, I assumed 'green is green.' It's not. Simonis greens range from emerald to forest. Use their official color card — it's free from most distributors.

8. Last question: Should I install Simonis myself or hire a pro?

Installation is not a DIY project if you want it right. I tried installing a Simonis 860 on my own table. Planned 3 hours, spent 8, and ended up with wrinkles. Had to call a pro who charged $250 to redo it. Saved $250 by DIY? Actually lost $250 + wasted time. The pro stretched the cloth evenly along the grain, and it's been flawless for 4 years.

My advice: budget for professional installation. The cloth cost is a fraction of the total; the labor ensures it lasts. (And if you're a table repair service reading this — you already know this.)

Hope this helps. If you've got other questions, ask your distributor — or check Simonis's official site. They've got technical specs on the 860 and 760 that go deeper than I can here.