When I Thought I Was Saving Money
When I first started managing equipment orders for a chain of pool halls (back in 2018), I made the classic mistake: I chased the lowest quote on table felt. A local supplier offered me "pool table felt" at about half the price of a Simonis 860 roll. I thought I was being smart with the budget. That $200 savings turned into a $1,500 problem when we had to replace the cloth after just six months—and deal with player complaints about slow, inconsistent surface speed.
That experience changed how I think about cost. Here's the thing: cheap felt is rarely a bargain. But understanding why—and knowing how to avoid the trap—comes down to a few things most buyers don't think about until it's too late.
4-Step Checklist Before You Buy Pool Table Felt
Step 1: Recognize (and Respect) Material Differences
Not all cloth is created equal. The cheap stuff is usually a woven blend of polyester and nylon—sometimes with a felt-like texture applied chemically. It looks okay in the store, but after a few weeks of play, it starts to pill, fuzz, and slow down.
Simonis cloth (like the 860 and 760 series) is made from worsted wool—a tightly woven fabric that doesn't pill and maintains consistent speed. According to industry standards (I checked with a couple of table mechanics who've installed both), worsted wool lasts 3–5 times longer than the cheap blends under daily commercial use.
Most buyers focus on the price tag and completely miss the material composition. The question everyone asks is "What's your best price?" The question they should ask is "What's the cloth made of, and what's its lifespan in a commercial setting?"
Step 2: Measure Total Cost, Not Just Unit Price
Here's where my 2018 mistake really hurt. The cheap felt was $120 per roll. The Simonis 860 was $240. Seemed obvious which was better for the budget, right?
But let's look at the total cost:
- Cheap felt: $120 + installation ($150 per table) + replacement after 6 months ($120 + $150 again) = $540 total for one year
- Simonis 860: $240 + installation ($150) + lasts 2+ years in commercial use = $390 total for one year, and less downtime
And that doesn't include the opportunity cost of having tables out of service for re-felting, or the lost play revenue because regulars didn't like the slow surface.
Simple math: cheaper up front often costs more in the long run.
Step 3: Don't Ignore the Cleaning Routine
This is a step almost everyone overlooks. Once you invest in good cloth, you need to keep it clean. Cheap felt holds onto dust and chalk residue, turning dingy quickly. Simonis cloth actually performs better when maintained properly, and a simple brush-down routine (using a soft brush, not a vacuum) extends its life considerably.
For deeper cleaning, I now recommend a dedicated product like the Simonis X1 pool table cleaner. It's a mild solution that lifts chalk dust without damaging the worsted wool fibers. I've tested it on three tables in my current facility—a quick once-over with X1 every three months, and the cloth still looks and plays like new after a year.
Most buyers focus on the initial purchase and completely miss the maintenance cost (and the impact of poor maintenance on lifespan).
Step 4: Verify the Fit—It's Not Just "One Size Fits All"
Different table brands have slightly different dimensions. Simonis cloth comes in precut sizes for most standard tables (like the 860 series for 7-foot and 8-foot tables). But if you're buying aftermarket or cheap generic cloth, the fit might be off—leading to wrinkles, uneven stretch, or needing to trim too much excess, which wastes the cloth.
Before ordering, measure your table's playing surface exactly (length and width). Then check the product specifications to make sure the cloth you're buying matches within a 1-inch tolerance. A quick call to the supplier—or a look at the brand's spec sheet—saves the headache of a mis-sized install.
Common Mistakes I See (and Made)
- Buying "universal" felt without checking the material blend. If it doesn't say "worsted wool" or "Simonis 860/760," you're likely getting a short-lived polyester blend.
- Skipping the cleaning routine. Even good cloth wears faster if chalk dust builds up. A $10 brush and occasional $20 bottle of X1 cleaner extend the life by months—maybe years.
- Assuming the cheapest installation is fine. A bad install can ruin good cloth. Pay for an experienced mechanic—it's worth the extra $50–100.
- Not factoring in player feedback. If your regulars complain about slow tables, you lose their business. Cloth affects gameplay significantly.
The Bottom Line
In my experience managing orders for multiple facilities over the past 6 years, the lowest quote has cost us more in about 60% of cases. The $200 savings turned into a $1,500 problem when I chose cheap felt. Now I follow this checklist for every table re-felt project, and I haven't had a redo in over 18 months.
If you're running a pool hall, bar, or even a serious home setup, invest in quality worsted wool cloth from a reputable brand like Simonis. Pair it with a good cleaning routine (the X1 cleaner is a solid choice), and make sure your installer knows what they're doing. It's not about spending more money—it's about spending money where it actually saves you down the road.