If you have purchases a pool table, and you are looking for replacement pool table parts because of needed repairs. Or if you are looking to purchase a used table, you need to know the cost of the repairs and maybe even how many of these repairs can you do on your own. What ever your reason you want to know about the parts of a pool table.

The portion of the table, which is easily recognized are the rails. If you were playing a game of pool, you would call them the banks of the pool table. From any angle, when the ball hits the rails they should bounce back in a vigorous manner. Old rails force players to compensate when making their shots. This will make it more difficult to the player when they play on a table, which is in good condition because the habit of compensating on the shots will hurt your game on a better table.

If you are unsure whether or not the rails need replacing, here is a test you can perform to help you decide.

First you will elevate your cue stick with your shooting hand to about 30 degrees parallel to the floor and hit a ball into a rail straight ahead. Hit the ball fast and with some topspin. When the ball hits the rail, if it jumps more than one inch into the air, the rail may need replacing.

Another test you can do is rolling the balls very slowly into the rails. If they rest against the rail, the rail needs to replaced. Do they spring back into the playing area? If so does it angle as a laser beam would when bounced off a mirror?

You will also want to search for grooves worn into the felt underneath the rails. This is the area where their edges hang over the table. These slight tracks are indications of a worn, and less springy rail that you will want to replace.

Check the pockets. This is another unmistakable portion of the pool table, which is easily recognized. Pockets that are loose will be fairly easy to sink a ball into. These are the kind of pockets a novice or intermediate pool player will like. The tight pocket will take a more precise shot to sink the ball. If you want to improve on the precision of your game you might want to work with pockets like this. They will help you learn to make your aim towards the pockets a little more precise.

If you want to check the pockets for wear, roll the balls into all the pockets at different speeds and angles. How easily do the balls sink? Enough to keep your entertained or do they bounce around and then out of the pocket as if you have made a overly hard shot. Just make sure to check all six of the pockets of the table you own or the table you are looking to purchase.

The pool table felt is an important part of the game. Check the felt for speed. If the speed of the table is fast you might want to check for wear spots on the cloth. If the table speed is slow chances are the cloth is fairly new and still thick. If the felt has a lot of white marks in it you may want to replace it. Not only will it look better, but also the white marks are burn marks from the friction of the cue ball upon impact with the cue stick. These spots, if they haven't already, will wear out. To recover the pool table yourself, you will be able to find sites on the Internet that sell kits for that very purpose. You can have a professional do it or you can save yourself the money and do it yourself. It is up to you. Also use pool table covers to protect the felt.