How To Create a Billiards Room in Your Home
A billiard room is an ideal addition to a home. To be fully enjoyed, however, it should not be oversimplified. There are certain things one must do to get an effectively entertaining billiards room in his/her home.
The first thing to consider is the size of the potential billiards room. Billiards players should not only be able to move around each other with at least a fair amount of comfort, but also be able to maneuver pool cues without hitting walls or other accouterments. A billiards room that is too small might result in holes in the wall and uncomfortable playing conditions.
Next to consider, along with room size, is table size. There are different sizes of billiard tables, two of the most popular being a 7-foot table and the regulation-size 8-foot table. For league play, the larger size is best to practice on, since players often calculate their moves mathematically and need consistent sizes to do so accurately. The smaller table might be more convenient if the room isn’t very large, it also might work best for family play, since many families come in different sizes.
Pool cues are a small but vital part of billiards, and matching a pool cue to a player can at times be quite difficult. It would benefit the table owner to select a few different pool cues to stock the room with, in case a player has trouble finding the right one.
Adequate lighting is important, although one might go a step further and install light fixture directly over the table to get more of a bar room effect from it. These lights often hang from the ceiling and can greatly enhance the ambiance of the room. One must be careful not to hang them too low, however, as it may affect comfort and play. Billiard balls now come in many different styles.
One can still find the old standard stripes and solids, but now can also choose sports team logos, neon colors, glow-in-the-dark, and even clear marble. Finding billiard balls that match interests can personalize a billiards room. Little things must also be considered to aid game play, like chalk for the cues, powder to reduce friction on the hands, a radio or television, and seating for those not currently playing.
The last important thing to consider is storage. It helps to places to put everything when the game room is not in use. A rack can be mounted or free-standing to hold pool cues, a closet or hutch can be used to store supplies for the billiards table, extra balls and maintenance supplies, and a garbage receptacle should be discreetly placed for the convenience of the other players.
