Having a pool table in a home offers hours of entertainment and fun, but it’s essential to make sure there’s enough space for the table (and its use) before you invest in one. But how much square feet do you need for a pool table?
It may surprise you to learn that a pool table might have a small area but still require a significant amount of square footage to be usable. After all, you’ll need space around the table for players to stand and to play comfortably.
Before you invest in a pool table for your home and take your rec room to the next level, it’s important to understand how big a pool table is and how much space you need to add one to your house.
How Big is a Pool Table?
A standard pool table measures approximately 7 feet long and has a playing surface that measures 78 inches by 39 inches. Pool tables in bars and pool halls sometimes adhere to a 2:1 ratio, meaning that they measure 7 ft seven feet by 3.5 feet.
Of course, smaller tables are available and these may be the best option if you want to put a pool table in a small room. It’s essential to have enough space around the table itself to leave room for players to use their pool cues.
In most cases, a pool table must be at least six feet long to be usable. Anything smaller than that won’t allow for comfortable game play. Some people prefer tables that are 9 or 10 feet long. Anybody who wants to learn how to play snooker, a cue game that uses unnumbered and numbered balls, may want a 12-foot-long table, since that’s regulation size for snooker.
How Much Space Do You Need Around a Pool Table?
Knowing the area of an average pool table is only the beginning of determining how much space is needed to have a pool table in your home. Even in some pool halls and spacious rec rooms with ample square footage, it’s not uncommon to see a player forced to use a short cue because there isn’t enough space to use a regulation cue. Miscalculating the square footage needed can therefore be a significant issue you should aim to avoid.
How Long is a Standard Pool Cue?
There’s no real average size for a pool cue because different players prefer different lengths. However, most pool cues for adults measure between 52 and 60 inches long and can vary according to a player’s height. Adults between 5 feet and 5 ft. 8 inches tall will probably feel most comfortable with a cue that’s 52 inches long, while someone over six feet tall may prefer a cue that measures 60 or 61 inches.
While players typically rest part of the cue on the table, they need the space to draw the cue back and hit the ball, which means that you wouldn’t want a pool table to be placed too close to a wall. Players need space on all four sides of a pool table to make playing possible.
How Much Space Do Players Need?
Like pool cues, players come in all shapes and sizes, and you’ll need to take into account the space players require when you estimate the square footage needed for a pool table.
Adult players need several feet of space to feel comfortable. For example, when they’re bent over to line up a shot, they won’t want to be pressed up against a wall. You’ll need to make sure that you leave enough room for players to navigate around the table and around each other, and enough square feet are allotted for any player to use their desired pool cue to play.
How to Estimate Space Needed for a Pool Table
There’s a simple tip to help you estimate the amount of space you need for a pool table or, alternatively, to figure out whether the pool table you want to buy will fit in the available square footage.
- Measure the pool table itself and calculate its area.
- Measure your room and calculate its square footage.
- Add 10 feet to each measurement of the pool table. For example, a seven-foot pool table plus 10 feet would equal 17 feet.
Adding 10 feet ensures that there will be enough room for the pool table, any players, and their pool cues. So, for a pool table that measured seven feet by three and a half feet, you would need a space that measured at least 17 feet by 13.5 feet to accommodate it. That works out to square footage of 229.5 square feet for the room.
Of course, you may opt for a smaller table or invest in small pool cues if you want to fit a pool table into a small space. The measurements and square footage suggested above are designed to provide maximum comfort and playability for everybody involved.
Your Cue to Buy a Pool Table
Adding a pool table to your home can bring countless hours of fun and entertainment. Pool playing requires strategy and patience. Using the tips we’ve included here can help you determine the right size pool table to buy–and the perfect spot to put it!
