There’s a lot under the surface of your pool table that allows you to play your best game. Perhaps the most important component is the slate. The slate is the hard material under the felt that gives you a smooth surface to play on, allowing you to predict where the balls will go when you take your shot. If the slate is damaged due to age or accident, you’ll need to replace it. Replacing the slate is a pretty complex process, however, and you should call in a pool table repair expert to take care of it.
Here’s a closer look at what our team at Mr. Cue’s Billiards will do when they take on this pool table repair project.
Identifying the Problem
Before we start on any repair work, we confirm that there is damage to the slate. There can be chips or cracks in the slate that you can feel or see if there are uneven spots in the felt. Before we go through the effort of removing the felt and replacing the slate, we check the table is level and there are no bumps in the felt.
Starting the Process
Replacing the slate on a pool table is a tricky process with many steps. First, we have to remove the rails, which might be the easiest part. Once we get the rails off, we carefully remove the felt. The felt is usually either stapled or glued down. Removing it without tearing or damaging it requires precision and patience. However, if you need to replace the slate, there is a good chance you need to replace the felt, too. This is a good opportunity to get both of these repairs done at once.
Installing the New Slate
Before we install a new slate, we carefully inspect it for any imperfections and ensure it is the right size and thickness for your table. We also clean off any debris or dust. Then we align it on your table and secure it to the frame. Once the slate is secure, we can place the felt, whether we are putting the old felt back or replacing it. We ensure that it is stretched tight and free of any bumps or wrinkles before we attach it to the slate. Finally, we replace the rails and ensure the table is level. Now your table is ready for you to play!
