Al’s Blog

Cloth can last anywhere from 3 months under heavy use, to 20+ years if used sparingly.  Under average recreational use (3 to 5 hours per week) standard non-worsted billiard cloth needs to be replaced every 5 to 10 years.  The best grade (23 oz. per square yard, worsted wool) billiard cloth from companies like Championship, Simonis, Forestman, ec. should last 10 years or more under these conditions.  Players who strike the ball very hard on most shots, practice heavy english, do jump/masse’ shots, or play longer hours will not get this type of cloth longevity. 

If the cloth develops tears, holes, divits, or any serious marks that effect the roll of the billiard balls, it probably needs to be replaced.  Like many things, personal preference is all that really matters.  Serious players replace cloth once per year just to keep that “fresh” bite and roll on the ball.  Cloth comes in many grades from poor to tournament grade worsted wool.  I’ll discuss grades and characteristics in a later post.  A recover from a good, insured, professional installation technician should cost between $250 and $600 depending on the table style, cloth used, and part of the country you are in.