How to Choose a Billiards Table for Your Game Room

Are you ready to put together a game room in your home? This is an exciting process! No matter what your indoor recreation interests are, it’s fun to create a space where you can play games with your family and friends. Not only that but creating a game room in your home is also a convenient way to have some friendly competition without having to step foot out the door. If you’re considering billiards as a possible addition, you probably want to know how to choose a billiards table for your game room.

Though it really varies based on your personal preference, as well as the amount of space you have available, here are tips to help guide your decision on how to choose a billiards table for your game room.

What’s the Difference Between Pool and Billiards?

Before we get too far into the decision-making process, it’s best to have an understanding of the difference between pool and billiards. Though these two terms are often used interchangeably, they are actually two different games. The playing table for each also varies slightly, even though they look very similar.

Billiards is a blanket term that describes any game played on a table with cue sticks. Therefore, pool is actually a type of billiards. However, billiards is also the name of a game similar to pool. In this game, the players use a cue stick to hit balls in succession. The main difference between the game of billiards and pool is that billiards is played on a table with no pockets. Pool is played on a table with pockets.

What is the Size of a Standard Billiards Table?

A billiards table can take up a sizable chunk of your game room space. Therefore, it’s helpful to know how big a standard billiards table is before you decide to add one to this area.

The standard size of a billiards pool table is 8-feet long. However, you may choose to go slightly larger or smaller depending on the space available to you. You can also choose options that are 7-feet or 9-feet long, based on your personal preference. No matter which size you choose, make sure you have ample space around the perimeter of your pool table. You want to be able to move around and play freely, without bumping into other players or surrounding furniture.

What is a Billiards Table Made of?

When you think of pool or billiards, you might have a vision of a very traditional pool table in your mind. While these tables certainly exist, there are different pool table styles to fit whatever aesthetic you prefer in your game room. Billiards pool tables can be made up of different materials.

The most commonly used material used in manufacturing pool and billiards tables is wood. Wood lends to be a very traditional look for your pool table. Many different kinds of wood can be used, including maple, oak, and pine. Wood pool tables can be stained in any color, so you can choose from light or dark wood pool tables.

If you prefer a more modern look, you might choose a pool table that has a metal finish. Metal contributes to an industrial look that’s really beautiful. Metal allows for different finishes, such as patterns or designs you might not find on wood tables. 

Juniper carries both Plank & Hide billiards and Olhausen billiards tables, which come in a variety of materials to suit your preference. With a vast selection of stunning tables, you are sure to find the exact one that meets your personal taste.

Designing a Luxury Game Room: How to Choose a Billiards Table for Your Game Room

Creating the game room of your dreams will allow you unlimited creativity in your design decisions. Take this opportunity to design a game room that truly fits your style. No matter what plans you have in mind for your game room, you might find it helpful to have some insight from some experts in game room design.

Is the game room going to serve as somewhat of a “man cave”? If so, you’ll probably opt for darker colors that create a more masculine type of look. If the game room is supposed to be more of a family friendly space that’s geared towards kids, you might choose to go for brighter, more eye-catching colors and patterns in your decor.

You can also design your game room with a specific theme in mind. This might not be something you’d do in a more common area of your home, but you can easily get away with more unique ideas in your game room. Some examples include sport themes, retro themes, or movie-inspired themes.

How to Build a Backyard Game Room

Maybe you don’t actually have space to create a game room indoors. If that’s the case, move the fun outside. There’s no reason you can’t build a backyard game room.

Do you have a shed that you’re not properly utilizing? Turn this into your backyard game room. If you don’t already have a shed in your backyard, Juniper sells a selection of outbuildings that you can use for this purpose.

Not only is having a backyard game center unique, it’s also a way to enjoy your games without disrupting sleeping children at night. It’s also a great way to get your kids out of the house for a bit, without them going too far. You can add all of the games you would in an indoor game space. This is another fun way to make your game room your own.

Let Juniper Help You Build the Game Room of Your Dreams!

Now that you know how to choose a billiards table for your game room, stop in our Juniper location in Appleton. At Juniper, we have everything you need to equip the game room you’ve always dreamed of. Not only can we teach you how to choose a billiards table for your game room, we also have other recreational games that will make your game room the best on the block. These include darts, Skee-Ball, foosball, and so much more! Stop by our showroom today and test them all out in person or contact us for more information.