Pool Dining Tables - UK's Best Selling Tables?

The Rise of Pool Dining Tables

Pool dining tables are fast becoming the best selling style of pool table in the UK.

One of the main issues when purchasing a pool table in Britain is the lack of space. As we are a heavily populated small Island space is at a premium. This means that our houses often lack the room space to take a dining table as well as a pool table. This is where the dual purpose pool dining tables come in.

Pool dining tables are ideal for having friends round for a meal and then shooting a few frames of pool afterwards. In the past only a select few were fortunate enough to have a pool or games room but this has now all changed thanks to these stylish tables.

In tough financial times socialising can be very costly. Going to the pub, out for a meal or even a day out with the family is getting more and more expensive. In our experience staying in is definitely the new going out. This is why so many people are turning to the pool dining table.

Do Pool Dining Tables Play Well? 

Due to the decline of the UK pub market over recent years we have seen a huge increase in pool table styles and designs from the manufacturers. This has meant that the range of pool dining tables has dramatically improved in all aspects. You are now guaranteed to not only get a great pool table but also a stylish piece of furniture.

The producers of these models are predominantly coin operated pool table producers. They supply the pubs and clubs throughout the country with robust tables. Most pool dining tables are made with the same materials that you would find on a UK pub pool table.

Our range of pool dining tables all have a top class slate bed playing surface, tournament quality cloth, high response cushion rubber, robust and stylish cabinet design. You are essentially getting the same game as you would play in the bars but with a stylish design.

The main difference between these tables and regular pool tables is the height of the legs and depth of the cabinet.

In order to sit round the diners you require a thin cabinet body. Whilst they all still have internal ball return systems they are shallow enough to allow a tall person to comfortably sit around the table.

This means that pool dining table legs have to be taller than a standard pub style leg to ensure that they play at a professional league size height.

Other than the look of the table they play exactly the same as a bar style pool table.

We have also found that cloth on pool diners tend to outlast cloth on a standard pool table. This is due to the fact that when not being used most people will place the dining top on the table. This stops potential damage to the cloth such as sunlight fading, dust and dirt, spillages and accidents. The added protection of the dining top provides many years of high quality cloth

So we have established that the pool side of these tables is excellent. They play great and are built to the hard wearing standards you would find on a commercial table.

How do they perform as a dining table?

As a dining table they work very well. They comfortably sit between 6-10 people depending on size and model.

They are generally an inch or two higher than a regular table. This however does not make eating around the table awkward. In fact without this extra bit of height it would be a little uncomfortable for a tall person to sit round the table.

When these tables are set up for eating it is not easy to tell that they are a pool table. Other than the slightly deeper cabinet and the ball return cut out hole at one end you would not know the difference. They basically look like a piece of furniture.

Some tables such as the Gatley Classic and Traditional tables now even have a ball drawer that the balls return into when potted. This means that when the table is not in use you close the drawer and hide the ball return hole cut out.

The dining top normally comes in two pieces. They are available as a one piece top but this is very rarely asked for. The weight of the dining top means that it needs to be in two pieces to manage. This is so that it can easily be lifted on and off the table when in use. Also the two piece top can either be stored under the table or in a cupboard when being used for pool.

The top itself does not sit on the actual wood off the pool table top frame. They rest of the 6 pool pocket liners that sit slightly proud of the top frame. This serves two purposes. Firstly it protects the top frame wood from scratches or scuffs when being lifted or placed. Secondly the pocket liners (usually rubber) act as a sucker and grip the dining top into place.

This means that when the dining table top is on the table it is very rigid. The combined weight of the top and the pocket liner grip locks it down so it does not slide around.

The two-section dining tops are always cut from the same piece of wood. This ensures that the wood grain on the dining top always match. Many manufactures dowel the tops to lock them together although some of the tops just butt together. Either way once in place on the table they perform just as well.

European Diners Vs UK Diners

UK Produced Pool Dining Tables

Many years ago the pool diner was a luxury product only affordable to the few. Over the years however the UK table suppliers have opened up this market to the masses by producing good quality, affordable tables.

They are built using the same robust laminated woods found on pub pool tables. The styles have been dragged into the 21^st century which means you can now get modern designs as well as the traditional models such as the two pictured below.

In all honesty most of these tables are built with the game of pool in mind first. That however doesn’t mean that they don’t work really well as a dining table.

UK pool dining tables come from the same suppliers that make pub pool tables. Unlike many imported European dining tables are traditionally manufactured by furniture makers. These tables tend to be built using solid wood instead of laminated woods.

The main advantages of the UK tables are as follows:

These tables are far more affordable than European diners. This is due to them being locally produced and being built from the same laminated wood as the UK pub table instead of solid woods.

Also you are guaranteed the exact same playing dimensions as the UK pub pool table. This is because they use the same slate playing surfaces on both models.

Having sold hundreds and hundreds of UK diners we are always delighted with the feedback we get from our customers. We usually get a pleasantly surprised response with the look and build of these tables.

European made Pool Dining Tables

The pool dining table is not a new idea to mainland Europe and many high quality furniture makers diversified years ago into the billiards market.

Unlike in the UK where pub pool table manufactures began to develop the pool diner for the home market. Our European counterparts have traditionally always started out life as fine furniture makers for the home. This is reflected in the creative and luxurious styles and woods used in production.

Table manufactures such as Billards Plaissance have been designing and selling a very high quality selection of pool dining tables for many years. 

The European pool diner style is most definitely produced as a piece of fine furniture first. They are nearly always made from real woods and the look and design of the table is always the manufacturers priority.

Over the last 15 years European pool dining tables have definitely improved the pool aspect of the dual tables. Most are built in the style of the mass market American pool tables which have the larger balls and pockets. However we are finding more and more of the tables can now be produced to UK pool specifications.

More and more European table makers are supplying the UK market. The growing demand for pool diners in Britain over the last 10 years has seen an influx of the worlds finest pool dining tables.

The choice has never been better.

Pool Dining Table Chairs.

Buying chairs for your pool diner is a very personal thing. Everybody has different tastes, styles and requirements. For this reason very few pool dining tables have the option of buying matching chairs.

All the UK made diners are produced solely by pool table manufactures who do not offer chairs as an option. Some of the imported dining tables come from pool table / furniture manufactures which means they do have a range of chairs on offer.

Billards Plaissance offer a chair set for each table model they produce.

If the table does not have the option of purchasing a matching chair we would recommend purchasing through a local chair / furniture store.

We Have Something For Everyone

Here at pool tables online we like to feel we have a dining table for everyone.

We can supply tables for all budgets. You can spend from £700 up to £7,000.

We have traditional dining tables, modern dining tables, UK pool dining tables, and European and American diners.

We have tables for the keen pool player, for families entertainment or for someone just looking for a beautiful piece of furniture.

Whatever your requirement we have the solution.

Pool Dining Table Review by www.pooltablesonline.co.uk