Pool Table Lighting

When people buy a pool table for the home it is often to go into a games room that has been designed to replicate that bar feel within your own four walls.

The pool table is usually the centre piece and there is often a dart board, football table and sometimes even a bar. One thing however that is quite often overlooked that is always found in your local pub is the pool table lighting set.

Many people are a bit unsure about fitting the table light and are nervous about having it installed incorrectly.

The first thing we must say is that the pool table light set should always be fitted by a qualified electrician. This will ensure it is safely and correctly set up. Although an electrician is an expert at fitting the pool lights they are often unsure about the height that the canopy bar should be over the table.

We regularly get calls from confused customers asking how high the light shades should be from the pool table cloth. Whilst there is no written rule for this below is what we consider to be the recommended heigh

Correctly Hanging A Pool Light

The guide below is based on a UK league size pool table situated in a room with a standard ceiling height. If you have a very high ceiling then we would not really recommend purchasing a pool lighting set as it would probably have little effect on lighting up the table.

The light should always be hung in the middle of your pool table. If it is set centrally over the table you will find that this prevents glare or a false perception when playing a shot.

OK, so you have the light set right in the middle of the table, but at what height should it be hung?

The first thing we need to know is the height of your pool table. A standard height UK slate bed pool table is usually between 32 and 34 inches depending on the height that the leg level is set at.

The proper height is to hang the light shade 34 inches above the pool cloth. This means that from the floor to the bottom of the light set the height gap should approximately be between 66 and 68 inches.

If you do not have a tape measure to hand and are approximating the lighting height then a general rule for an average height male is to have the bottom of the light fitting in line with the bridge of your nose when you are stood up straight.

It does not matter if you put up your light before or after you have the pool table installed. If you are hanging the light before the table arrives then use our rule of 68 inches from the floor and ensure that you are leaving the correct amount of space to be able to play pool.

Poor Table Light Height

A badly hung light set can really affect the performance of the table. The game of pool is about judging angles and precision cueing. If the light set is to low or high then poor light will really change the appearance of the simplest of shots.

Poor light will also create a distracting glare on your table cloth. Instead of being able to focus on basic shots you may find you have light in your eyes.

As well as changing the game play of the pool table, a light hung too low has a real chance of getting damaged. There is a good chance of the cue hitting the light or the bulb if it is placed low. Unless you plan on buying a new light each week then avoid this common mistake.

Lighting Sets

In the UK most table light sets have 3 lamp positions. The bar is usually between 130 and 150cm in length. This size of bar is ideal for a UK 6ft or 7ft pool table. They usually take a bayonet bulb up to 60 watts.

Here at Pool Tables Online we sell a nice range of pool lights and pool tables and are always happy to offer impartial advice on lights or general pool information.