Selecting Your Pool Table Finish

The pool table construction and features described in our Pool Table FAQ may be important to just about every pool table craftsman but will almost always be invisible to the typical consumer. The quality of the finish on a pool table with its depth and clarity accented by sparkling mother of pearl or abalone diamonds, is immediately recognized as in a class by itself.

The foundation and basis for our exceptional finishes lies in sanding. It is impossible to put a good looking finish on an improperly sanded piece. We sand and re-sand each component at various stages of production both prior to and after the product reaches the finishing room. Although nearly every piece passes through our large, twin head, wide belt sander, that is only the starting point for much of the sanding.

123DiscountSports manufacturers have developed tints and shades to suit nearly every taste. Each color is mixed at the factory from complex formulas using top quality materials supplied by Sherwin Williams and other well known paint and pigment producers. Some of the finishes use two different stains for subtlety and depth, a base stain and a shading stain. And in between there are fillers and sealers, with sanding between each coat, a total of 8 to 10 steps. To top it off two coats of catalyzed varnish are added for a hard, durable, stain and fade resistant surface. Catalyzed varnished provides the hardest top coat available short of going to polyurethane or acrylics. The latter, while very hard, has a liquid plastic look, and like an airplane window, will cloud over in time from many fine scratches, while being nearly impossible to strip and refinish. As fine furniture, our manufaturers believe the product should have a medium or satin sheen as opposed to the "wet" look of high gloss found on cheap furniture. After finishing the product, each table is hand rubbed with a series of 3M polishing compounds and then a coat of protective wax.

Chances are you will find the right color from among our standard finishes. If not, custom color matching is available at additional cost.

For help in selecting a finish and photographic renditions of each, Click Here to be transferred to info on "Selecting a Finish and Cloth Color".

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