If you're in the market for buying a pool table it's really important that you carefully check the size of the room in which intend to put the table before you make a purchase. If you make a mistake at this stage or don't bother to check it out at all then you're not likely to enjoy playing on the table once it's in position!
One sensible way of going about this is to make a plan of the intended room. Basically you need to measure the room at the nearest points to where you intend to put your table. Obviously you should ignore and not measure into any recesses such as fireplaces doorways or bay windows. It is not generally an option to place your table at a diagonal in the room mainly for the reason that it will bring the corner pockets much closer to the walls which is not desirable.
A little lower down this page you will find a rough guide to the size of room you will require to fit in pool tables of various sizes. These suggested room sizes work on the basis that you will be playing fairly standard shots and using the standard length cue. You'll find that shots taken when the cue ball is hard up against the cushion will probably require the use of a short cue.
| Table Size | Minimum Room Size | Preferred Room Size |
| 6' x 3' | 14' x 11' (4.3m x 3.4m) | 16' x 13' (4.9m x 4.0m) |
| 7' x 3'6" | 15' x 11'6" (4.6m x 3.5m) | 17’ x 13'6" (5.2m x 4.1m) |
| 8' x 4' | 16'x 12' (4.9m x 3.7m) | 18' x 14' (5.5m x 4.3m) |
| 9' x 4'6" | 17’ x 12’6" (5.2m x 3.8m) | 19’ x 14’6" (5.8m x 4.4m) |