STAPLES VS. GLUE

In olden days pool table felt was affixed to the table with tacks which eventually gave way to staples. Some cloth fitters in European countries still use tacks when installing cloth on snooker tables. Tacks and staples have given way to glue - more specifically contact adhesive. The advantages of glue are getting complete adhesion of the cloth to the slate edge and you don't bomb out the wood slate liner with tack/staple holes since the cloth adheres to the slate, not the liner. The glue used by professionals is 3M-10 Scotchweld. It's not cheap but works great and actually permits relatively easy removal of cloth from the slate when it's time to recover your table. If you decide to try it make sure to read the instructions and allow the glue to dry before adhering the cloth to the slate.