Just what is worn billiard cloth?

There is a difference between "worn" and "looks bad".

If you have a worsted cloth on your table you will get the inevitable white marks. This is not wear but burn marks from friction between the cloth and the cue ball leaving residue from the ball on the cloth. Worsted cloth is extremely smooth with no nap. Better quality ball sets with a superior finish will reduce the severity of these burn marks. They look pretty bad but it's not "wear" of the cloth.

On more common "napped" cloth the burn marks will be barely noticeable due to the coarseness or "nap" of the cloth however this type of cloth will develop grooves and valleys in the nap which affects ball roll accuracy.

Once you've been playing on your cloth for some time you will become accustomed to how it plays. When it starts deviating from the ball rolls you expect then that's a sign that the cloth is starting to "wear" out and due for replacement.

When it's time for cloth replacement we feel the best cloth in terms of accuracy, speed and durability is Simonis 860

Why Billiard Cloth Prices Increase

There were no billiard cloth price increases during 2010 but that will change in 2011 due to higher prices for raw wool. Good quality billiard cloth is comprised of at least 75% wool sourced primarily from Australia and New Zealand. Wool prices have risen roughly 30% in the past year so expect this increase to be passed on to the consumer very soon.

Top play starts with the cloth

How your table plays is a function of precise slate level, correct cushion and pocket angles and the quality & proper installation of the billiard cloth that covers the slate and rails. The very best cloth to use is manufactured in Belgium by Iwan Simonis, a company that has produced ONLY billiard cloth for over 200 years. Simonis is a premium cloth that offers unequaled accuracy and precision as well as excellent speed and durability and is the cloth used in most professional pool and billiards tournaments played around the world. Pro Billiards is pleased to offer these styles of genuine Simonis cloth: Simonis 860, Simonis 860HR, Simonis 760 and Simonis 860.