With each passing generation, living quarters have shrunk in size and to this effect, dedicating a particular room to games is a luxury that most families are unable to afford. But if you are a gaming enthusiast who is in favor of creating a game room within your residence, then all you need to do is chalk out a viable plan and fulfill your ambition without burning a deep hole in your pocket. Building a game room from scratch might seem like a mammoth task but can turn out to be fun if planned out beforehand.

One of the best ways of building a game room for you and your friends entails closing your eyes and envisioning what it should appear like. Next, it is time to make a list of equipment that the game room should have in order to be attractive as also comfortable. While much of the attraction can be accounted for by installing various indoor games like pool, dart, chess and so on, the comfort level can be enhanced by adding a bar with stools and just enough furniture for people to relax in between games.

A pool table is one of the must-haves in a game room and it needs to be accompanied by accessories like balls, billiard cues, a rack for stacking the cues and so on. There are several avenues wherein you can shop for a pool table and while departmental stores and sports shops are obvious choices, the Internet is an option that must not be overlooked. In fact, chances of finding a table of a particular color or design are higher on the Internet than brick-and-mortar stores since it encompasses a much wider market. Looking for a table based on a particular theme like rustic, futuristic and so on is also a good idea and although it would entail a deeper search, the outcome is often impressive and amazing.

Having found an appropriate pool table, it is time to look for cues and an aspect that you need to ascertain beforehand pertains to deciding on the number of sticks that need to be bought. This would eventually depend upon the number of people who would use your game room and to be on the safe side, you must always order for more number of cues so that there are always some extra. Another positive that would accrue from buying a large number of cues at a time are discounts that are provided on bulk purchases.

For a game room to be well equipped, it is imperative to have multiple games and dart flights are a good option since in addition to being unobtrusive, they add a spirit of competition to the atmosphere. Before buying a dartboard, you must ensure that its surface is smooth and printed with multiple colors so as to appear attractive as also distinctly visible. Every dart set comprises of a dartboard and three darts but you can extend the list to include accessories like dart flights and shafts too.

Dart flights come in a variety of shapes and sizes not to mention texture and these can be broadly categorized into two types namely standard and slim. Standard flights are the largest and most commonly found while slim flights are short, light and have a soft tip. Some of the other shapes include fan-tail, butterfly, vortex and pear and these can be chosen based on the type of trajectory they carve on being thrown at the dartboard.

Last but not the least, your game room must be inclusive of a bar, comfortable stools and furniture that echo the purpose of the room and hence blend in well with all the play equipment.

-Plastic and wood racks bend, bow and splinter- You also have to replace more often

-Wear the cloth which makes you have to change your pool table cloth more often resulting in more money spent

-These racks are not tight or consistent

-No warranty

-Does not rack all games- you need different racks for this.

High End (DELTA-13)

-Name brand recognition

-Last rack you will have to purchase

-Identifying undersized balls for a tight and consistent rack

-Change the cloth less often on pool table

-Easier to rack

-More money up front, but saves you money in the future

-Stands out between the color choices and the personalized engraving

-Limited lifetime warranty

-Racks all games

Pool Cues

Low End

-Production run

-More frequently seen around

-Finishes wear easily, wood warps and grips unravel

-Bad tip quality

High End

-Name is associated with high quality materials

-Custom

-Wood variety and low deflection shafts

-Hold their value

-Better comfort and feel which makes for a better performance

-Ability to break and jump with higher end cues

Chalk

Low End

-Wrap quality low- break and scratch easily

-Messy application

-Easy to mis-cue

High End

-Name brand recognition

-Fine chalk for a soft, smooth and efficient application

-Higher wrap quality

-Reduces mis-cue significantly

-Chalk stays on cue tip longer, so you do not have to re-chalk as often

Pool Table Cloth

Low End

-Woolen cloth, which is thick and heavy

-Balls roll slower

-Pilling is very common

-Change cloth more often

High End

-Name brand recognition

-Worsted wool is used and is more durable

-Change your cloth less often

-“Speed” cloth, so the balls travel at a faster speed

Pool Tables

Low End

-Short lived (under 5 years)

-Short slate, poor rail alignment and rail vibration which equals poor table play

-Cabinet material and top rails are made from particleboard which crumbles and decays over time

-Not really made out of 100% solid wood

-One year warranty

High End

-Name brand recognition

-Precision play

-Top rail is laminate and exotic hardwoods

-Pure gum rubber cushions

-More attractive designs and unique features

-Tend to be Made in America

-Lifetime warranty

Pool Balls

Low End

-Undersized balls which are not tight or consistent

-You will have to change your table cloth more often

-Shape of the balls is not guaranteed

-Inconsistent density which makes the balls play erratically

-Wear and tear creates lack of elasticity where balls will continue to roll after striking another

High End

-Molecular structure, density and ball balance is high quality

-Change your pool table cloth less often

-Lasts 5x longer then low end balls

-Perfectly round

So, next time you go out to purchase a new table, ball rack or any other pool accessory, keep in mind how they can affect your game and your wallet. To be the best, you have to have the best.

One of the best ways to overcome stress generated by a modern hectic lifestyle entails indulging in sports and billiards is a popular choice after a hard day’s work. However, like any other sport, a game of billiards can be truly enjoyed only when the playing equipment, meaning the table, balls and most importantly cues, is of premium quality. Suppose you wish to set up your own personal billiards facility, a fact that you would soon have to face is that amongst all equipment, shopping for cues is definitely the trickiest part.

Cues are available in a wide spectrum of prices and while some may cost less than $10, others could be expensive enough to burn a large hole in your wallet. That said, it is not necessary that a higher price tag translates into a good cue and this is the reason why you, as a buyer, should be educated to the point of being able to distinguish between the different grades. By and large the outcome is dependent on the process of manufacture as also the craftsmanship of the maker and hence varies from one brand to another.

Given that cues are made of wood, like wine they go through several stages before the final deliverable is ready for sale and the time frame for completion is often lengthy. Every type of wood is characterized by its own unique traits and reacts differently on being exposed to atmospheric conditions by expanding or contracting along its concentric circles.

On their part, cue-makers need to respect this behavior and schedule their manufacturing process accordingly. Attempts to hasten the process by adding chemicals to stop the natural action or shaving off too much may result in poor-quality products and hence should be avoided.

Chemicals do stabilize the process but they also disrupt the inherent cycle, thus causing the wood to lose its natural feel. The trick is to balance out the action of additives with the natural ageing process of the wood, and cue-makers that have perfected this art are the ones who come up with the best results. To you, the buyer, this is manifested in form of a smooth surface which is completely bereft of blemishes and appears to be immaculate throughout its length.

Irrespective of your familiarity with billiards, it is important to closely examine certain parts while buying cues. Particularly important is the ferule, which occupies the space between the shaft and the tip, and this should be well-placed to the point of sitting well between the two components. Overall, the transition from the shaft on to the ferule and from ferule to the tip should be even and free from excess glue marking its sides.

When you pick up a cue at a shop, the first thing that you must do is to feel the tip. Ideally it should be rounded like a dome and attached firmly enough so as not to come off if popped with a finger. Likewise, the position of the pin is a good indication of the manner in which the wood might have been handled – a centered pin reflects on appropriate handling and relaxed state and anything to the contrary implies that it might have been forced into its present state.

Some of the other aspects that you must look out for at the time of buying cues are wrap which could be string, leather or rubber and butt-cap and bumper, both of which should be sans chips. Finally cues should be straight to the point of being able to roll without wobbling and must not reveal any warps or bends when held in the hand like a rifle and examined down their entire length.