Use of oversized slate has two distinct advantages: First it is constrained in a sandwich by the rail and slate frame. Designed and assembled properly, pool tables using oversized slate are the superior choice for strength and reliability. Secondly, oversized slate weighs more than standard slate. This means your table is heavier! Why is this important? Because a heavier table is sturdier. This is especially important on the smaller tables. How would you like it if you bumped your hip on the table and the balls shook or moved? This is why we recommend our customers should use 1" slate on the smaller tables (7' and 8'). Of course 1" slate must be used on larger tables. 11/2" - slate is used on 10' tables, and 2" on nearly all 12' tables (snooker and carom).

We use slate on billiards tables for a variety of reasons. Try to think of some before reading on. The first is because it is abundant. Next it can be mined, honed and lapped (flatness) inexpensively. So why do we not use granite? Easy, it doesn't have the wicking (moisture absorbing) properties of slate. Honing granite is also more expensive. Slate actually wicks moisture FROM the cloth resulting in more consistent playing conditions. Even today you sometimes hear serious players complain about "slow" tables when humidity is high. In fact slate heaters are still used in a few places, mostly in Great Britain.

So what is the best slate? Ask 100 people. About 90 will say Italian. A few will say Brazilian, and 1 may say Chinese. The slate we used on our Mission pool table is 3-piece, 11/16", doweled, Pennsylvania slate. Our opinion is it probably does not matter! Here is why: Assuming the slate is flat (correctly honed) and your house is temperature controlled, wicking is not an issue. Moreover, the Italian Slate Industry (OIS), whose members enjoy a huge market share, have (to our knowledge) never issued physical test results comparing their slate to other sources. The way we see it a business should invest to grow or retain market share. We have received business inquires from Brazil and China. We reply by requesting samples and physical test reports. We have received neither from any! It is quite possible all of these products play well. Frankly, we do not have enough information to make an informed decision nor a customer recommendation. By the way, our Pennsylvania slate plays wonderfully.

Fortunately Italian slate is plentiful and proven. In our opinion, there is none better, but the other sources may be as good. In fact, proper table assembly is more important than the origin of your slate.