While most felt on a pool table is simply stretched and laid over slate and stapled or adhered to the wood of the table frame, it can sometimes be glued on. Removing felt (billiard cloth) from a slate billiard table is a much more difficult task when its been glued. However, with a few simple steps, it can be accomplished in relatively little time.

  • While most felt on a pool table is simply stretched and laid over slate and stapled or adhered to the wood of the table frame, it can sometimes be glued on.
  • Removing felt (billiard cloth) from a slate billiard table is a much more difficult task when its been glued.

Remove the bumper rails from your pool table. These are the six lengths of wood used for edges on the playing surface that keep the balls on the table. They are usually screwed into the tabletop from underneath. Remove them before attempting to take the felt off.

Remove any staples that are holding the felt down. You can do this with the edge of your paint scraper, or with your screwdriver or a hammer. Go around the entire length of the table, removing any staples that are in place.

Lift up and pull any felt off of the table that you can. In most instances where glue is used to adhere felt to a table, the felt is only lightly glued on. You can likely just rip the fabric upward, away from the table, separating it from the glue.

  • Remove any staples that are holding the felt down.
  • You can likely just rip the fabric upward, away from the table, separating it from the glue.

Use stain remover to remove any glue spots that are too tough to pull up by yourself. Use a stain remover that will dissolve or remove glue from slate surfaces. Many floors are made of slate, so feel free to use slate floor cleaner to do this. Spray the solvent onto the glued areas--spray it between the fabric and the slate, straight onto the glue. Scotchgard Liquid Stain remover, or Marbelex Stone Floor Cleaner are both good choices.

Let the solvent sit for about 15 to 20 minutes, dissolving the glue. Wipe the glued areas with a microfiber cloth until you can tell that the glue is softening and becoming pliable.

  • Let the solvent sit for about 15 to 20 minutes, dissolving the glue.
  • Wipe the glued areas with a microfiber cloth until you can tell that the glue is softening and becoming pliable.

Use your metal paint scraper to scrape along the slate, chiselling away at the softened glue. This should separate the fabric and pool table. After removing one stubborn glue spot, pull up on the fabric removing what you can. Once you hit a spot that is securely glued, use the stain remover/paint scraper method. Follow this until all the fabric is removed and unglued from the table. You can wipe the stain remover over the remaining patches or spots of glue on the slate and scrape it off afterward if you'd like to reuse the slate and/or re-felt the table.