Pool Table Felt Colors: The Best Color and Ideas
The best pool table felt color for playing is a mid-tone green or blue. Those are the only colors the World Pool-Billiard Association accepts at its events (yellow-green, blue-green and electric blue), and the balls read clearly against them. Everything else, from burgundy and gray to black, orange and fuchsia, is a decor choice with a trade-off you should know before the cloth goes on, because you will live with it for years.
Below: what each color does well and badly, which colors the real cloth lines actually come in, room-by-room ideas, and how to judge a color before you buy.
Pool table felt colors compared
| Color | Ball contrast | Shows chalk | Shows stains and lint | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tournament green, yellow-green, English green | Excellent | Green chalk blends in | Average | The default for play. Never looks dated. |
| Tournament blue, blue-green | Excellent | Blue chalk blends in | Average | The modern tournament look; equally good to play on. |
| Electric blue, royal blue | Very good | Blue chalk blends in | Average | Brighter; WPA-legal in electric blue. |
| Navy, marine blue, petrol blue | Good in bright light | Moderate | Hides more | The best dark color if you want dark. |
| Gray (slate, shark, steel) | Good | Moderate | Hides most everyday dust | The popular modern compromise. |
| Burgundy, wine, red | Fair; red balls blend | Shows blue and green chalk | Hides spills well | Classic on dark wood tables; a decor pick. |
| Black, charcoal | Weakest; the 8 ball disappears in dim light | Shows every mark | Shows lint | Looks great in photos, hardest to live with. |
| Camel, tan, gold | Fair; yellow balls blend | Shows chalk | Shows drinks and hand marks | Warm and unusual; needs a careful household. |
| Purple, orange, fuchsia | Fair to poor for some balls | Shows chalk | Average | Statement colors for game rooms built around them. |
The ball problems are simple color matching. A standard set has a red 3 and 11, a maroon 7 and 15, a yellow 1 and 9 and a green 6 and 14 (that is the WPA's ball color list), so cloth close to any of those hues makes the matching balls a little harder to pick out at a glance. On green cloth the 6 and 14 are the ones that blend, and nobody minds.
Why green and blue are the standard
Green came first. Billiards grew out of lawn games, and the cloth was green to stand in for grass, which is still the usual explanation on Wikipedia's billiard table page. Blue joined it later, and today the WPA's equipment spec names exactly three acceptable colors for competition: yellow-green, blue-green and electric blue. The same spec recommends only green and blue chalk.
For a home table that means two things. If you ever want the table to feel like a league room or a tournament stream, pick one of those shades. And if more than one person in the house plays seriously, those two colors are the ones nobody will complain about after the novelty wears off.
Which colors each cloth actually comes in
Color and cloth grade are linked. You pick a cloth first, then pick from its color card, and some colors simply aren't offered in some grades. Counts below are from the makers' own pages in October 2026.
| Cloth | Type | Colors | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simonis 860 | Worsted, tournament | 26 | Greens, blues, grays, black, red, burgundy, wine, purple, fuchsia, orange, gold, camel, chocolate |
| Simonis 760 | Worsted, faster | 25 | The 860 card without shark grey |
| Simonis 860 HR | Worsted, heavy use | 6 | Blues and greens only |
| Simonis 920 | Worsted, home | 12 | Includes burgundy, red, purple, taupe, chocolate |
| Championship Invitational | Woolen, Teflon-treated | 26 | The widest decor range in home cloth |
| Championship Tour Edition | Championship's top line | 13 | Includes camel, olive, Euro blue, navy |
| Brunswick Centennial and Traditional Woolen | Worsted and woolen | 14 | Names like Sahara, Regatta Blue, Gun Metal, Cardinal, Merlot |
So if you want gray or burgundy on a fast tournament cloth, you can have it: Simonis 860 and 760 both offer them. If you want a heavy-use cloth like 860 HR, you are choosing among blues and greens. Speed and feel differences between these cloths are covered in Simonis cloth compared and best pool table felt. The dye itself does not change how a table plays.
Dark cloth: black, charcoal and navy
Black cloth is the color people ask about most and regret most often. Every chalk smudge, ball track and bit of lint shows up on it, and in a dim basement the 8 ball nearly disappears into the surface. If you want it anyway, three things make it livable: chalk that matches (black and gray chalk exist; our pool chalk guide has a cloth-to-chalk table), a brush you actually use after every session, and strong, even light over the table. See best pool table lights and how high to hang them.
Navy and charcoal get you most of the look with fewer headaches. Navy in particular keeps decent contrast with the balls under good light.
Red, burgundy and the light colors
Burgundy and wine are the traditional furniture-table colors and look right next to cherry or mahogany. They hide spilled drinks better than most colors. The price is ball contrast: the 3, 7, 11 and 15 are all red or maroon, and on a red cloth they are slower to read.
Camel, tan and gold go the other way. They look warm and different, but every drink ring and greasy hand print shows. Gold and yellow cloth also swallow the 1 and 9. These suit a decor-first room with grown-up players more than a family table.
Pool table felt color ideas by room
| Room | Colors that work | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Classic wood-paneled game room | English green, dark green, burgundy | Matches traditional woodwork and brass |
| Modern basement, gray or white walls | Gray, tournament blue, navy | Clean look that still plays well |
| Black or espresso table finish | Electric blue, tournament blue, gray | Contrast with the frame without going black on black |
| Rustic or farmhouse | Olive, camel, spruce | Earthy tones that suit barn wood |
| Bar or man cave themed in team colors | The team color as an accent, standard cloth on the bed | Theme lives in the lights and walls, not on the playing surface |
| Family room with kids and drinks | Green or blue, Teflon-treated woolen | Hides everyday chalk; spills bead up long enough to blot |
| Table in a sunny room | Green or blue, plus a cover | Sun is hard on any cloth; see below |
More room ideas, from lighting to wall racks, are in pool table room ideas and basement ideas.
Fading and sunlight
Brunswick's care guide warns that direct sunlight damages a table's wood, cloth and cushions, and tells owners to use window treatments and a cover. Sawyer Twain, a table retailer, gives the same advice for fading. We found no maker that ranks its dyes by how fast they fade, so we won't claim one color is safe in the sun. Assume every color fades where sunlight hits it, and that a bright or dark color will show the difference between the faded stripe and the rest of the bed sooner than a mid-tone does.
The fix is boring and works: blinds or UV film on nearby windows and a fitted cover whenever the table is idle. Our pool table covers guide compares them.
How to choose from photos and swatches
- Pick the cloth grade first (worsted for serious play, Teflon-treated woolen for a family table), then look only at that grade's color card.
- Order physical swatches. Phone screens and product photos shift colors a lot, and "tournament blue" from one mill is not the same shade as another's.
- Look at the swatch on the table, under the light you will actually play under, at night.
- Set a few balls on it, especially the 8, the cue ball and any balls close to the cloth color.
- Sprinkle a little of your chalk on a corner and see how loud it looks.
If you still can't decide, choose the standard color and put the personality in the room around it. Cloth lasts years, and green or blue will still look right when the trendy color has dated.
Sources
- WPA Recommended Equipment Specifications (cloth colors, chalk colors, ball colors)
- Iwan Simonis: pool cloth colors by grade
- Brunswick Billiards: Championship cloth
- Brunswick Billiards: Brunswick cloth
- Brunswick Billiards: table care and maintenance
- Wikipedia: Billiard table
Our picks
Links open the current selection and price on Amazon so you can compare real reviews before buying.
Simonis 860 Tournament Blue Cloth, 7 ft
The tournament look and feelSimonis 860 in tournament blue, 90 percent wool worsted, cut for a 7 foot table. Tournament blue is the shade most people picture when they think of a pro table, and it hides blue chalk on the cloth.
Check price on Amazon
Championship Invitational Cloth with Pre-Cut Rails
Decor colors on a family tableWoolen 75/25 wool-nylon cloth with DuPont Teflon for water and stain resistance, pre-cut rails and two spots, in Championship's expanded color palette. The pick when the color matters more than tournament speed and spills are part of life.
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REDECKER Horsehair Billiards Table Brush
Keeping dark or bright cloth cleanA wood-handled horsehair brush, the soft bristle the WPA recommends for billiard cloth. On black, burgundy or camel cloth, brushing after every session is what keeps chalk from becoming a permanent haze.
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Fitted Leatherette Table Cover
Blocking sun and dustA fitted cover is the simplest defense against sun fading and dust dulling the color between sessions, and it matters more the brighter or darker your cloth is.
Check price on AmazonFrequently asked questions
What is the best pool table felt color?
For playing, tournament green or tournament blue. They give the best contrast with the balls and are the shades the WPA allows in competition. For a modern room, gray or navy are the best compromises.
What color felt do professionals play on?
WPA events allow only yellow-green, blue-green or electric blue cloth, so pro tables are always a green or blue shade.
Does felt color change how the table plays?
No. Speed comes from the cloth grade, not the dye. Color changes how easily you see the balls and how much chalk and dirt show.
Is black pool table felt a good idea?
It looks great but is the hardest color to live with. It shows every chalk mark and bit of lint, and the 8 ball is hard to see in dim light. Use matching chalk and strong lighting if you choose it.
Which felt color hides chalk best?
The one that matches your chalk. Green cloth with green chalk or blue cloth with blue chalk hides it best. Gray hides general dust well.
Can you get tournament cloth in unusual colors?
Yes. Simonis 860 comes in 26 colors, including black, gold, orange, purple and fuchsia. The heavy-use 860 HR comes only in blues and greens.
Can I dye or paint my pool table felt a new color?
Don't. Dye or paint changes the surface and how balls roll. To change color, replace the cloth.
Why are pool tables green?
Billiards came from lawn games, and green cloth stood in for the grass. It stuck because the balls read clearly against it, and green and blue are now the only shades the WPA allows in competition.
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