Yet Another American Heritage with Dead Cushions

Jun 17, 2010

This week in Fullerton, CA we finished up another American Heritage recushion job. A great looking, well built pool table that is about 5 years old should not need recushioning. I just can’t believe how many of these pool tables have bad rubber! But now, with new cushions and new felt (and a new spot in the house) this table plays as good as it looks.

If you want to test your cushion rubber on your pool table at home, do the following simple tests: Standing at the side of the pool table, roll a ball firmly away from you (along the width of the table) the ball should make 3-4 cushion to cushion contacts before coming to rest. Do this test to all side rail cushions. Also test the end rail cushions by standing at the end the table and firmly rolling a ball away from you (along the length of the table) the ball should make 2-3 cushion to cushion contacts before coming to rest. The telltale sign of a “dead” cushion is a “thud” noise on contact. Cushions should be quiet and lively. The normal lifespan for cushion rubber is 20-25 years, although some tables last longer. If the pool table has been exposed to direct sunlight, cushion rubber life will be reduced. And, of course, as we mentioned in this post and a few other posts, there are pool tables less than 6 years old with bad rubber.