Pool table lights are lights that are installed above a pool table to create a warm atmosphere when playing. With proper lights, you can also alleviate any shadows or glare while you enjoy a relaxing game of pool. These lights make the game more enjoyable and ensure that you do not strain your eyes or irritate them due to poor lighting. Each shade on these light fixtures is carefully crafted so as to meet regulation sizes. You can order custom pool table lights to achieve a unique billiard or media room of your own.
CONTENTS
Pool table lights are designed, primarily, to keep your pool table playing area bright so that no shadows are created and players always have a clear line of sight when shooting. They create the perfect brightness and placement, if installed properly, you can shoot from anywhere in the room and still enjoy a perfect view. The function of these lights will not differ for all types of lights that are available to the average consumer.
Types of Lights Available
When you are choosing lights for your pool table, you can select from 4 standard types. The standard types are the ones that you will commonly find when shopping for your pool table lighting.
The 4 types of pool table lights are:
3-Shade Lights
4-Shade Lights
5-Shade Lights
Tiffany Lights
You can order custom pool table lights that suit your particular needs if the standard types are not per your taste however most people will stick to one of these types. Choosing is usually very straightforward, as it will depend on the dimension of your pool table. You may have a small pool table that is 3.7 feet by 7 feet which means you should invest in a 3 shade light fixture, whereas if you have a large 6 foot by 12 foot snooker table, you will want a five shade light.
The chart below will help you determine which type of table light works best for your pool table. You may also take note of the recommended length for each type of lights. On top of choosing the proper shade size and number, you also need to know the proper material to use for your pool table shades and other aspects of light shades.
Recommended Pool Table Light Sizes
Pool Table Size Recommended Light Size
| Pool Table Size | Number of Lights |
|---|---|
| 3.5′ x 7′ | 3 Lights (35’’ to 55’’ in length) |
| 4′ x 8′ | 3-4 Lights (40’’ to 60’’ in length) |
| 4.5′ x 9′ | 4-5 Lights (60’’ to 80’’ in length) |
| 5′ x 10′ | 4-5 Lights (60’’ to 80’’ in length) |
| 6′ x 12′ | 5 Lights (90’’ to 110’’ in length) |
Choosing the Design for your Pool Table Lights
After deciding on the type of light fixture that is suitable for your pool table, you need to choose the design for your lights. There are many designs available to the average consumer and the type you buy will be based primarily on what you want to have in your room. If you are decorating a new media room, for example, and you just invested in a sleek chrome bar at one end of the room, then a chrome dome design might be the best pick for your lights. If instead you are selecting pool table lighting for a new billiard room at the end of your restaurant or club, then you may want a brass bar light or stained glass promotional light for the beer brands you sell such as Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors, or Miller.
You won’t go wrong if you compliment the design for the lighting of your pool table with the room’s decor
Using a Suitable Bulb for your Pool Table Lights
After you have selected a design, you can order your new pool table lighting system as a stand-alone item or get a set. Some sets come with light bulbs but many do not. Almost every light system can withstand a 60 watt bulb but sometimes these light bulbs make it too hot around the top of the lamp shade; of which you will have to switch to a 40 watt. Many modern pool table lights can also be fitted with LED lights. You can be adventurous and buy colored LEDs that match your felt color.
Other than the heat, you should consider the brightness of the lighting too when you are installing your bulbs. If a 60 watt bulb is too bright and creates a glare which irritates your eyes then you should try a 40 watt bulb. But if you start with a 40 watt bulb and it is too dim, it will have an adverse affect on your depth of perception and you may consider switching to a 60 watt.
Having said that, it is definitely advisable for you to play around with 40 watt bulbs and 60 watt bulbs to find which one works best for you. When you are experimenting which bulbs are more suitable for your pool table, ensure that the lights are of the correct height. This is because the height of the lights will also have an effect on the dimness and heat. For more information on how to choose the perfect bulb, check out my post on pool table light bulbs
How High should Pool Table Lights be?
When you are installing pool table light fixtures, your goal is to allow for optimal play. If you have too many flood lights hanging above the pool table area or below the ceiling it can minimize shadows but it will also hinder your clear field of view.
When you hang pool table light fixtures, you want to make sure you have the optimal height which is between 31’’ to 33’’ from the top of your table’s playing surface to the bottom of the lamp shades
The measurement remains the same no matter which lights you are installing. If you are measuring from the floor prior to having the pool table installed then you want the bottom of the shade to reach 61’’ to 63’’ above the floor. You may have to adjust the height again once the table is installed in order to get adequate lighting depending on the size of your pool table. Bear in mind that the height is only one part that you should take note of when installing the lights. There are many other important details that you need to understand before doing installation of pool table lights such as wiring and switches.
Proper Installation is Important
Once you order your new pool table lights, you need to properly install them so that you don’t encounter problems like loose wiring, bulbs that cannot be switched on or worse, lights falling. This is not something you should do on your own because many light fixtures must be mounted to your ceiling properly. It is in your best interest to hire a professional electrician to complete the installation.
Customized Pool Table Lights
Pool table light shopping can be exciting and quite challenging. There is a wide range of styles and materials which makes that one selection difficult. Light fixtures are available for every pool table. Choose from stained glass or Tiffany, frosted glass, wrought iron, metal, pewter, contemporary, and traditional styles, sports or memorabilia, and more. If these variants don’t appeal to you, then you can get custom light fixtures made for your custom pool tables. Start by shopping for function, while working on matching the textures come next. The addition of the perfect color and style only enlighten the area more than ever. Hence, even before you get to know it, you’ll have pool table lights that perfectly compliment your overall home decor. You will find the space highly intriguing, which only facilitates the play.
Selecting the right pool table lights is easy when you know your needs. Certain things are crucial to consider when you shop. It is important to ensure that the pool lights above are long enough to brighten even the outer edges of the table. If these are custom pool tables, 5″ of light per foot of the table is suitable. So, for a 7 feet long measurement, the fixtures should be at least 35″ in length, a bit bigger is better. The next part to focus on is to be able to choose the appropriate style and materials. A collector can seek the uncommon variety of table lights for pool tables. Make sure to match the interiors where you plan to place the pool table. Just coincide with the style and appearance which makes the purchase effective.
Pool Table Chandelier Lights
There are many different types of chandelier lighting on the market, both in elegant and practical options for various settings. These lights can go inside and outside, in your bathroom, on a patio or over a pool table.
Pool tables are popular additions to man caves, game rooms, family rooms or dens in most homes today. If you have a pool table, you will need the most appropriate type of light. While the overhead lights can help to light up a room, the playing area or table top will need a little bit more. For this reason, the pool table light must have the right size to cover the playing area and cast away shadows.
Functionally, a pool table light or billiard light must be bright enough to spread light evenly on the table. These lights are typically designed with one to four fixtures. Whether you want the light for a sports bar or a personal pool table, the antler chandeliers are great alternatives to the regular overhead lighting fixtures.
Pool Table Chandelier Ideas
1. Traditional Chandelier Lights
Although designed for dining tables, many traditional chandelier lights can also be used over a pool table. As long as light is shining in a downward direction, these lights can give your pool table a real sense of style, as well as lighting your table.
2. Antler Chandelier Lights
The antler pool table chandelier can deliver light in an incredible spread, so they are the ideal fixture for large rooms. They will also work perfectly over the billiard tables to make your interior decor a lot more interesting, whilst keeping the playing area well-lit. These chandeliers are perfect examples of the artistic lighting that you will find in large establishments. There are many different kinds of antler chandeliers and lighting fixtures these days, so it will be easy for you to find classy fixtures for your home.
Pool table antler chandeliers can be found with optional shades as well as down-light to improve their look and capabilities to illuminate a room. You will find that each antler pool table chandelier has a unique design and shape since they are made from the real antlers. These are usually shed by animals such as white tail deer, elk, moose, mule deer and fallow deer.
Whether it’s faux or real, the antler chandeliers will make excellent overhead and ceiling lights. You can install them almost anywhere at home including the entertainment room. These chandeliers for pool tables are also widely available from the manufacturers of the real and faux pieces.
It is also important to note that these pool table chandeliers can double up as lights for the dining table since they have up and down lighting features. You would use the light that is pointing downward on the pool table and the upward pointing ones for dinner. If you are looking for an exclusive lighting fixture, you could opt for the customized option.
Pool Table Light Shades
Whether you play pool all by yourself or even get some of your friends out there to induce into these games, ensure to have plenty of lighting at the location. Pool play requires players to be able to see everything easily with intense clarity, so it makes sense that you invest some thought into the quality of pool table light shades that you are buying. The light that you hang on your pool room is extremely vital to increase the pool table lighting. The way these are positioned can also make a difference in how the room looks and how well you see the pool table when playing a game. Here’s an insight into
5 Considerations When Buying Pool Table Light Shades
1. The Bigger the Pool Table, the Bigger the Shades
The light that you hang over the pool table must illuminate every inch of the felt. A 7-foot pool table for instance needs less lighting than a 9-foot table. Pool table light shades should have width between 36-inch and 45-inch for a 7-foot table, while 9-foot table shades must be of 50-inches and 60-inches to illuminate the pool.
2. Increase Lighting for Larger Shades
The usual expectation with pool tables is a single shaded light hanging above it; but don’t feel limited to only this. When there is a relatively smaller pool table, you can actually get away with two to three lights. For those with larger pool tables, four to five pool table light shades instead make it easier to catch every inch of your table. It is advisable to use smaller light shades if you are looking to create an ambiance that is intimate; bigger light shades tend to dissipate more light.
3. Pick the Right Material
When looking for good pool table light shades, both the shade and the fixture frame are vital. If you want some traditional lighting, then why not have shades in clear or stained glass and a brass fixture frame. For those that prefer modern variety, then pick up lamps with a stainless steel fixture frame and ribbed glass shade. The main concept here is to choose the kind of material that matches both the home decor and your own style as well.
4. Choose Bulbs for Shades Carefully
The bulb that you want to insert in the shade should disperse the ambiance you love. Do not forget to check the fixtures when considering the wattage, but that simply does not mean that you cannot choose bulbs with lower wattage. The pool table light shades with bulbs in 40-watt can create a significantly more intimate feeling then those with 60-watt to 100-watt power. Attaining clear light with a good view of the pool table is possible with color corrected light bulbs.
5. Keep Budget in Mind
When looking for pool table light shades, do not forget to think about the money you’ve decided to spend. Simply think of the space that you need to light up to get a good focus into the pool table. Make sure to shop around so you can actually get a great deal. For convenience sake, browse through the internet for shades of your choice.
Stained Glass Light Shades
Stained glass lamps for pool table lighting can make any room cozy. They are key to achieving a vintage classic look at the pool table that many homeowners sought after. However, before choosing stained glass, you will need to consider several things like what style you want to achieve as well as the installation process.
Why Stained Glass?
Stained glass pool table lighting is exquisite in detail and beauty. It makes the room more cozy, something difficult to achieve with more modern designs. Achieving that homely feel elevates the pool experience significantly because it is what sets people at ease to really socialize and break the ice.
Not only are stained glass pool table lights extremely stylish and ornate, they also provide lots of opportunities for the pool table owner to exercise their creativity and uniqueness. You can design the stained glass in any fashion you want by playing with the colors and shapes.
Stained glass lampshades will be extremely suitable if you have classically designed pool tables in a traditional room. You may like the stained glass lampshade on its own but it should also go well with the decor of the rest of the room.
Stained glass lampshades are also better for directing most of the light to the table while shielding the bleachers from the glare. Stained glass lampshades emit warm light horizontally, which makes for more comfortable viewing for the audience.
However, stained glass lighting may not be ideal for those pool players who want brighter lighting. I know of many pool players who play better under brighter lighting because it keeps them more focused. Ultimately, lampshade choice is still down to the individual pool table owners’ preferences and priorities and the stained glass lampshade may not always be the best choice for everyone.
Installing Stained Glass Pool Lighting
Stained glass light fixtures tend to be heavier than conventional and more modern light fixtures. To prevent the stained glass from crashing down, you will need to install stained glass light fixtures with stronger hooks and chains than for other lightweight pool table lighting.
In addition, you will also need to make sure the light bulbs used are compatible for the stained glass pool table lighting before installation. Different lampshades have different translucence.
Stained glass light fixtures tend to block out more light from reaching the audience. Most of them also alter the color of the light emitted. Light bulbs used for stained glass lighting tend to be of higher power but it is important to test out the different light bulbs with the lampshade before making any hasty installations.
Final Thoughts
There are many pool table lights available and it’s only a purchase you want to make once for your man cave so it’s important to select the right light the first time. Selecting the right one is based on your personal preference in large part and on the size of the table you have. Once you select the type of lights you want you need to have them professionally installed and verify that the bulbs you picked provide the perfect lighting overall. Then you are well on your way to enjoying your new table! Once you have those beautiful new pool table lights installed, be sure to keep them clean so they will last for many years.
