Pool has in the past been a game for royalty, and after you have had a chance to look at the price of some of the necessities in order to play the game in your own home. You will know why. Pool may not be the most expensive game you can get involved with, but it is without a doubt going to take some money to get into the game for you to play in your own home. You could probably use the size of rooms the houses or castles where royalty lives in order to have the space you need to have a pool table in your home.
The pool table alone is expensive enough, but you have to have certain accessories in order to play the game. You will need such items as felt for the playing surface, coverings to protect the table when not in use, sticks in order to play the game, chalk is a must to play the game, balls another must, and racks another must have in order to play the game.
The cloth also known as the felt is a must when playing the game. You need a covering for the playing surface. You will not have the control of the ball without a cover, because the ball and surface together will react differently without the cloth. The cloth gives the ball friction and without the needed friction the ball will never stop until it reaches a wall. There are various different colors available for the cloth covering the playing area, but green is still the favorite of all the colors. The durability and quality of the cloth will depend mainly on the texture of the cloth. The balls will move differently if the table is not covered with a high quality cloth.
You will need a pool rack if you are going to have sticks for your guests to use. You will be able to find a wall mounted version or a floor rack. This are usually made of wood such as oak, mahogany, and maple just to name a few. Some of the more expensive racks will have a place where you can store the balls.
You will have a hard time playing a game of pool without a set of billiard balls. The balls are made of a plastic resin composite, which has been hardened by the heat. The balls are made to be resistant to chipping and cracking. A decent set will probably cost you around $100. The cue ball may be extra. So you might want to expect to pay for the cue ball separate.
Chalk is another must if you are going to play the game of pool. You can also get holders for the chalk. The pool cues must be chalked before every shot.
Then you will need a rack for the balls. As you know you will rack the balls on the table prior to the first shot of the game. They will come in the shape of a triangle, which is to rack the game of 8 ball and a diamond, which is to rack the game of 9 ball. Balls can be racked without a rack, but it is difficult to get the balls tight and to keep them together. It is not recommended to play a game without a rack for the balls. You can find them made from plastic or you can find them made from wood. The wood racks are the rack most preferred by most of the players.