Quick Answer: Pool table felt comes in far more colors than most buyers realize — tournament-grade Simonis 860 alone ships in 28 shades — but green and blue still dominate real-world tables. A Billiards Forum reader poll found green and blue combined account for roughly 99% of felt color choices, with classic green remaining the single most popular pick. Color is purely cosmetic (it doesn’t affect speed or durability), so the real decision is between a traditional tournament shade for resale value or a matched neutral for a styled room.
Felt color is the one pool table decision that’s pure personal taste — and also the one buyers most often assume they’re stuck with green or nothing. Here’s what’s actually available, why green and blue became the standards, and how to pick a color that won’t look dated in five years.
Felt color, by the numbers:
- 99% of felt color choices in a Billiards Forum reader poll went to just two colors — green and blue combined — with green edging out as the single most popular shade, per Billiards Forum’s community data.
- 28 colors are available in Simonis 860, the most widely used tournament-grade cloth, including Simonis Green™, Tournament Blue™, burgundy, royal blue, and slate grey, according to Simonis’ own official color chart. The faster Simonis 760 line offers a smaller 15-color range.
Why green and blue dominate
Green isn’t arbitrary — billiards descended from lawn games, and the classic tournament-green shade was chosen to mimic grass. That heritage is why green remains the default “pool table color” in most people’s minds and the color used on nearly every table you’ll see at a bar, pool hall, or televised amateur event.
Blue came later, and for a practical reason rather than a style trend: once billiards started being broadcast on television, viewers had a harder time tracking the white cue ball’s movement against green felt on camera. Blue cloth caused less eye strain on screen, and manufacturers like Simonis eventually trademarked their own shade — Tournament Blue™ — as a second standard. It’s not a novelty color; it’s used at a tournament level right alongside green.
Color options by cloth line
| Cloth | Color count | Standard shades | Notable extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simonis 860 (worsted) | 28 colors | Simonis Green, Tournament Blue | Burgundy, royal blue, slate grey, espresso, purple |
| Simonis 760 (worsted, faster) | 15 colors | Simonis Green, Tournament Blue | Camel, spruce, marine blue, wine |
| Championship / budget woolen | Typically 4–8 colors | Green, blue | Red, burgundy on some kits |
If you already know which cloth you want, see our best pool table felt guide for our top-rated picks by speed, value, and budget — this page covers color only, not fiber grade or price.
Does color affect how the table plays?
No. Color is dye, not fiber — it has zero effect on how fast the balls roll, how the cloth wears, or how long it lasts. Those properties all come from whether the cloth is worsted (nap-free, faster) or woolen (napped, more forgiving), which is a completely separate choice from color. A Simonis 860 in Tournament Blue plays identically to the same cloth in Simonis Green.
Picking a shade beyond the standard green or blue?
Simonis 860 Worsted Cloth (28 Colors)
- Same 90% wool / 10% nylon nap-free blend regardless of color chosen.
- 28 shades from classic Simonis Green to burgundy, slate grey, and royal blue.
- Official cloth of the WPBA and USBA National Championship.
Set the game-room soundtrack while you plan the recloth — try Amazon Music Unlimited free and have it playing through the room before the new cloth even ships.
Picking a color for resale vs. a styled room
- Buying for resale value: stick with tournament green or Tournament Blue. Most buyers of a used table expect one of these two, and a niche color can make an otherwise great table harder to sell later.
- Buying to match a finished room: a matched neutral — slate grey against dark wood trim, burgundy in a wine-cellar-style basement, espresso alongside dark cabinetry — can look far more intentional than a stock green table dropped into a styled space. Just confirm the specific shade is available in the cloth line and fiber grade you actually want; color ranges vary a lot between worsted and woolen cloth, and budget kits rarely offer more than green, blue, red, and burgundy.
- Buying for kids or casual play: color matters even less here since durability and easy replacement matter more — see our best budget pool cue guide for the accessory side of an entry-level setup.
The bottom line
Green remains the standard for a reason — it’s what most tables ship with, what most buyers expect on resale, and the color with the deepest tournament heritage. Blue is an equally legitimate tournament alternative born out of TV visibility, not a compromise pick. Beyond those two, a 28-color range like Simonis 860’s opens up real room-matching options without giving up any playing performance, since color is purely cosmetic. Ready to pick your cloth? Our best pool table felt guide has our top picks by speed, value, and budget, and our pool table maintenance guide covers keeping any color cloth looking new. Weighing a full table purchase first? See our best pool tables guide for current picks across every budget.