What Is English in Pool? A Complete Guide to Sidespin
August 24, 2026
You just bought a brand new pool table. The felt is crisp, the rails are tight, and the wood still smells fresh. You rack up your first game, break the balls, and something strange happens. The cue ball rolls on its own toward one pocket. A ball you left sitting still slowly creeps across the felt like it has a mind of its own. If this sounds familiar, you are not imagining things, and you are definitely not alone.
Many players assume that pool table leveling is only something you worry about with an old, worn out table. The truth is that even a brand new table, fresh out of the box or freshly assembled by professionals, can drift if it was not set up with precise attention to detail. In this guide, we will walk through why pool table balls drift, how to know if your table is not level, and what steps you can take to fix it and keep it stable for years to come.
At first glance, a new table looks perfect. The legs are even length, the frame looks solid, and the room appears flat. But looks can be deceiving. Pool table leveling is not just about the legs touching the floor evenly. It is about the actual playing surface, the slate underneath the felt, sitting in perfect balance from corner to corner and rail to rail.
Several hidden factors can cause a seemingly new and perfect table to develop drift:
Any one of these issues, even a very small one, can be enough to cause a cue ball to drift slowly across the table. Because the surface looks flawless, most people never think to check the actual level of the slate, and the drifting continues game after game.
Most quality pool tables, whether they are a home pool table or a commercial pool table found in a bar or billiards hall, use three separate pieces of slate rather than one solid piece. These three slabs meet at slate seams, and each piece must be leveled individually and then leveled again in relation to the other two pieces.
If even one of these slate pieces sits a fraction of an inch higher or lower than the others, you will notice it immediately in how the balls move. A cue ball rolling near a slate seam that is slightly raised will always drift toward the lower section. This is one of the most overlooked reasons why pool table balls drift on tables that otherwise appear to be installed correctly.
Professional pool table installation involves checking each slate seam with a precision leveling tool, then using shims to correct any inconsistency before the felt is even stretched over the top. If this step is rushed or skipped, the table may look finished and ready to play, but the underlying slate leveling problem will remain hidden until you start playing and notice the ball rolling in one direction.
You do not need expensive tools to find out if your table has a leveling issue. A simple ball roll test can tell you almost everything you need to know.
Place a ball gently in the center of the table and let go without any spin or push. Watch closely to see whether it stays completely still or begins to roll toward a rail or pocket. Repeat this test in several spots across the table, including near each slate seam and near all four corners. If the ball consistently drifts in the same direction from multiple starting points, this is a strong sign that your table is not level and needs adjustment.
This ball roll test is something every pool table owner should perform periodically, not just once after installation. Tables shift over time due to floor settling, humidity changes, and normal use, so checking every few months helps you catch small problems before they become bigger ones.
Beyond the ball roll test, there are other signs that point to a leveling problem:
If you notice any combination of these signs, it is worth scheduling a professional inspection rather than assuming the problem will fix itself. In fact, ignoring an unlevel table for too long can lead to more serious pool table repair needs down the road, since the frame and slate can shift further out of alignment.
It might seem logical to assume that pool table leveling issues only affect older tables that have been through years of use. However, new tables face their own unique set of risks.
During pool table setup, especially DIY assembly or installation performed by movers who are not billiards specialists , there is a real chance that shims were placed incorrectly, bolts were not tightened evenly, or the slate seams were never checked with a proper level. Even high end, well built slate pool table models can end up with drifting balls if the installation itself was not handled with precision.
New homes and new flooring can also be a hidden culprit. Freshly poured concrete, newly installed hardwood, or recently laid tile floors sometimes have subtle unevenness that only becomes noticeable once a heavy table like a slate pool table is placed on top of it. The table frame settles into the floor over the first few weeks, and this settling can shift the balance just enough to cause drift, even though everything was perfectly level on installation day.
This is exactly why table stability should be checked again a few weeks after a new table is set up, not just on the day it arrives.
While it may be tempting to save money by assembling a table yourself or hiring general movers, precision leveling truly requires experience and the right tools. A professional pool table installation team understands how to:
If your table was not installed by billiards professionals, or if you have moved a table from one location to another, it is worth having a technician check the leveling. At Beer City Billiards, our team specializes in careful, precise pool table setup and installation that accounts for every detail, from slate seams to shims to final ball testing, so you are not left chasing a drifting cue ball for months after your purchase.
If you want to attempt some basic adjustments before calling in a professional, here are the general steps involved in how to level a pool table:
First, use a quality spirit level or a precision leveling tool designed for billiards. Place it across each slate seam and in multiple directions across the table, including diagonally. Note any section where the bubble drifts away from center.
Second, check the legs of the frame. Many pool tables have adjustable feet that can be turned slightly to raise or lower a corner. Small adjustments here can sometimes correct minor issues without needing to remove the felt at all.
Third, if the unevenness is coming from the slate itself rather than the frame, you will need to access the underside of the slate, which typically means carefully lifting the felt at the corners. This is where shims are added or adjusted between the slate and the frame to correct the imbalance.
Fourth, after any adjustment, always repeat the ball roll test in multiple locations to confirm the correction actually worked before reassembling everything.
It is worth being honest that slate leveling and frame leveling that require lifting felt or accessing the slate itself are best left to professionals. A small mistake here can damage the felt or cause the slate pieces to shift even further out of alignment, turning a simple pool table leveling job into a costly pool table repair.
Once your table is properly leveled, ongoing pool table maintenance helps preserve that stability. A few habits that help include:
Whether you have a home pool table used mostly for family game nights or a commercial pool table that sees daily use, consistent maintenance keeps the surface reliable and prevents the frustration of chasing balls that never seem to stay where you put them.
The leveling challenges can differ slightly depending on the type of table you own. A home pool table is often placed in a basement, garage, or game room where flooring may not be perfectly finished, which increases the chance of settling over time. A commercial pool table, on the other hand, deals with constant use and the vibration of foot traffic, which can gradually loosen shims or shift the frame even if the original installation was flawless.
In both cases, the fundamentals remain the same. Precision leveling at setup, periodic testing with the ball roll test, and attentive pool table maintenance are the keys to keeping the game fair and enjoyable for everyone who plays.
If you have tried the ball roll test, checked the legs, and still notice the cue ball rolling on its own, it is time to bring in an expert. A trained technician can identify whether the issue lies in the slate seams, the shims, the frame, or even the floor beneath the table. In many cases, what feels like a mysterious drifting problem turns out to be a quick fix once someone with the right tools and experience takes a look.
A drifting cue ball is not something you have to accept as normal, even on a table that looks brand new. Pool table leveling is a precise process that involves the slate, the frame, the shims, and even the flooring underneath. Small errors during pool table installation, natural settling of a new floor, or subtle shifts in humidity can all cause balls to drift in ways that feel confusing and frustrating.
The good news is that this is a solvable problem. With a simple ball roll test, a bit of patience, and, when needed, the help of experienced professionals, you can restore your table to true, reliable play. If you are dealing with a drifting table in Wichita or the surrounding area, reach out to our team at Beer City Billiards. We would be glad to help you enjoy a table that plays exactly the way it should, shot after shot.
For more tips on keeping your table in top shape, feel free to explore our other resources on right here on our website.