Short answer: Most pool tables in Australia take 2in (50.8 mm) balls: the size for 7ft and 8ft pub and home tables. Larger 9ft tables usually take 2 1/16in, American tables 2 1/4in (57.15 mm), and full-size snooker balls are 52.5 mm. Measure a ball before you buy.
By Andy Gibson · Updated 19 October 2026
What size are pool balls in Australia?
Australia uses several sizes, because pub, home, snooker and American tables all turn up here. The size follows the table, not the country:
| Ball size | Diameter | Used on | Sets in our range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 7/8in | 47.6 mm | 6ft tables; also the smaller cue ball on English-style coin-op tables | Formula Sports Standard |
| 2in | 50.8 mm | 7ft and 8ft pub, club and home tables; English-style eight ball | Aramith Premier Casino, Aramith Premier Kelly |
| 2 1/16in | 52.4 mm | 9ft and larger tables; full-size snooker | Aramith Premier 22 Ball Snooker, Aramith Premier Kelly |
| 2 1/4in | 57.15 mm | American pool tables (WPA standard) | Aramith Premier Kelly, Formula Sports Standard Casino |
What size are standard pool balls?
It depends which game you call standard. American pool balls are 2 1/4in (57.15 mm) under the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) specification, with a weight of 156 to 170 g. English-style eight ball uses 2in object balls: the World Eight-ball Pool Federation specification gives a 2in object ball with a 1 7/8in cue ball. That smaller cue ball began on coin-operated tables, where the ball-return mechanism uses the size difference to send the cue ball back to the player.
Most Australian pub and club tables are 7ft English-style tables with 2in balls, and many home tables are the same.
What size are snooker balls?
52.5 mm, with a tolerance of 0.05 mm either way, under the WPBSA rules. The rules also require every ball in a set to be within 3 g of the others. A 2 1/16in ball (52.4 mm) is the imperial size that matches it, which is why snooker sets for full-size tables are sold as 2 1/16in.
A full snooker set has 22 balls: 15 reds, six colours and the cue ball. On a 6ft, 7ft or 8ft table, a 17-ball set with ten reds racks properly where 15 reds don't fit; those sets are usually 2in. See snooker balls.
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Why does ball size matter?
- Pockets. Pockets are cut for one ball size. An undersized set drops shots that should rattle in the jaws, and an oversized set can jam in them.
- Cushions. A cushion is built so the ball meets its nose at a set height. The WPA puts the cushion nose at 62.5 to 64.5% of the ball's diameter. A ball that is too small or too large meets the cushion at the wrong point and comes off it at a different angle.
- Cue tips. Tip size follows ball size: 8 to 10 mm tips for 2in balls and snooker, 12 to 13 mm for American 2 1/4in balls. See 9 to 9.5 mm cues and 13 mm cues.
- Coin-op tables. On a table with a ball return, a cue ball of the wrong size may be swallowed like an object ball, or the object balls may come back out. Match the cue ball to the table.
How do you tell what size balls your table takes?
- Measure a ball. Callipers are best; a ruler held across the ball against a flat surface also works. 2in is 50.8 mm and 2 1/4in is 57.15 mm, a difference of about 6 mm, so it is easy to see.
- Measure the cue ball separately. On a coin-op table it may be smaller than the object balls.
- Check the table size. Measure the playing surface between the cushion noses. A 7ft or 8ft table here usually takes 2in; a 9ft or larger takes 2 1/16in; an American table takes 2 1/4in.
- Check the maker's plate or manual if the table has one.
Which ball set should you buy?
Match the size first, then choose the game and the material:
- Eight ball, reds and yellows: the Aramith Premier Casino set (2in) or the Formula Sports Standard Casino set (2in or 2 1/4in). See casino pool balls.
- Numbered balls and kelly pool: the Aramith Premier Kelly set or the Formula Sports Standard Kelly set, both made in four sizes. See kelly pool balls.
- Material: Aramith sets are phenolic resin, harder and denser than the polyester and resin blends in budget sets, so they resist chips and flat spots from repeated breaks. Resin sets suit a home table used now and then.
- Replacing only the cue ball: it takes the most hits and wears first. The Aramith Pro Cup Red Dot comes in all four sizes; the Formula Sports Standard in 1 7/8in and 2in. See cue balls.
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Frequently asked questions
What size pool balls do I need for a 7ft table?
Usually 2in (50.8 mm). Some older or smaller tables take 1 7/8in; measure a ball to be sure.
Are pool balls 2in or 2 1/4in?
Both exist. English-style tables, including most Australian pub and home tables, take 2in. American tables take 2 1/4in.
What size are snooker balls?
52.5 mm under the WPBSA rules, sold as 2 1/16in. Sets for smaller tables are usually 2in.
Why is the cue ball smaller on some tables?
Coin-operated English-style tables often use a 1 7/8in cue ball so the ball return can separate it from the 2in object balls.
Can I use 2 1/4in balls on a 2in table?
No. They hit the cushions at the wrong height and can jam in pockets cut for 2in balls.
What size are 9ft table balls?
A 9ft English-style or snooker table usually takes 2 1/16in; a 9ft American table takes 2 1/4in.
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