Riley Aristocrat and Renaissance tables are available with a choice of either steel block or standard hardwood cushions. Both designs use the same rubber for the actual cushions, but differ in construction as follows:
Steel Block Cushions
The steel block cushion is made up of three pieces: 1) the rail (the outer edge of the table-more commonly known as the frieze) ;(2) Riley galvanised steel bolted to the entire length of the rail; (3) Cushion comprising a wooden rail to which the cushion rubber is fixed.
Standard Cushions
For a standard wooden cushion, the construction is a single piece to which the cushion rubber is fixed i.e. the frieze (rails) is constructed in such a way that they take the function of all three components listed for the steel block above.
What is the difference?
Steel block cushions are used on all tournament tables to provide a more consistent rebound for snooker professionals. Galvanised steel is a more rigid material than wood and will not “give” under impact of the balls, no matter at what speed they are played into the cushion. The ball energy and direction are therefore entirely determined by the angle and speed at which they hit the cushion rubber surface. With a wooden cushion, the wood base of the cushion can sometimes give a little under impact, thereby altering slightly the angle of the face of the cushion rubber and giving a slightly less than true bounce.
How Do I Choose?
For most players, the choice is determined purely by cost – whilst steel block cushions offer the optimum playing experience, they are more expensive. Professionals will only play on a table with steel block cushions. The amateur player, whose positional play may not be the most accurate anyway, may find their game less affected by the slight inconsistencies in the bounce provided by standard cushions.