Ever wonder why that satisfying clack sounds so different at a cheap dive bar compared to a professional tournament? It isn't just the felt or the cue. It’s the chemistry of the balls. Most people assume they’re just hard plastic. They aren’t. Honestly, if they were just "plastic," they’d look like a scuffed-up mess after three games of 8-ball.
The question of what are pool balls made of actually takes us through a weird, dangerous history involving elephants, explosive chemicals, and Belgian scientists who basically cornered the entire global market.
The Ivory Nightmare and the $10,000 Bet
Before we got to the smooth, indestructible spheres we use today, pool balls were a conservationist's nightmare. Throughout the 1800s, they were made of solid elephant ivory.
Think about that for a second.
You could only get about eight balls out of a single tusk. As billiards became the "it" game in parlors across Europe and America, the demand for ivory skyrocketed. It was unsustainable. It was also expensive as hell. By the mid-1860s, ivory was becoming so scarce that Phelan & Collender, a massive billiard table manufacturer, offered a $10,000 prize to anyone who could invent a replacement material.
John Wesley Hyatt stepped up. He didn't quite win the prize (the story is messy), but he did invent Celluloid. It was the first semi-synthetic plastic. There was just one tiny, terrifying problem: Celluloid is basically made of nitrocellulose.
It’s explosive.
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There are actual historical accounts of early "composition" balls hitting each other so hard that they produced a small bang like a gunshot. Hyatt himself once noted that if a player was smoking a cigar and the ash hit the ball, it might actually flare up. Not exactly ideal for a relaxing Friday night at the pool hall.
The Belgian Monopoly: Phenolic Resin
If you walk into any professional tournament today, you are looking at Aramith balls. They are produced by a company called Saluc in Callenelle, Belgium. They don't use ivory, and they definitely don't use explosives.
They use phenolic resin.
This is why modern pool balls are so expensive. Phenolic resin is a high-tech plastic that is cured for weeks. The process is a closely guarded secret, but the result is a material that is insanely dense and heat-resistant. When a cue ball hits an object ball, the friction generates an incredible amount of heat—up to 482°F (250°C) at the point of impact.
Cheap balls? They melt. Just a tiny bit. That’s why you see those white "burn spots" on low-quality pool table cloth. High-quality phenolic balls dissipate that heat. They stay smooth. They last for 40 years if you treat them right.
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Why "Polyester" Balls Are Usually a Bad Deal
You’ll see sets on Amazon for $40. Don't buy them. Well, buy them if you’re okay with replacing them in six months. These are typically made of polyester resin or acrylic.
Polyester is brittle.
When you play with polyester balls, they develop "micro-pitting." Essentially, the surface gets tiny craters that act like sandpaper on your cloth. They also lack the perfect balance of a phenolic ball. In a phenolic ball, the center of gravity is perfectly calibrated because the liquid resin is uniform. In cheaper polyester balls, the density can vary, meaning the ball won't roll perfectly straight. It's subtle, but if you’re trying to bank a shot across the full length of a 9-foot Diamond table, you’ll notice the wobble.
The Anatomy of a Modern Ball
It’s a common misconception that the numbers and stripes are just printed on the surface. If they were, they’d rub off after a week of heavy play.
In a high-quality set, the number is actually "grown" into the ball. The manufacturer casts the core, then inlays the numbers and stripes using more colored resin. It’s one solid piece. You could saw a pro-grade pool ball in half, and the "8" would go all the way through the material. That’s why the weight stays so consistent.
A standard regulation pool ball must weigh between 5.5 and 6 ounces. It has a diameter of 2.25 inches. If the weight is off by even a few grams, the physics of the game break down.
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The Specifics of the "Pro" Feel:
- Impact Resistance: Phenolic resin can withstand over 5 tons of pressure.
- Static Electricity: High-grade balls are designed to minimize static, which prevents "clings" or "skids" where the balls stick together mid-hit.
- Longevity: A Saluc/Aramith ball is tested to survive 400,000 impacts.
Saluc and the Global Market
It’s rare to see a total monopoly in sports equipment, but Saluc comes close. They produce roughly 80% of the world's billiard balls. Even when you see brands like Brunswick or Predator, they often partner with Saluc to use their proprietary resin.
Why hasn't anyone else cracked the code?
Scale and chemistry. Refining phenolic resin to be perfectly clear, perfectly dyeable, and perfectly balanced is a nightmare of an engineering task. Most manufacturers stick to cheaper polymers because the barrier to entry for high-end phenolic production is just too high.
Maintenance Matters More Than You Think
Knowing what are pool balls made of helps you understand how to clean them. Since phenolic resin is non-porous, you don't need harsh chemicals. In fact, chemicals can ruin them.
Avoid bleach. Avoid anything abrasive.
Most pros just use a bit of water and a microfiber cloth. If they’re really dirty, there are specialized "ball cleaners" which are essentially very fine polishes that restore the luster without eating away at the resin. If you use a cheap ball cleaner on a polyester ball, you might actually turn the ball yellow over time.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Set
If you are looking to upgrade your home setup, stop looking at the colors and start looking at the material specs.
- Check for "Phenolic": If the box doesn't explicitly say "Phenolic Resin," it is almost certainly polyester. You will pay more upfront—usually $150 to $300 for a set—but you won't be buying a new set in two years.
- Weight Test: If you have a kitchen scale, weigh your current cue ball. If it’s significantly lighter or heavier than 6 ounces, your game is being sabotaged by your equipment.
- The Light Test: Hold a ball up to a very bright flashlight. High-quality phenolic balls often have a slight translucency or a very specific internal glow compared to the flat, opaque look of cheap plastic.
- Cloth Preservation: If you see white dots appearing on your felt, your balls are "burning" the table. This is a sign of low-grade resin. Switch balls immediately to save your expensive cloth.
Invest in a quality set once. They will likely outlive the table they’re rolling on. Understanding the shift from ivory to explosive celluloid to Belgian resin isn't just trivia; it's the reason the modern game of pool is as precise and fast as it is today.