What is the black scratched up part of this table and how can I make it look good?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47069249@N0鈥?/a>



http://www.flickr.com/photos/47069249@N0鈥?/a>



http://www.flickr.com/photos/47069249@N0鈥?/a>



I can't for the life of me figure out what the black part is. It feels like plastic at the top but it's so heavy that I think it might be stone or slate. If it makes a difference this is a bumper pool/poker table/table top type thing from around 1950-1960. I want to refinish it and make it look nice but have no idea where to start with it. Please help, and thank you.What is the black scratched up part of this table and how can I make it look good?
Try sandpaper (or at least some sort) and adding a gloss/varnish..What is the black scratched up part of this table and how can I make it look good?
it is slate..it is used for pool tables and flooring mostly
Most likely it is slate. If that is the case, sanding is not likely to work very well.



I would suggest sealing or coating with a clear finish (assuming you want to keep the color -- albeit, a bit darker)



If you don't much care about the stone, you could paint it (prime first, then paint).



If you want a simple solution, you could either use a table cloth or a table cover (various possibilities here)



Or... If you have the skill and a helper (and the guts), you might try flipping the slate to the other side (assuming the other side is better). This may be difficult or impossible (requiring disassembly of most of the table in the process) depending how it is put in there.
Buy some poker table felt.

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