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Upgrade An Existing Table with Hairpin Table Legs

Sometimes a facelift is all an existing piece of furniture needs to make us feel excited about it again. Refinishing a table, sanding down imperfections and dings, and adding a stylish new set of hairpin table legs will make any table shine again. If you have a bare wood table, or a table that has been oiled or stained, you can sand it down to your liking and then re-oil or stain it (or leave it bare wood again if that’s your preference). If the table has been varnished, removing the varnish to bare wood and then reapplying will give the best looking results. Sanding the top down will smooth out any imperfections that have been created through use. Then pick out what type of finish you’d like to use. Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions during this process.

The next step is to add a new pair of hairpin table legs to complete the makeover! Just like finishes, there are lots of different types of hairpin table legs to choose from. For the classic modern hairpin table leg look there is the original hairpin leg. There are also 3 rod hairpin legs, square bar hairpin legs, “Just the Tip” hairpin legs, rebar hairpin legs, and ‘the Twist’ hairpin legs. With all the styles and lengths available, we know you’ll find the perfect set of legs for your project. All of the legs are made to order right here in the USA. So have fun and send us a picture when you’re done!

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Hairpin Legs Get You Ready for Outdoor Living!

Want to greet spring with a new piece of outdoor furniture? Our metal hairpin legs will help you do just that! Backyard furniture here we come…

redwood-benches-with-flat-bar-bench-legs

Itching for Spring? How about a DIY furniture project to help you get ready! Have an outdoor space that could use sprucing up? Or would you like to create a nice outdoor setting for yourself and your guests? It’s always nice to end an evening by relaxing on the porch – or enjoying a weekend with guests in the back yard. If you start planning now, you could have a beautiful new piece of hairpin leg furniture all ready for the warmer weather that’s right around the corner. Our metal hairpin legs are great for indoor and outdoor use. And nothing helps spring arrive like diving into a project that will help you enjoy the outdoors as the weather gets nicer.

So, what are you looking forward to in the spring? Setting up a fire pit? Getting out in the back yard for family barbecues? How about getting ready for barbecue season with a new end table to set by the grill? There are lots of metal leg options to choose from. We offer a variety of hairpin legs as well as bench legs and tapered angle iron legs. All of our metal legs are made of 100% recyclable steel and each set is made to order right here in the USA. It takes about fourteen days from order time to arrival date so pick out your hairpin legs and get planning. If you start now you’ll be all ready for the metal legs just as they arrive. We can almost feel that warm spring breeze now!

 

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What are Good Metal Bench Leg Applications?

We all come across indoor and outdoor benches in our daily lives but sometimes the only place they come to mind is in the park. Benches have a wide variety of uses and are uniquely well-suited for a number of purposes. A bench can be a stand-alone piece of furniture or it can be part of a larger furniture set-up such as at a table. Sure, benches are often used with picnic tables or patio furniture, but they also go well at dining room tables.

coffee-table-with-metal-bench-legs-and-compassCustomers tell us they love the versatility of benches at the table. They offer a varied amount of seating space – just a person or two when there are fewer people, or many more when there is a party, holiday or just a big family meal. And more people can usually fit together on a bench than trying to a dozen chairs around the table. We’ve even had customers us our bench supports for the table itself! Benches also go well in an entryway space or mudroom. They give place for people to sit and take footwear on and off. They also provide a great place to put groceries or other items being carried in or out. And of course benches do go well outdoors.

They work well in the garden, next to the pool, or even in that sauna you’re dreaming about building. We offer two types of metal bench legs: flat bar bench legs and tube steel bench legs. Each offers the stability and durability of bench legs and they can support much more weight than other leg types. But far be it from us to tell you which style of bench leg is best for your application…you decide, and send us a picture of your final piece. We love to show off the creativity of our clients!

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Are all Hairpin Legs Created Equal?

Choosing the right metal legs for your project is important. You want to be sure your finished piece will be strong and sturdy. Here are some tips to help you get the best product.

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Who is selling the legs?

Is the seller the manufacturer or a retailer? If the seller is not involved in the manufacturing they may not be able to verify quality or answer specifics about manufacturing. Modern Legs sells their products themselves so each product is verified for quality.

Who makes the product?

Are products hand-made or machine manufactured? Is the product made in the USA or imported? Every set of metal legs we sell are hand made right here in the USA; every set of legs are made to order for every customer.

What are they made of?

What material is used to make the legs? Is it a strong material? The materials we use for all of our metal legs are sturdy and long-lasting. We offer a wide variety of metal legs from the original hairpin leg made of steel to a rebar hairpin leg to tube steel bench legs. Sounds durable, huh? We choose the appropriate material for each style of leg – just look at the tapered angle iron table legs and you’ll see what we mean.

What are the style offerings?

Having a piece of furniture look good is important. A good set of metal legs will compliment the other components and bring its own style to the mix. We offer a wide variety of styles from Just the Tip to a square bar hairpin leg. Or check out our modern twist (literally) on the hairpin classic – the twist hairpin leg.

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All of these questions will help you determine what metal legs are best. Answers should be made clear by the seller of any product – but especially a component like legs that will support a larger structure. You’ll want the finished furniture to last a lifetime and give you peace of mind that you have used the best components possible.

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Have Wobbly Table Legs? Our Bent Metal Hairpin Legs Can Help!

classic hairpin legs

A lot of customers approach us asking how to solve the problem of wobbly wooden table legs. Why does this occur? How can this be prevented? Unfortunately poor construction is often to blame for wobbly table legs. But sometimes heavy use – or even continuous routine use – can make wooden table legs wobble. In order to prevent table legs from getting wobbly they need to be a stable leg suited for the rigors of daily use, and they need to be properly attached to the tabletop. The bent hairpin table legs we offer are durable and long-lasting – and able to handle the demands of everyday use. The legs themselves are hand-constructed from a steel rod – sounds tough, huh? This makes them virtually indestructible. As you can see from the picture we just got from Cindy, hairpin legs offer a simple, sturdy solution to any table build.

diy barn board table with hairpin legs

The way they are attached to the table makes a big difference. Our legs are not attached to separate brackets that are then attached to the table – they are one solid unit made to be screwed directly into the tabletop itself. If you’re concerned about heavy loads you can also check out two bent hairpin table legs with extra stability built into the design: the Just the Tip legs and the 3 Rod hairpin legs. No matter which hairpin table legs you choose, we know they’ll go well with your tabletop and will support a multitude of uses for a long time to come. Send us a picture of your project when you’re finished!

 

 

 

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Choosing the Pieces for Your DIY Table Project

square bar hairpin legs

What makes a good tabletop for your do-it-yourself table project? How can you find the tabletop you’ll want to use and look at in your home or office? How do you know what are the best legs to complement the tabletop and give adequate support? Choosing the right table components ensures your happiness with the final creation and that it’s the right addition to the space where it will be used. What style of finished product are you looking for? Are you looking for something symmetrical, something that matches the existing décor, something functional? All of the above? Choosing the components wisely ensures you have a final product that meets all of your needs.

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The tabletop can be an old door or retrofitted pallet if you want something with a rugged and rustic look. It can be a repurposed tabletop or butcher block, or it can be a piece whose emphasis is on the wood itself – a cross section of a tree, a refinished beam or barn board. Our metal hairpin legs – and bench supports – add a unique quality to a table. They have a stand-alone beauty with their simple lines and sturdy metal. But they also compliment and accent the tabletop itself. Choosing the perfect set of metal table legs ties all pieces of the table together. Once you’ve selected the components you’ll just need some wood screws to attach the legs. You’ll be pleased with your final piece and it will be pleasant to look at and use for years to come!

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Matched Coffee Table / End Table with Tapered Angle Iron Legs

diy coffee table with modern metal table legs

We just received some photos of a matched set of DIY tables made with our tapered angle iron legs, and they look great! Friends of the company Tomi and Andy came up with the classic design for their new living room, and we’re glad to be a part of the end result.

side-table-with-tapered-angle-iron-legs matching-coffee-table-side-table-with-modern-angle-iron-legs diy-coffee-table-with-tapered-angle-iron-legsAs you can see, the tabletops are a classic blonde wood with a little touch of weathering if you look closely. The coloration of the modern steel table legs and the greyish portion of the weathered sections of wood play nicely with each other, and the final products look great!

Thanks to Tomi and Andy for sending these photos over, and as always, we love seeing our legs in their final homes…so send us pictures any time you finish a project!

 

 

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How Long Does it Take to Make a Coffee Table with Hairpin Legs?

tapered angle iron legs

A custom coffee table is an expression of who we are. As a centerpiece of the living area, coffee tables are a highly visible part of our daily lives. It is great to have this central piece of furniture express who we are and how we keep our homes. Making your own coffee is the very best way to make sure it truly expresses who you are. And it need not take long to make it. Do you like rustic pieces with an antique touch? A great combo for you might be an old wooden door with Square Bar hairpin legs or tapered angle iron legs. Like things more refined with a classic look? Than a refinished oak desk or table top with classic metal hairpin legs may be your style.

metal banded rustic table with hairpin legs

No matter what you choose to use, it is easy to get your own coffee table put together. Once you’ve picked out the top you want and the style of metal hairpin legs you just need to attach them with wood screws and you’re all done! Customers have told us that with a rough-style tabletop the whole process can take under an hour. With more attention to detail, like refinishing the tabletop, it could take an afternoon to get all of the pieces ready to be put together. It’s up to you how much time you want to take but either way you’ll have your very own hand-build table in less time than you may think.

You don’t have to take on a finished project like our customer Marco did here (thanks for the pic, Marco!), but it’s proof that if you can dream it, you can make it.

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DIY Dining Room Table with Steel Bench Legs

diy dining room table with steel bench legs

We wanted to take a minute to share a customer photo of a beautiful dining room table Mary made from a great big slab of rough cut wood. She finished the top with a medium-dark stain and finished it with rectangular tube steel bench legs. Above a certain length / height ratio, we suggest using tube steel rather than flat bar steel for custom bench legs. It adds much more stability, along with a square look to the table which some of our clients prefer.

diy dining room table with steel bench legs

We’re happy to be a part of this amazing creation, which will certainly last Mary and her family for years and years. Here is what she had to say, “I love the legs on my new table! Thanks for your help.”

Thank you, Mary, for choosing us to help finish your DIY table, and send us photos of your next DIY furniture project!

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Make Your Own Desk at any Height Using Hairpin Table Legs

butcher block style desk with hairpin legs

Want your desk customized just for you? Well who better to make your perfect desk than you? We spend lots of time at desks these days and it can be a pleasant or unpleasant experience depending on the desk itself. Style, comfort, and ergonomics all play a role in how much we enjoy using our desks.

Here at Modern Legs we know the perfect desk fit is essential so we offer a range of hairpin table leg sizes – and we’ll even customize the size just for you if the heights we offer don’t meet your needs. Maybe you already have a desk that just needs a height change – or maybe you want to start from scratch. Either way, try out different desktop heights to see what works best for you. What is comfortable and what height makes it easiest to use the desk for all its purposes? Keep in mind that the height of your chair will factor into your desk height. Now that you’ve determined what height you want, measure from the floor to the bottom edge of where you’ll be attaching the hairpin legs. This location may be the underside of the desktop itself or it may be the underside of the drawers.

Now check out what style of hairpin legs you want – the Original hairpin legs, 3 Rod hairpin legs, Square Bar hairpin legs…the list goes on. Once you’ve decided on the style you can see what heights are offered for that style – 4” to 30” in even sizes are the standard heights offered. If the size you want is different than what we want, let us know – we can customize any size up to 30”. You’ll be glad to know all of our metal hairpin legs are made to order right here in the United States from environmentally friendly 100% recyclable steel!