New table legs are a great way to give your tired old table a second wind. You can change your room decor for a fraction of what you’d spend on new furniture. But many of our customers ask us, what size table legs do I need?
Choosing the right table leg sizes is important, after all. A table with overly long or overly short legs will be significantly less comfortable and stable. That’s why we’re having this sit-down to determine which table leg sizes best suit your furniture.
You’ll find table legs in all sizes here. The Hairpin Leg Company carries legs for coffee tables, dining tables, countertops, bars, sofas, and more. Shop here for all your table leg and furniture accessory needs!
The Role of Table Leg Sizing
One does not often think about table leg sizes. We take tables for granted even as we enjoy our breakfast or watch videos on our laptop. A properly designed table does what it’s expected to do and stays unobtrusive so you can go about working or eating undistracted.
But you’ll soon realise your table’s importance when there’s an issue. A wobbly table or poorly sized legs will drive home the importance of your table legs. Here are some things that will help you look at table legs in a new light.
It Impacts Use and Comfort
You must hunch to eat or do work if your table legs are too high. This strains your neck, shoulders, and upper back. An overly high table can lead to back pain, neck pain, and wrist and arm strain.
You’ll run into similar problems when your table legs are too short. An overly low table also forces you into an unnatural and uncomfortable position. It can lead to neck strain, digestive discomfort, and spinal misalignment.
The Aesthetic Side of Things
We offer a number of table leg styles. All are inspired by modern design, but each has a different aesthetic profile that will change the way you and your guests view your table.
Our slender hairpin legs give your table a touch of mid-century elegance. Choose between our 10mm legs with a 60kg rated load at table height, or our heavy-duty 12mm legs that hold a whopping 120kg. For more information about weight recommendations for all of our legs at different heights, check here.
Choose industrial table legs like our trapezium table legs for bold, clean lines and a sharp modern look. Our industrial table legs combine form with function.
Looking for wooden legs? Our Solid Oak Table Legs have a sleek tapered profile that goes well with every decor. They’ll hold up to 60kg at table height and are made with high-quality European oak, then finished with hardwax oil to bring out the wood’s natural glow. They are also available unfinished so that you can apply your own stain to match your tabletop.
What Size Table Legs Do I Need?
All that being said, what size table legs do I need? It depends on what size table we’re talking about!
Tables come in different standard heights, ranging from coffee tables to bar-height tables. Here’s a bit more information that will help you determine for yourself, what size table legs do I need?
Standard Table Leg Heights by Table Type
You might expect that an establishment called The Hairpin Leg Co. would have a wide variety of table legs to choose from – and you’d be right! You’ll find what you’re looking for with us, whether it’s a coffee table or a standing desk. Here’s a list of our different table leg sizes.
Coffee Tables
How long are coffee table legs? You get three different coffee table leg sizes to choose from when you shop with us. Our hairpin coffee table legs come in 25cm, 30cm, and 35cm sizes. Our tapered wooden legs and industrial box section legs also come in 35cm.
Our coffee table legs are incredibly strong. Shorter legs are inherently stronger and stiffer than their taller counterparts. You will be hard pushed to build something on small legs where weight is an issue. If you have any specific concerns on this, do get in touch
Dining Tables
In addition to our popular hairpin table legs, we also offer wooden and industrial steel table legs for dining tables. How long are dining table legs? Generally speaking, a 73 - 76cm table top surface will be suitable in most cases. Our legs for dining tables are 71cm high, so with a 2-5cm thick tabletop you will achieves a comfortable height for dining.
Our dining table legs are designed with makers and DIYers in mind. They’re easy to install and come in a range of styles and colours to suit different interior design tastes. See our guide on how to attach table legs for more details.
Desks
Our dining table legs will also serve marvelously as desks. Prefer a standing desk? Check out our counter-height and bar-height table legs.
Or choose our Prism Wall Desk Brackets and position your desk at whatever height you want. Our Prism brackets hold up to 200kg, so you don’t have to worry about putting heavy things on your new desk.
Counter-Height Tables
Our 86cm counter-height hairpin legs are perfect for a Mid-Century Modern or Art Deco kitchen island or high poseur table. They’re made in the classic hairpin design originally designed by Henry P Glass in the 1940s.
Our hairpin table legs come in lots of finish options, from raw steel to electroplated and various powder coat colours. We also have counter-height bar stools that will blend perfectly with your new table.
Bar-Height Tables
Our 102cm pins support up to 80kg freestanding, or even more if you fix the table to a wall or static fixing. High table legs are more prone to wobbling, so we designed our hairpin legs with balance and stability in mind. They look marvelous and they’ll hold your bar up with style and flair.
You can order our 102cm Square Industrial Frame in lengths of up to 240cm. Its heavy-duty design is suited for loads of over 120kg and will easily handle a stone or marble countertop.
How to Measure for the Correct Leg Height
Decide on the total finished height you want for your table. Take tabletop thickness into account. If you attach our 71cm table legs to a 3cm thick tabletop, the total height of your table will be 74cm. With our 86cm counter-height table legs, the table would be 89cm high.
It’s best to have about 25cm to 30cm of space between the top of the chair seat and the tabletop’s underside. Measure your chairs to determine their seat height and factor those decisions in when choosing your table legs.
Factoring in Tabletop Thickness and Overhang
A table with too much overhang can become unstable and prone to tipping if someone sits or leans on the edge. Too little overhang can make a table look "stubby," while too much can make it top-heavy and precarious.
For a standard four-legged table, place the legs about 5cm in from the edges. This keeps your table in place while hiding the mounting hardware.
With our industrial box section legs which come in sets of two to place at each end of your table, you can leave a 35cm to 50cm overhang at each end if you want to be able to sit at the ends of the table. You can even have more of an overhang if you’d like, as long as the overhang isn’t over 25% of the full length of the table. These legs come in two width options. The standard 58cm wide option will be good for tables that are up to 120cm wide, while the 78cm wide option will be good for tables that are up to 150cm wide.
Choosing Between Tapered, Hairpin, and Box Frame Legs
Hairpin legs give furniture a sense of lightness and airiness. They’re an excellent choice for smaller spaces and look great in minimalist and mid-century modern layouts. Choose the 3-rod or heavy-duty versions for taller or heavier projects.
Tapered legs are sleek, elegant, and clean. They add a subtle visual interest without being overly bulky. You’ll see our tapered wooden legs on many modern and Scandinavian desk, chair, and dining table designs.
Our industrial box section legs give your room a bold, industrial, and chunky aesthetic. These legs are also incredibly strong and stable, so they’re a great choice for large dining tables, conference tables, and heavy-duty workbenches.
Explore All the Different Table Leg Sizes at The Hairpin Leg Co.
Our inventory selection covers everything from 25cm coffee table legs to 102cm bar table legs. Choose from our wooden table legs and metal table legs. If you can’t decide which would look best in your space, get in touch and we’ll be happy to advise you.
We build our table legs in timeless, enduring styles. And we engineer them for ease of installation and strength. You can build heirloom furniture for a fraction of the boutique price with our table legs.
Customers have trusted us for more than a decade now, and you can too - thanks to our hassle-free 60-day return policy and world-class customer service. Take a look around and find the perfect style. Rethink and revitalise your old furniture with help from The Hairpin Leg Co.
Parting Thoughts on Table Leg Sizes
New table legs can transform your furniture and your space. The Hairpin Leg Co. specialises in legs to suit every table and every decor. We provide easy-to-follow instructions so even novice restorers can upgrade their old furniture.
Don’t throw away your wobbly old table! Replace those unstable legs with The Hairpin Leg Co. table legs. It won’t take long to transform your table from junk into an heirloom. Shop with us today!
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