Gold Hairpin Legs

The choice of hairpin legs depends on what you are building. For shorter legs such as coffee tables and below, the standard 2-rod legs are already very strong and sufficient for most projects.

As the legs get longer, more structure is needed to maintain strength and stiffness. For tables, it is recommended to choose a 3-rod leg unless it is a small decorative side table. The classic legs can support up to around 60kg, while the heavy-duty legs can handle up to 120kg.

For benches, it is generally suggested to match the legs with the table. For standalone usage, a classic 2-rod leg is suitable for a 1-2 person seat or bench, while a 3-rod leg is recommended for 3 or more people. Although heavy-duty legs provide additional strength, both the 3-rod options are already incredibly strong.

At counter and bar heights, only 3-rod legs are available. The 10mm classic legs can support up to 50kg, while the 12mm heavy-duty legs can handle up to 100kg freestanding.

If your counter is going to be next to a wall or other static structure, like a kitchen island, then you can also attach your tabletop to that with a wall fixing and this will significantly increase the strength of your final construction.

All finishes are metallic in colour, between grey and silver. While visually each option can appear similar, mechanically there are significant differences.

Raw steel is the most basic finish we offer. The legs are cleaned up and wiped down after manufacturing and then boxed. This finish is ideal if you plan to paint or finish the legs yourself or if you desire an industrial look with a rusted appearance. It's important to note that raw steel will eventually rust, even when used indoors.

Clear coat provides a visually identical appearance to raw steel, but we have added an invisible protective paint. If you prefer the industrial raw steel look without the risk of rust, this option is recommended.

Zinc is an electroplate finish applied over the raw steel. It offers a silver finish that closely resembles stainless steel but at a lower cost. Zinc is durable, even when used outdoors, and while it won't rust, it may tarnish over time, losing its bright finish.

Our stainless steel legs are constructed from 316 stainless steel, making them highly durable in all environments, including marine settings. These legs do not have any coating, eliminating the risk of chips or scratches that could allow moisture to seep in. They are designed to last a lifetime.

Brass, copper and chrome finishes utilise an electro-plating process to mechanically bond a thin layer of the metal onto the surface of the legs. This is commonly used on items like kitchen/bathroom taps.

The main advantage of this over a solid brass or copper leg is the strength benefit while ensuring the product's affordability.

While many of our products are designed for indoor use, several are suitable for outdoor settings — all of which can be found in our Outdoor Collection.

However, “outdoor suitability” exists on a spectrum. Some products are more resilient than others, depending on materials and finishes:

• Consumer-grade Protection: Products treated with outdoor-rated powder coat paint offer reasonable durability for residential use.
• Commercial-grade protection: For the highest level of outdoor durability, we use non-rusting base materials such as galvanised steel, 316 stainless steel, or aluminium.

Standard powder-coated products aren’t necessarily unsuitable for outdoor use, but they may require more care and may not last as long when exposed to the elements. Some customers report years of outdoor use without issue, while others may notice wear more quickly — depending on exposure and maintenance.

Coastal environments require extra care.For seaside locations, we strongly recommend our 316 Stainless Steel Hairpin Legs. These provide marine-grade corrosion resistance and are designed to withstand the harsh, salt-rich air. Steel can and will rust over time — especially near the coast — so stainless steel is the best choice for long-term performance.

If you’re unsure which option suits your space, feel free to contact us for tailored advice.

For wood, use plain wood screws directly into the wooden surface for the most simple and durable fitting method. A small 1-2mm pilot hole is suggested for hardwoods to ease the screw in and reduce the risk of cracking.

In all of our table legs, we provide 4.5mm wood screws, suitable for most sized tables over 18mm thicker.

If you are building a large table, go as wide as a 5mm wood screw and maximise the length for your top to ensure the best engagement.

Threaded inserts can be a good choice if your project requires assembly/disassembly of the legs many times or you are shipping off to a customer and want a more professional finish. We suggest using an M5 bolt / 5mm threaded insert to fit into our legs 6mm hole. This provides a little wiggle room for wood expansion and hole alignment.

When placing hairpin legs, we generally suggest insetting them 5cm from the corner of the table. Placement is not critical and can be adjusted for personal taste. For more information, feel free to download our detailed hairpin build guide.

These legs are not freestanding. Therefore it is important that you are able to get a really strong attachment to your tabletop and ensure that the attachment will be able to withstand the weight of the table.

For materials that are not easy to screw the legs directly into, your simplest and most reliable options we have would be to use one of our free standing table frames.

These are incredibly strong and will be suitable for the heaviest projects. Depending on the specs and intended use for your table, you may be able to rest the top on the frame, or if you want to secure the top to the frame, you can simply use glue or even some heavy-duty double-sided tape.

If you would prefer to use some of our non-freestanding legs, then an excellent way to ensure you get a strong fixing would be to glue a piece of 24mm plywood, cut a bit smaller than your top surface, to the underside using a strong adhesive to then screw the legs into that.

Some Ikea, laminate or veneer tabletops will not be made of solid wood, but instead have a chipboard, particleboard or sometimes even honeycomb or hollow structure inside. These materials will not be strong enough for you to screw into, and will likely degrade around the screw resulting in a wobble or potentially even dangerous table.

You should check the product description to find out what these tabletops are made of, and if they are not solid wood or something strong like plywood then it might be best to choose one of our free standing table frames.

As the table frames are freestanding themselves, you will not need to worry about getting a really strong attachment, and you may be able just to rest the top on the frame. Or if you want to secure the top to the frame, you can simply use glue or even some heavy-duty double-sided tape.

If you would prefer to use some of our non-freestanding legs, then an excellent way to ensure you get a strong fixing would be to glue a piece of 24mm plywood, cut a bit smaller than your top surface, to the underside using a strong adhesive to then screw the legs into that.

We take great pride in our product quality and back it with a 5-year residential indoor guarantee.

Changed your mind? No problem — you can return unused items within 60 days of purchase. For full details, see our returns policy.

Have questions? Just get in touch — we’re always happy to help.

Sorry, but we currently only offer our products in complete sets. Whether it's a set of legs for a table or a set of brackets for a shelf, our items are sold in full packs. This helps us ensure that every set you receive is 100% identical.

Our meticulous manufacturing process involves hand-crafting most items using materials from the same batch. This allows consistency across all pieces in a set, from the same welder welding to the same painter painting. We appreciate your understanding and assure you that this approach allows us to maintain our high standards of quality.

Yes, we do!

You can apply for a trade account at trade.thehairpinlegcompany.co.uk. We offer competitive pricing on all of our products with single, bulk and drop-ship options.

We have the capacity for both one-off and bulk orders. Please note that setup costs start from £300, which often suits premium or larger volume orders. Do get in touch with us to discuss your needs.