sirwin – Page 3 – Modern Legs

Posted on December 5, 2014 by sirwin

Black Walnut Table with ‘The Twist’ Hairpin Legs

Black walnut is a beautiful wood that lends itself wonderfully to table making – and to other DIY projects for that matter. What we love in particular is the hue of the wood and its ability to blend so well with our hairpin legs. The metal legs we offer, including our hairpin legs, are made of dark steel. As you know steel is a strong durable material that can last a lifetime; and when it is formed correctly, it looks amazing. Those qualities are also true of black walnut so it makes a naturally partner with steel. Kristen’s table perfectly illustrates our point!

Kristen told us that she sourced the wood from a dead walnut tree…milling and sanding it to her desired dimensions. As you can see in this piece the natural edges of the wood are intentionally included – often referred to as keeping the live edge. This adds a solid look to the wood and creates a strong connection with the tree. The affect is to remind viewers of the tree itself—not just the end product.

One of the nicest features of this table is Kristen’s use of space. When using a specific piece of wood for a piece of furniture one of the best ways to create the perfect finished piece is to work with the wood’s natural features. Kristen’s piece of black walnut is wider at one end than the other. You can see how the use of three legs instead of the traditional four really compliments the piece. The three legs offer more legroom while simultaneously accenting the change in table depth. Kristen chose The Twist hairpin legs for this furniture project; The Twist hairpin legs offer a literal twist on the classic hairpin leg and perfectly complements the soft round features of this piece of black walnut. Great job Kristen, thanks for sharing!

Posted on November 26, 2014November 26, 2014 by sirwin

Chest of Drawers with Hairpin Legs

One of the great things about metal hairpin legs is they can go on just about anything. They go great with a tabletop for a coffee table or dining room table, but they also go great on larger pieces of furniture. Here is a great piece from Reed using classic hairpin legs on a chest of drawers.

This piece measures 40”W x 36”H x 16”D and is sturdy on its hairpin legs. Metal legs offer a clean modern look to the simple classic lines of this piece. Great job Reed! You can find out more about Reed’s work on his website. We offer a variety of metal hairpin legs styles including the Original Hairpin Legs, 3 Rod Hairpin Legs, Rebar Hairpin Legs, and more, so whatever style or design you have in mind, we have hairpin and custom metal legs that will work perfectly with your next furniture project.

Happy furniture making and send us a picture of your project!

Posted on November 20, 2014 by sirwin

Pallet Wood and Tapered Angle Iron Legs

We love talking about what a great resource pallets are. They are a great source of quality building material. Here is a great example of how pallet wood can be beautifully finished and repurposed. Brady made his coffee table from pallet wood using our tapered angle iron legs. The angle iron table legs offer a different look from our hairpin legs. They are made of hot rolled steel giving them a rustic look; their unique angles will match the angle-cut pallet wood and draw the piece together.

Our angle iron legs come in even inch sizes from 4″ – 30″ tall. We offer two sizes as well: 2″ x 1/8″ angle iron recommended only for heights under 26″ and decorative pieces and 3″ x 3/16″ for any piece where stability and strength will be required of your piece.

For those of you who really like DIY furniture projects, sourcing some pallet is a great starting point. Stronger pallets use thick wood that can be easily reclaimed and turned into a finished piece…and you get the satisfaction of turning something that would otherwise be thrown out into a functional piece of household furniture. Brady describes his coffee table as having legs that are attached by being “screwed up underneath, tight into the corner to a plywood base beneath the angled sections of pallet wood.” Thanks for sharing Brady, excellent work with the pallet wood coffee table!

Posted on November 11, 2014 by sirwin

Dining Room Table with a Twist

Dining room tables are one of the most used tables in our lives. Having a beautiful centerpiece of the dining room brightens the whole room. Here is Victoria’s dining room table which she finished with The Twist hairpin legs. The Twist hairpin legs is on of the metal leg variations we offer based on the classic metal hairpin legs; other variations include the 3 Rod hairpin legs, square bar hairpin legs, rebar hairpin legs, and Just the Tip hairpin legs.

The Twist metal legs offer a modern twist – literally – on the classic hairpin legs. As you can see in Victoria’s room this style compliments the angular aspects of the room with their simple and strong style. You can choose The Twist hairpin legs in either 1/2-inch or 3/8-inch diameter and they are offered in even inch sizes from 14- to 30-inches. These legs are a great option for anything from a coffee table to a dining room table to a desk.

The twist in the metal gives them a different look no matter which angle they are viewed from. And like all of our hairpin legs they are made of 100% steel, and all of our legs are made to order right here in the USA! We love the dining room you table you created Victoria, thank you for sharing!

Posted on November 5, 2014 by sirwin

Hairpin Legs: DIY and the Professional Builder

live edge coffee table with hairpin legs

Zach at Denim Woodworks sent us some pics of his latest work. The table combines a lot of different shapes and colors to give it its unique look. The benches are durable and solid using thick slabs of wood. Both the wood and the metal legs are thick and angular and the simplicity of the bench legs nicely complements the wood bench tops.

Zach is a bit more than just a home DIYer. Zach is a custom furniture maker specializing in live edge wood sourced from salvaged or sustainable sources in the San Francisco area. Working with wood is a passion of his and it shows in his finished pieces. Here is what he had to say about our metal legs: “Your steel work has taken my wood work up to the next level and I really, really appreciate that!” Our hairpin legs and metal bench legs serve many applications and can be customized to any design. Zach is looking for a product that will hold up to his beautiful and unique creations and a design that compliments the unique wood specimens each of his pieces is made from. If you are making a piece of furniture for yourself, a few for yourself and others, or it is your business to create lasting, well-build furniture, our hairpin legs and bench legs are up to the job.

Posted on October 29, 2014 by sirwin

Distressed Tabletop and Hairpin Legs

Upcycling an old (or old looking) tabletop can be just the thing for your new homemade table. How do you achieve this older look? First, you can make a tabletop from an old door or wood originally intended for another purpose that is already distressed. Older pieces of wood are often painted and through time they have worn as they were used. An old tabletop may be distressed around the corners for example; a former door may show signs of wear where hands rubbed opened and shut it through time. But if this is the look you want and you don’t have access to and older piece of wood, you can do it yourself.

For a painted look with wood showing through simply paint a new coat of pain onto the plain wood (a quick sanding beforehand will help the paint adhere better). Once the paint has thoroughly dried begin sanding it until the wood starts to show through and stop at the point that suits you. For a paint-over-paint look, paint the first coat and once thoroughly dry put a second color on top. Sand this coat down until the desired amount of the undercoat shows through. You can mix and match the colors and amounts of paint to suit your needs. The classic look of metal legs matches the old style of distressed wood perfectly. Whether using old wood or doing the distressing yourself, you can leave it the way it is or cover it with an additional clear coat on top of the point for added protection. Just keep in mind that if you are using an older painted surface there may be substances in the paint you should handle with care, so make sure you work outdoors with proper protective equipment and clean up thoroughly when you’re done.

Of course if you aren’t ready to take on the challenge of painting and distressing your own tabletop, there are artisans doing the painting and building to order. The images for this post were shared with us by Scott, who hand paints and builds furniture in Portland, OR. If you live in the area, keep an eye out for his pieces which he sells direct on Craigslist. Whichever way you choose to get a colorful new piece of hairpin leg furniture into your home, have fun and send us a picture when you’re done!

Posted on October 21, 2014 by sirwin

DIY Hairpin Leg Entryway Table by A Joyful Riot

diy entryway table with hairpin table legs

Making something with your own hands has its own unique sense of satisfaction. In a day when we can buy anything easily and have it shipped overnight, we don’t often get the chance to craft things by ourselves—and have the pleasure of saying, ‘yeah, I made that’.

Taking the time to make something with our own two hands gives a lasting sense of satisfaction – and perhaps stirs a primal feeling of being connected to the world around us. We love seeing what our customers come up with and we can tell how proud folks are of their very own creations. Whatever steps most appeal to you – the design, building, or finishing steps – we know you’ll have a great time building your own piece of furniture and that is why we make hairpin legs!

That said, if the idea of designing and creating a DIY furniture piece entirely on your own seems a little daunting, there are plenty of great resources to help inspire you…or give you step by step instructions. Our friends at A Joyful Riot have put together a stellar tutorial on how they have built their own hairpin leg table. They include all of the steps as well as pictures along the way. We know what a great resource this is and you can see just what you need to do before you even begin. And of course you can see their beautiful final product as well…in this case a beautiful entryway table with hairpin legs. So enjoy the tutorial and have a blast putting together your very own hairpin leg furniture! And don’t forget to send us a picture of your final product!

Posted on October 14, 2014 by sirwin

Hairpin Leg Desk Made with IKEA Butcher Block Countertop

hairpin leg desk with ikea countertop surface

A hairpin legs desk will certainly stand out in your home…as well as offer a long-lasting furniture solution. Our thin styled metal hairpin legs leave ample room for legs and chairs without compromising stability or durability. Here is a great piece made by Olivier. It’s a great showcase of what anyone can plan and create at home: a one-of-a-kind desk. Olivier stared with hairpin legs and added an IKEA countertop as the surface for his kid’s desk. Here is what Olivier had to say:

My wife really wanted hairpin legs. So the desk was built around it. The top is made out of a ‘butcher block’ kitchen counter, bought at IKEA and then stained antique oak.

What a great finished piece! The dark stain on the wood nicely complements the metal leg. Choosing a top that is not too deep makes it fit well in the hallway space while still providing plenty of desktop.

If you are interested in making your own desk you can order hairpin legs considered standard table or desk height which is 28 – 30 inches. Or if you use a table or desk whose height feels right that you’d like to mimic, measure the floor to tabletop height and you’ll know how long your hairpin legs need to be. We offer even sizes from 4 to 30 inches so you can order any height you need. You can even order varied height hairpin legs to put on a more traditional drawer-style desk.

Enjoy your new desk Olivier, and thanks for sharing!

Posted on October 7, 2014October 9, 2014 by sirwin

Storing Hairpin Leg Furniture for the Season

When the cooler weather hits some of us have the urge to tidy up outdoors and get ready for the winter—which is a good idea and could likely extend the life of your outdoor furniture. If you’ve enjoyed your hairpin leg furniture outdoors during the warmer seasons and are thinking about what to do with it for the cooler months, here are some helpful hints.

First and foremost, all of our metal legs – both hairpin legs and bench legs – are durable and long-lasting. If you are short on space or in an area that does not have a long cold season, you can definitely leave your furniture outdoors. Your hairpin legs will be just fine! You can always leave your outdoor furniture under cover right where it is as well…other than picking up covers, it’s a pretty simple solution.

The most ideal location to keep your furniture is a dry storage location – like a shed or garage that stays dry. A helpful tip to keep in mind however, is that the metal legs themselves are unlikely degrade over time. All of our metal legs are made of incredibly durable steel and are thick – 3/8 to ½ inch for the hairpin legs. What will most likely break down first are the wooden parts of the furniture, or the connection between the wood and the hairpin legs if not properly cared for.

If you love the look of unfinished outdoor furniture…you can leave it as is and just inspect it each year for wear from the elements. Repair any sign of damage before storing it and should be all ready to use again in the spring. Untreated wood will fare best under shelter. If you have treated furniture checking it for weather wear will also benefit it. Perhaps a quick layer of oil or sanding and refinishing will help it get through the winter in great shape. And if you’re really lucky, you already have hairpin leg furniture indoors too, so you won’t have to miss your patio furniture as you spend more time indoors!

Posted on September 30, 2014 by sirwin

Autumn’s Benches with Tube Steel Metal Bench Legs

For many of us, Fall is a favorite time of year…the perfect time to finish up some around-the-house projects and spend some time in the back yard. This week we want to share the great benches Autumn made for her home. These are both great examples of DIY furniture using metal bench legs. As you can see they are two different sizes accommodating different uses – and accommodating different spaces.

The height of the taller bench makes an otherwise difficult to use space more usable. Covering the heating radiator protects people as well as the radiator and gives the space more functionality. The benches are quite similar and match each other while holding their own character at the same time. We offer two distinct styles of bench legs: tube steel bench legs and flat bar bench legs. Autumn chose tube steel bench legs for these two projects but both types of metal bench legs are great options.

Both types of metal bench legs come in the standard bench size: they are 15-inches tall with a tapered width standing 8-inches wide at the top and 12-inches wide at the bottom. The flat bar bench legs are made 1 ½-inch by ¼-inch unfinished raw steel. The tube steel bench legs are made from 1-inch by 2-inch rectangular steel tube. How did Autumn get two different bench heights if both of our bench legs come in the standard 15” height? You can order custom bench support sizes! Contact us with your project specifications and we’ll work with you to figure out what will work for your project!
Great job Autumn, thanks for sharing!