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Combining Wood Types with Metal Hairpin Table Legs

Combining wood types is a great way to create a unique piece of hairpin leg furniture. Different woods can accent each other well, without the added step of staining or otherwise altering the wood to gain contrast. Wood naturally has variation in grain pattern, color, growth patterns, and much more. Finding different types of wood that work well together can create an unforgettable piece of hairpin leg furniture.

maple and walnut table with metal hairpin table legs

One thing to keep in mind when working with a two (or more) woods that they will handle differently. Though combining wood types may create stunning designs, it may take a little extra care to help them work best together. For example, if the woods you are using have two different densities, they will plane and sand at different rates. The harder wood may need more attention to arrive at a smooth surface.

Think about which lumber you are going to work with and what each one needs to come out correctly. It may be best to do the rough sanding before assembly and the finish sanding after it is assembled. Then you just need to put on the hairpin legs you’ve picked out and send us a picture. We know you can come up with an amazing hairpin leg table and we’d love to see it!

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Exploring Hairpin Leg Styles

When thinking about hairpin legs, the original hairpin leg may be what comes to mind. The original hairpin leg is a classic design that has come to earn its place in history. Mid-century furniture often sported hairpin legs, either bolted on or built into the design itself. This simple design crafted out of metal could hold up furniture and what we expect furniture to support.

Hairpin legs have been around for decades, and many variations have appeared. We expanded on the classic hairpin leg design in a few ways. The three rod hairpin legs ads additional leg support to the traditional design. If you’re building a large or exceptionally heavy piece, this might be a good option.

Our ‘Just the Tip’ hairpin legs create stability and emphasizing ‘just the tip’ of the hairpin leg. This is another great option if you’re looking for additional support, and it reminds some of our customers of the claw-foot tub designs from last century.

Our Twist hairpin legs take the original hairpin leg and do just that – twist them. This style maintains the simple steel but gives additional shape.

If you’re looking for a bit of a change-up on the round steel bar our hairpin legs are typically made from – our square bar offers a more angular option. No matter what shape you’re looking for, we’ve got high quality, made to order hairpin legs ready for your next DIY furniture project!

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Mid-Century Sideboard with Metal Hairpin Legs

Sideboards are an immensely useful piece of furniture we’d like to see more of. Sideboards were more common when built-in shelving and storage was less common in houses. Traditionally used in association with dining, sideboards would house anything from serving sets to dining linens. They may be less common now, but they’re just as relevant, if not more.

Built in furniture has its place, but with our ever-changing lives there’s something to be said for mobile furniture. As our lives change, we’re thankful for furniture that can serve multiple functions around the house. Sideboards provide a large horizontal space for a multitude of uses. It also provides lots of out-of-the way storage. Sticking with traditional usage, sideboards can store silverware and place settings in a kitchen. A living room sideboard can house entertainment paraphernalia, books, and games.

Sideboards are also great in bedrooms, guest rooms, and larger hallways and entryways. Okay, you get the idea. But what we’re getting at, is that they are available to serve you. They can suit your needs and they change their purpose as the flow of your life changes. Refurbishing a sideboard with hairpin legs gives you the opportunity to have an immensely functional piece of furniture at the height you want in the location that works for you. This sideboard by Chairish has been restored from its original glory. It’s extra-long length makes it an ideal surface for daily use with plenty of storage for all the things you want easily accessible.

Another not about large pieces of furniture like this. This is a perfect example of why we build our hairpin legs out of solid, cold-rolled steel. A hollow metal hairpin leg, or one made from aluminum isn’t a good fit for a heavy piece of furniture like this. Stick with solid steel hairpin legs if you’re building or refurbishing a solid reliable sideboard like this one.

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The Classic Look of Hairpin Table Legs

We love how quick and easy it is to install hairpin table legs. Pick out a pair of hairpin legs and screw it to the underside of your tabletop. Our original hairpin legs are as classic as they get. Our variations on the classic offer variety like the Twist or our Just the Tip hairpin leg. Our customers have come to know our hairpin legs as a stable classic design that will withstand the daily uses and abuses household furniture can withstand.

Sometimes customers reach out wondering if hairpin legs are really just for the standard table or desk. Hairpin legs are great for many types of furniture. Larger refurbish projects such as wet bars and sideboards are great with hairpin legs. Stools and chairs can easily come out well with a set of hairpin legs. Of course, we offer bench legs for those looking for something more along the lines of a metal leg bench. But is there really a limit to the capabilities of the hairpin leg?

Is there a project that’s been sitting in the back of your mind? Perhaps you’re wondering what an easel of hairpin legs would look like. Maybe you’re looking for heat-resistant legs and want to make a grill stand for the back yard. We love hairpin legs from the traditional to the eccentric. Let us know what you’ve been working on. Maybe it’s a variation on a classic, maybe it’s a pioneer idea. No matter what, hairpin legs can be the finishing touch on your brainchild come to life!

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Inlay Woodworking and Modern Steel Table Legs

Inlay is a way to flush up depressions in wood. It can also be an artistic highlight. If you’re thinking of using an inlay woodworking technique, why not accent to the colors of the wood itself?

If you’ve never tried inlay woodworking there are many colors of inly that can be used. Technically you can inlay with wood, but often what you’ll see is either a two-part epoxy or an adhesive combined with a color. We’ve seen a natural stone, such as turquoise added to fill the irregular or off-shapes of the wood you are working with and add a dash of color. Inlay can be used in one spot on the wood or in multiple spots.

nested table with angle iron table legs and inlay

Check out some tutorials if this is your first time, or delve into another great inlay option if it’s an old trick for you. When it comes to the legs, we suggest choosing a set of modern steel legs for your table that accent the overall design. Don’t worry much about finish…we expect most of your guests or customers will be looking at the inlay!

We’d love to see what you come up with. Are you using the inlay as a stand-alone contrast color or are you adding color in other ways to the table? Are you matching the color by painting he hairpin legs themselves? Is there a highlighting color throughout the table? Send us a pic so we can see your work!

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Looking for an Easy DIY Furniture Project?

Homemade furniture and hairpin leg furniture are synonymous to us, but not everyone has made their own furniture yet. That is what is so great about hairpin leg furniture. It can be your very first project or your long-time profession. The ease of using hairpin legs ensures anyone can undertake a project. Still, if you’re nervous about undertaking your very first hairpin leg project, don’t worry. You might like it so much it will just be the first of many!

If you’re new to making your own furniture, make it easy on yourself. Keep your project in your comfort zone and see how it goes. Take an old cabinet door or a few planks of wood you come across. Get some heavy-duty screws and use a hand screwdriver. Attach your hairpin legs to the underside of your tabletop. Voila! You have a table! It really isn’t as daunting as it seems at first. Plus, our hairpin legs are so durable when you want to upgrade your table, you can simple take the legs off and use them on your upgraded tabletop!

If you’re not sure how to finish or seal your tabletop, invite some friends to help you out. Maybe someone you know even has a few extra tools or some lumber laying around. Everyone can get involved within their skill level and before long you’ll have a brand-new hairpin leg table. The great thing about doing it this way is every time you use your table, you’ll be thinking about the great folks that were there to make it come to life!

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A Hairpin Leg Lamp? Rare Hairpin Leg Decor

closeup hairpin leg lamp

Hairpin legs came out in the middle of the last century. They were the perfect mix of form and function; they combine minimal materials with maximum of strength. The style took off and there were hairpin legs on everything. Hairpin legs were used on anything from dining room sets to birdcages. Hairpin legs really do go well on endless amounts of home furniture. We love seeing imagination bring these metal legs to unique projects.

hairpin leg lamp decor hairpin leg lamp

Hairpin legs on a lamp is a great example! This desktop-style lamp from Amsterdam Modern utilizes three light hairpin legs as its support system. Brilliant! Our hairpin legs are designed with a plate at the top for easy attachment to the underside of things like tables and desks but don’t let that dampen your imagination. Different designs and lighter materials mean anything can have the attractive hairpin leg look.

The shorter hairpin legs used on this lamp is a great example of the importance of different sized legs. Our 4-inch hairpin legs can easily support larger or smaller projects. They work well on large pieces of furniture like a bureau. They can also be used on something small like a footstool…or lamp. We love seeing what types of hairpin leg projects folks come up with. Send us a picture of your next project!

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Hairpin Legs and Old Doors – From Simple to Elegant

cupboard door table with hairpin legs closeup

Hairpin legs offer the ability to make simple custom furniture that is unique, easy to make and beautiful. No matter what condition your door may be in, chances are it is still going to be functional and look amazing with a set of metal legs holding it up. The simplicity of our hairpin legs adds stability and style. Past customers have shown us the range of possibilities when turning an old door into a hairpin leg table.

Old doors–especially those with character–can have a set of modern furniture legs attached and they make a table. When you start looking you’ll be surprised how easy old doors are to find. You may even have one in your own house. But if you don’t they are a staple at most building material recycling and reuse locations. Or ask a friend! Maybe there is a basement or closet door you’re thinking of replacing. Closet doors come in a wide variety of sizes so they may be the best option if you’re looking for a smaller than average door-to-table project.

Keeping the door in its original condition gives the new table a classic look. The door can be refinished or clear coated for a bit more of an upgraded look. If you’re looking for something more refined, consider topping the table with glass or a two-part epoxy. And though we’ve mentioned our hairpin legs, there are lots of options. We’ve found many customers like pairing our tapered angle iron metal legs with their doors, or you could use custom bench legs scaled up to table size; it’s up to you!

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Small Hairpin Legs for Restoring Large Furniture

jerrud media console closeup with short hairpin legs

We offer a wide variety of hairpin legs – different styles, diameters, and heights. Our hairpin legs come in heights from 4-30″ inches tall. This leaves the maximum amount of usability for building custom furniture. It is common to think of building a coffee table or a dining room table with hairpin legs but the shorter legs are great too!

Our short hairpin legs are great options for large-bodied furniture such as desks and bureaus. Rebuilding a large piece of furniture often involves replacing the original legs. Over time wooden legs wear down and crack. It can be difficult to rehab a large piece of furniture if the legs are cracked and the connection points are worn. This type of furniture is perfect with short hairpin legs. The turn-of-the-century style of the hairpin leg compliments the classic look of older furniture. The legs perfectly compliment the solid construction and classic lines of antique style. Plus, these metal legs will not degrade with constant use and say, bumping with a vacuum cleaner. Many customers have rebuilt or refurbished old furniture with hairpin legs. They’ll work for desks and bureaus, but they’ve also been used for wet bars, shipping crates, and much more!

 

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DIY Furniture Ideas Using Hairpin Legs

Are hairpin legs intended to be used with a slab of wood? That’s one way to use hairpin legs but they need not be limited to that. We like to say creating a hairpin leg table is as easy as attaching them to an old door. But the possibilities are endless. Customers have used our legs to make hairpin leg furniture including desks, bureaus, and credenzas. Don’t let anything stifle your imagination. We’ve also seen old beer crates, luggage, and a butter press make amazing hairpin leg furniture.

Here are a few DIY furniture ideas our customers have come up with, now what should you do for your hairpin leg furniture? Anything you want! We offer a wide variety of heights, diameters, and styles of metal leg so we can best support your furniture making. Perhaps you have an uneven slab of wood you want to make into a table. Great, you can order hairpin legs of different heights to accommodate it. The tabletop and your craftsmanship are what should be highlighted when making custom furniture.

Our hairpin legs are there to play a supporting role. Whatever speaks to you and adds character to your living space will make a great hairpin leg piece. All our hairpin legs are made to order right here in the USA, so you can be sure you’re getting a high-quality product for your furniture. When you’re finished, send us a pic of your creation!