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Combining Shapes & Colors with Hairpin Legs

Thinking of wood as a raw material may bring to mind a standard lumberyard image. Browsing dimension lumber at the hardware store may reinforce this. Buying 2x4s and building a rectangle is a legitimate way to build hairpin leg furniture, but wood comes in many colors. Combining these colors is a great way to make hairpin leg furniture. What wood color comes to mind when you think of oak? How about cherry? Mahogany and redwood are rarer wood types known for their unique colors. The color combinations of your hairpin furniture could be subtle or bold. Two different hues of the same basic color might be a subtle look that appeals to you. Or perhaps bolder color contrasts or the variety light and dark wood bring is what you’re looking for.

Another way to make a table stand out is the design. Showing the end grain in a butcher block style or choosing a design that uses angles will make your DIY table stand out. This slash board coffee table, for example, uses larger pieces of wood turned at an angle and uses contrasting shades of wood. Maybe you’ve got some wood hanging around that would make a great hairpin leg table. Or maybe these examples will give you a mental image of the wood type you’d like as you plan your hairpin leg project. No matter your final project, we know our hairpin legs will do a great job of supporting your colorful wood creations!

 

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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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Specialty Woodworking and Hairpin Legs

Woodworking can be an easy way to turn rough lumber into an easily made and pleasant tabletop. It can also be a way to practice new woodworking skills or highlight the ones you already have. Why not put some special woodworking techniques to work in a gorgeous hairpin leg tabletop? Dovetailing two pieces of wood ads stability. Joints of all kind create eye-catching design while utilizing traditional woodworking techniques. Exposed bolts showcase the hardware used to create the tabletop white mixing up the standard lines of the wood itself.

Hairpin legs are easily attached to the underside of lumber. The attachment method can also be used to highlight the construction method itself. Perhaps the screws are picked out with their visibility in mind. The screws do not need to be hidden if their presence is something that appeals to you. Hairpin leg tables can be a way to create something functional. They can also be a way to highlight the character you like to express when working with wood. Pick out the hairpin leg style you like best and make a great piece of woodworking come to light with your own custom table!

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Glass Topped DIY Tables with Bench Legs

Glass tables with custom bench legs are a great addition or alternative to wood tabletops. Glass can cover an existing wooden tabletop. It can also serve as its own tabletop offering elegance and added light in a room. It can be an essential part of a custom tabletop where items are displayed under glass.

One benefit to glass is that it is (usually) a perfectly flat surface. It provides a light feel and a polished look. Glass might be the perfect element for your DIY desk or table. It can be as easy as adding a custom cut piece of glass atop your reclaimed door table, or you can build a table around a piece of reclaimed glass. We’ve seen glass-covered Zen gardens, antique tabletops, and cut wood designs. What do you have in mind that glass would perfectly highlight?

As you can see, a shipping crate, an antique piece of furniture, or a simple wooden tabletop can all be accentuated with a piece of glass. Feel free to send us your unique creation using glass and custom bench legs. We’re looking forward to seeing what you came up with!

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How do I Customize my Hairpin Leg Furniture?

Making hairpin leg furniture is, by definition, going to be a custom piece of furniture. But how do you really customize it to your tastes? Is it going to just turn out to be a simple wood tabletop with some awesome made-to-order hairpin legs? Or can it really express who you are?

There are many ways to customize a hairpin leg table just for you. Think about what you like, what’s important in your life, your hobbies, and how you spend your time. There are many ways to make your custom hairpin leg table reflect who you are. Does an American Flag table speak to you? Or perhaps a table shaped like a place you are drawn to? Perhaps there is an item in your life you would like to display or immortalize. Is it conducive to becoming a piece of furniture?

We’ve seen wooden crates, pieces of luggage, and old equipment be turned into hairpin leg furniture. Turning a beloved object into a piece of furniture gives you a functional table or other furniture while celebrating a special item in your life. Some items may be more conducive than others to being turned into a piece of hairpin leg furniture. But there are many ways to go about it.

If you’re looking for a customized metal frame for your table, get in touch. We’ll see how we can accommodate your personalized plans. And of course, we want to see what you’ve come up with! Send us your hairpin leg furniture pics!

 

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Basic or Fancy Hairpin Leg Furniture?

Hairpin leg furniture can be thought of as a spectrum from basic to expert. Your project can lie anywhere on the spectrum. Where it lies should be driven by your preferences, comfort level and how much time you want to dedicate to the project.

If you’re looking for a quick project without a lot of effort, hairpin legs are a great option. They are easy to throw onto a basic tabletop or door creating a finished table. Purchased, salvaged, and upcycled materials might be just what you’re looking for. Perhaps a pallet is where your resources and inclinations lie. Pallets are a great raw material that can be used as is, for a rough and basic table, or taken apart for use as raw material. With basic materials put together, you just might have a table done in under half of an hour. That is one of the great things about hairpin leg furniture – there really is a table any of us can create.

A specialty piece of furniture might take hours and hours to perfect. Hairpin legs may be giving you the opportunity to create your own furniture masterpiece. Rare woods, specialty woodworking, or wood inlay may be a project you’re excited to undertake. The hairpin legs might be the finishing touch for the piece of furniture you’ve been working on for countless hours. Hairpin legs are endlessly accommodating!

In the end, it doesn’t matter how much time or sweat you want to put into your project. At the end, you’ll have your very own table full of character!