Slab wood and hairpin furniture legs are a very popular combination in DIY furniture making. Why is slab wood so frequently used? First, each piece of slab wood is unique. That gives you a one of a kind hairpin leg table no matter how you go about it.
Second, slab wood is a substantial piece of wood that makes a substantial table. Slabs really are just a plain sawn section of the tree. Slabs are typically live edge pieces meaning the natural edge of the tree has been kept intact and may include such natural features as bark, knots or burls.
Third, for such a substantial and beautiful piece of wood, slabs are relatively easy to come by. They may not be at your local hardware store, but local sawmills are a great resource. There are also specialty lumber dealers that sell uncommon slabs such as rare woods and burl woods. And finally, slab wood can be a great way to use or give a second life to a tree of your own. If a tree needs to be taken down or has fallen, it can be cut up into slabs and made into amazing furniture that lives on in your home.
Hairpin leg slab tables are a work of art but they are not a lot of work to make. In fact, it may be one of the easiest hairpin leg tables to make. You can finish the wood any way you want—including no finish at all! Then you’re ready to screw on a set of hairpin legs. Four hairpin legs is the standard, but don’t be held back by convention. If more or fewer legs works best on your table, go for it – that’s why we sell them individually!
