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8 Easy Ways To Attach Table Legs

8 Easy Ways To Attach Table Legs

Apr 30, 2018

Our furniture legs can be used under dining tables, desks, coffee tables, kitchen counters and islands, vanities, end tables, benches and more. When you buy legs from us, you’ll be able to select from attachment options that work best for that leg. Here are 8 ways how you can easily attach table legs:

1. Straight and Angled Metal Plates

Metal plates attach to the underside of your furniture with 4 screws (supplied). A bolt is installed part-way into the leg, the remaining 5/16” of exposed threads are screwed into the metal plate. The legs can be easily unscrewed for storage and transport. A fast, easy, and inexpensive solution, well suited for lighter duty applications. Available for both straight and angled attachments.

Straight and Angled Metal Plates

Recommended for:

  • Small tables without aprons, especially Mid-Century Modern
  • Easy, fast and inexpensive installation
  • Thinner legs attached to solid or dense wood bases
  • An invisible means of affixing legs—all you’ll see is the leg itself when installed
  • Angled or straight attachments

Not recommended for:

  • Heavy load bearing
  • Furniture that gets moved or slid across the floor frequently
  • Furniture with metal or softer wood bases
  • Legs 2.25” diameter or more
  • Dining tables or kitchen islands

How to order: 

Metal plates are offered as an optional attachment service when you buy any leg where they are a workable solution. We install the hangar bolt into your furniture legs for you. You can also buy the metal plates separately.

Angled metal attachment plates

Straight metal attachment plates

2. Threaded Inserts

Threaded inserts take a little woodworking skill. They are installed directly into the underside of your furniture, allowing any leg with a 3/8” wide insert bolt to be installed. The legs can then be easily unscrewed for storage and transport. A rugged and invisible solution, strong enough for most applications.

Threaded Inserts

Recommended for:

  • Legs attached to wood bases
  • Tables without aprons—an invisible means of attaching your table legs
  • Tables that gets moved or slid across the floor frequently
  • Experienced woodworkers

Not recommended for:

  • Tables with metal bases
  • Tables with aprons

How to order:

View our threaded inserts here. If you’d like your legs to come with the compatible Threaded Insert Bolts preinstalled, simply add a Cleat/Mounting Bolt Installation service for each part you order. 

3. Mounting Blocks

Mounting blocks are a great way to attach legs to a table without aprons.They attach to the underside of your furniture with 4 screws (supplied). A 3/8” x 2 ½” bolt is installed part-way into the leg, the remaining ¾” of exposed threads are screwed into the mounting block. The blocks have crisp beveled edges for a more attractive presentation. The legs can be easily unscrewed for storage and transport. A fast and easy solution for apronless tables, strong enough for almost any application. Mounting blocks are offered in 7 species of wood and in 2 sizes.

Mounting Blocks

Recommended for:

  • Tables without aprons
  • Easy and fast installation
  • Legs attached to wood bases
  • Heavy load bearing
  • Furniture that gets moved or slid across the floor frequently
  • Foursquare or any round leg

Not recommended for:

  • Furniture with metal bases
  • Applications where you want the attachment hardware to be less visible
  • Tables with aprons
  • Traditional, turned leg designs

How to order: 

Mounting blocks are offered as an optional attachment service when you buy any leg where they are a workable solution. We will install the mounting bolt into your furniture legs for you. The blocks will be the same species (and finish) as the legs you order (not available in knotty pine). You can also buy  Wood Mounting Blocks separately from us.

4. Straight and Angled Cleats

Cleats were developed as an attractive and sturdy way to affix Mid-Century Modern legs to table tops without using aprons. The cleats—which come in 8 lengths from 12” to 36”—attach to the underside of your furniture using the supplied screws. Legs attach at each end of the cleat; 1 cleat for 2 legs. A cleat bolt is installed part-way into the leg, the remaining ¾” of exposed threads are screwed into the cleat. The legs can be easily unscrewed for storage and transport. A fast and easy solution, strong enough for any application. Choose straight cleats or angled (splayed) cleats for a classic Mid-Century Modern look.

Straight and Angled Cleats

Recommended for:

  • McCobb and Wegner legs up to a 2.375” diameter
  • Easy and fast installation
  • Legs attached to wood bases
  • Heavy load bearing
  • Furniture that gets moved or slid across the floor frequently
  • Authentic Mid-Century Modern look, especially with angled cleats

Not recommended for:

  • Furniture with metal bases
  • Applications where you want the attachment hardware to be less visible
  • Legs larger than a 2.375” diameter
  • Tables wider than 44” or longer than 70”

How to order: 

For our popular McCobb Mid-Century Modern and Wegner Danish Modern designs, you can order legs and cleats as sets. You’ll choose the length of the cleat and the height of the legs, available in 4 species, unfinished or finished with Monocoat Natural Oil . Each set includes 2 cleats, 4 legs with the cleat bolt installed, and screws to attach the cleats to the underside of your furniture. You can also buy cleats separately from us.

McCobb Mid-Century Modern Table Base Set (4 Legs & 2 Angled Cleats)

McCobb Mid-Century Modern Table Base Set (4 Legs & 2 Straight Cleats)

Wegner Danish Modern Table Base Set (4 Legs & 2 Straight Cleats)

Angled cleats

Straight cleats

5. Single Angled Cleats

Single angled cleats were created specifically to complement our McCobb and Wegner legs and our angled cleats. They attach to the underside of your furniture using the supplied screws. A 3/8” x 2 ½” bolt is installed part-way into the leg, the remaining ¾” of exposed threads are screwed into the cleat. The legs can be easily unscrewed for storage and transport. A fast and easy solution, ideal for 3-legged tables or as a support for center legs on a 6-legged bench or table with angled cleats.

Single Angled Cleats

Recommended for:

  • McCobb and Wegner legs
  • Three legged tables
  • Easy and fast installation

Not recommended for:

  • Furniture with metal bases
  • Applications where you want the attachment hardware to be less visible

How to order: 

Single Angled Cleats are available in 4 species, unfinished or finished with Monocoat Natural Oil. Each cleat comes with 4 mounting screws. Order legs and cleat bolt installation separately.

6. EasyBase™ system – A TableLegs.com exclusive

For a faster, easier and equally strong alternative to traditional joinery, opt for our exclusive EasyBase design that brings mortise and tenons into the 21 st century. Rather than glue and clamps, this ingenious system relies on corner blocks and bolts. All you do is slide the leg into place and give a few turns with the included Allen key. It can be easily disassembled for transport and storage.

EasyBase™ system – A TableLegs.com exclusive

Recommended for:

  • Tables of any size—small to large
  • Woodworkers and DIYers of all skill levels
  • Strong, sturdy installation
  • Tables with aprons
  • Furniture that gets moved from room to room frequently
  • 6-legged tables

Not recommended for:

  • Those who prefer apronless tables
  • Traditional woodworkers who insist on glue, clamps, and pegs

How to order: 

Nearly all our table legs can be purchased with aprons as a table base or complete table. Check our semi-custom table bases and semi-custom tables, or go for fully custom to select all the features available for custom table bases and custom tables.

7. Direct Attachment

Metal legs require no additional parts or service to attach—they can be affixed directly to the bottom of your furniture with the supplied screws. Heavier metal legs—such as our Industrial Metal Tapered legs—are good for larger, heavier tables. Hairpin legs are better suited to smaller, lighter tables.

Direct Attachment

Recommended for:

  • Contemporary designs
  • Easy and fast installation
  • Legs attached to wood bases
  • Heavy load bearing—except for hairpins
  • An invisible means of attaching your legs
  • Furniture that gets moved or slid across the floor frequently

Not recommended for:

  • Furniture with metal bases
  • Tables with aprons

How to order: 

View all our metal legs here

8. Traditional mortise and tenon joinery

The tried, traditional and true method of creating sturdy furniture. Aprons—long boards with a tenons cut into each end—interlock with the mortises cut into the legs. They are held together with glue. This is recommended for experienced woodworkers, as wood glue, clamps and pegs require additional tools and a higher skill level. The table cannot be disassembled.

Traditional mortise and tenon joinery

Recommended for:

  • Tables of any size—small to large
  • Experienced woodworkers and DIYers—especially those with a passion for traditional joinery
  • Strong, sturdy installation
  • Stretcher base tables
  • Tables with aprons

Not recommended for:

  • Beginner and intermediate woodworkers and DIYers.
  • Furniture that gets moved frequently or disassembled for storage

How to order: 

Nearly all our table legs can be purchased with aprons as a table base or complete table with traditional joinery. Check our custom table bases and custom tables . Aprons with tenons and mortising services are also available separately.