While 2 rod legs are strong enough to support the majority of projects, 3 rod legs add stiffness and stability for large – or heavily used – furniture. We recommend 3 rod legs for the following:
Bench / 16"
If your bench needs to support more than three people.
Desk or dining table / 28"
We recommend 3 rods for added stability. However, 2 rod legs are suitable for small desks, as long as the top weighs less than 40lb.
Console table or bar / 34" +
The longer the legs, the more they flex. For this reason, we only provide our 34 inch legs in 3 rod.
Classic legs are made from 3/8" thick steel and are perfect for the majority of projects, as long as your surface weighs less than 132lb.
Heavy Duty legs are made from 1/2" thick steel and are incredibly robust. They are only necessary for very heavy duty projects. They can be used to create very large and sturdy desks and dining tables.
We also offer bench-height legs (16 inch) in 1/2" thickness so you can have a matching set for your table, if required.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A ROUGH GUIDE ONLY AND GREAT CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN BUILDING HEAVY TABLES. HAIRPIN LEGS ARE VERY STRONG BUT THIS IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE TABLE. OVERALL TABLE CONSTRUCTION AND FIXINGS TO THE LEGS WILL DETERMINE YOUR TABLES OVERALL STRENGTH.
The weight which our leg can hold depends on a few things; Leg length, number or rods, classic (3/8") or heavy duty (1/2") construction. Below we have provided a rough guide to get you started but please do email through if you have any further questions.
Bar / 40 inches
Tall hairpin legs can transform a simple wooden surface into a unique home bar. Our 40 inch pins support up to 180lb freestanding, but more if you fix the table to a wall or static fixing.
Countertop / 34 inches
Availible in 3/8" or 1/2". 3/8" will hold up to 110lb while 1/2" will hold up to 220lb.
Dining Table, Desk / 28 inches
28 inch 3 rod - Classic 3/8" legs can support a table up to around 130lb while the heavy duty 1/2" legs will support a weight up to around 250lb. The legs can actually hold quite a lot more than this but we suggest staying below these limits in order to ensure your table remains sturdy with no wobble.
28 inch 2 rod -Classic 3/8" legs are only suitable for side tables that you do not intend to work or eat at. If you prefer the look of 2 rod legs for a desk/dining table then the heavy duty 1/2" work well up to around 55lb. Both the classic and heavy duty legs will support much heavier weights however they will flex and this does not produce a high quality feel to your finished table.
Bench / 16 inches
As a general rule of thumb, the classic (3/8") 2 rod legs in bench height are good for up to 2 - 3 average sized adults. The 3 rod legs are recommended when you have 3 people or more.
The classic legs are therefore good for almost all situations so we would only really ever recommend choosing the heavy duty legs (1/2") if you have used heavy duty for your table and want the steel types to match.
Coffee table / 8 , 10, 12 or 14 inches
On these shorter legs, you will find it hard to get a top which is too heavy for them, even in the classic (3/8") version. We have tested these with 500lb concrete tops and have multiple people stand on top without any issues. They really are that strong!
Furniture feet / 4 inches
Much the same as above. These short legs are extremely strong!
The fixing plate is 11cm across each edge. View a detailed drawing here.
Visually, there is not much difference.
However, Raw steel is natural and unfinished and therefore will rust over time, even indoors. Our clear coated legs are powder coated and will be protected from rust for life of the product.
Unless you want a rustic, rusty look, or wish to finish/paint the legs yourselves then we always suggest clear coat.
All our metallic finished legs (brass, copper, chrome & zinc) are electro plated with a thin layer of real copper/chrome/brass applied to the steel. (A very similar process is used for kitchen taps).
This gives us the best of all worlds - strength, durability and aesthetics.
Sorry – we make and finish our legs in sets of four. Delivering them in different quantities creates a lot of odd legs around the workshop, which is a bit of a nightmare!
We ship our products world wide and can deliver to all of mainland UK for a next day delivery. Our normal cut off time is for same day dispatch is 2pm.
If your looking to deliver to the UK or Europe, check out our other websites at:
thehairpinlegcompany.co.uk
thehairpinlegcompany.de
thehairpinlegcompany.fr
No problem. Just let us know in less than 60 days after you have recieved your items and we will happily take them back. Send us an email to get a returns number.
If your a carpenter, contractor or a serial maker then get in touch with us about opening up a trade & commercial account. Apply for an account here.
All our legs come with free wood screws. They’re suitable for good- condition solid wood, thicker than 18mm .
If your wood is a bit rotten (old scaffold boards, for example), try to use the longest screws possible.
If the wood is really rotten, we suggest putting a nut and bolt the whole way through, to ensure safety. Or find another piece of wood!
For thinner tops (down to around 3/8"), we suggest using threaded wood inserts.