Installation Tutorial
- Lay your tabletop upside down on a rug or carpeted area. Mark out the location for each leg. You will need to decide how much overhang you would like to have at each end. For a dining table, 12” or more of overhang is appropriate to allow seating at each end. For a desk or hall table you could push the legs as far toward each end as you like. We highly recommend you install the legs at an angle. This will give the table rigidity against racking forces from all four sides. (like kids pushing themselves away from the dinner table) A 45 degree angle will give you maximum strength, but we have found a 22.5 degree angle is plenty strong and remains aesthetically pleasing. The angle does not need to be exact, just find an angle that looks good to your eye and make all four legs identical. If you are installing the legs on something like a hall table or desk that will not receive much abuse then installing the legs parallel to one another is acceptable.
(Picture#1 Leg arranged parallel to the edge of the tabletop)
(Picture #2 Leg set to a 45 degree angle)
2. With your leg in position, mark the screw locations on the bottom side of the tabletop. You can use an awl to make an indention in the wood (see picture #3) or alternatively you can use one of the wood screws included with your order.
3. Remove the leg and locate your markings
4. Next, predrill holes for your screws at both locations. It is very important not to skip this step. If you do not drill a hole for each screw you will run the risk of splitting your tabletop. If you are using the screws that are provided with your order, then a 3/32" drill bit will be appropriate. Drill perpendicular to the tabletop and be sure not to drill all the way through. (If you purchased coffee table legs, screws are not provided. You will need to select a wood screw that is the appropriate length for the thickness of your tabletop. We recommend a pan head or wafer head screw. The size of drill bit for your screw holes will need to be selected accordingly.)
5. Move the leg back into position and insert the screws. Be sure the tips of the screws are sitting in your predrilled holes.
6. Tighten the screws using the provided T-20 torx bit. The top of the leg should fit tightly against the bottom of the tabletop.
Repeat steps for the other 3 legs.
Now it is time to flip the table over and see if you like the leg locations. Try to avoid leveraging the weight of the table against the legs when you flip the table. This will put unnecessary strain on the leg connections. Instead, with the help of at least one other person, lift completely from the floor, flip the table, and then set it back down. If you are not completely satisfied with the angle or location of the legs, take the time to flip the table over again and make adjustments. This will be well worth the effort. The angle and location of the legs can greatly affect the overall look of the table.
Picture of a table with legs installed at approximately 22.5 degrees from the long edge of the tabletop:
Picture of a table with legs installed parallel to each other:
All four legs should be identical in height, so in a perfect world your table should have no wobble. However, if the tabletop or floor is not perfectly flat, you may need to adjust the height of one leg. You can do this easily by placing thin shims between the top of one leg and the table top. You can use something like playing cards as shims. Simply loosen the screws on the short leg, slide the appropriate number of playing cards between the leg and top at both the front and rear of the leg, and then retighten the screws. Alternatively, you could place a washer on each screw in between the leg and top.