# Table leg design/placement help



## Blindhog (Jul 13, 2015)

I'm building a dining table for our daughter as a wedding present. After much back and forth, she has chosen a design from the attached Pinterest pic. I've made the table top (7/4 pecan 86" x 40") and legs and now need some help in locating the legs as related to the end/edge of the table. The legs are welded steel tubing (4×2) with a 6" wide 1/4" steel plate welded to the ends of the tubes with 1/4"+ slots milled into the plate at 4 locations. I think the legs will be plenty stable but I'm a little concerned about placement of the legs related to the end/edge of the table.










Anybody have any suggestions/experience with this sort of situation? I'm kind of stuck in thinking whether to locate closer to the end and have the first chair be inside of the leg or bring it back around 12-14" and have the first chair straddle the leg (which is not ideal, I think).
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Many Thanks,
Hog


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## lumbering_on (Jan 21, 2017)

You need to place the legs based on the number of people you are going to have on the sides of the table. This is generally 24" to 30" per person. Your table would seat 3 per side, so you need to know the width of the chairs, and have the chairs fit within the legs; don't forget to add an inch or two on either side of the chairs. Don't have anyone on the side straddle the legs, this is not a good idea unless you don't like guests, as they won't want to be eating too much in that position.


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## muleskinner (Sep 24, 2011)

Seems to me you have two options. Set the legs out nearer to the ends of the table to maximize side seating. But then the leg design is going to make it a pain every time you want to push the end chairs in went not in use or pull them out for seating. To avoid that pain, you'd have to set them back about a 14 to 16 inches from the ends which is possibly going to leave you with the straddle problem mentioned above.

That leg design may be alright for a desk but poor choice for a dining table. Just one man's opinion.


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## Blindhog (Jul 13, 2015)

Agree with both replies, and that's my dilemma. I didn't make the choice of design, just my responsibility to make it work. This seems to be a design that is popular in Europe and the industrial" theme crowd.
That was my conclusion as well, either attach legs close to the end to allow seating to start right away or move inboard around 18-22 inches so the first seat would be outside of the leg. Completely agree with comment regarding straddling the leg, just trying to tap some of the experienced crafts people on the forum.
Thanks for the responses.


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## muleskinner (Sep 24, 2011)

I think if I were making the call I'd set the legs in about 15 inches. That's based on looking at how far the front legs of my chairs project under the table when pushed in.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

12" overhang on the ends is enough to sit at.


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## lumbering_on (Jan 21, 2017)

Just thinking some more about this, I would ask your daughter what she intends to do? If she's happy with 6 chairs, problem solved; legs go towards the edge. If she wants 8, then give her the options, and let her make the decision. Structurally, there is no issue with putting the legs near the outside, or closer to the center. Just let her know what each decision entails, as she will be the one dealing with it.


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## Knockonit (Nov 5, 2017)

seems to me with the leg design, as long as feet of chair don't interfere with the foot of table leg, then all is well, legs will go thru the table legs for room, of course i look for the simple way to finalize, not the technical way of doing it. most here will know more than i for sure
Rj in az


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## Blindhog (Jul 13, 2015)

Thanks again for the responses.
Most of the tables shown on Pintrest don't show end chairs so maybe the thought is to just sit on the sides.
lumber, I think that's the way to go, I called her and explained the options and she'll make the call. If she doesn't like the end result, it can be easily changed on site.

Hog


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