PROJECTS ONLINE: AN INTRODUCTION TO REPAIRING TABLE LEGS
Project Difficulty:
Moderate
There are few things in life more annoying than a wobbly table, whether it's the result of a loose or broken leg. But you don't have to put up with it anymore because usually the cures are quite easy.
1.
Down Under
The fix for loose table legs depends on the type of table and its age. The majority of older frame-style tables have legs joined to the rails with dowels or mortise-and-tenon joints. Modern tables, especially dining-room models, typically use rail bolts (a screw thread on one side and bolt thread on the other) to attach the legs to wooden corner blocks or metal corner braces. So turn your table upside down on a padded surface and look at each corner. If you see a wooden corner block with no bolts or nuts, the legs are attached via joinery. A corner block or metal brace with bolts means the table legs use rail bolts. (Figs. 1 and 2)
Tip: Sometimes your wobbly table's problem is simply worn or missing hardware. Check for glides or levelers and replace or reattach as necessary. It's a simple but often-overlooked fix.
