Straight square table legs

[Jim Murphy]

I am being asked to make the understructure for a marble table top. The requestor is adamant that the legs be straight and square. No taper, no bead, no flutes, no detail. IMHO, that's ugly. But then again, if beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then taste is in the mouth of the requestor.

The tabletop will be 36x66, and I intend to allow about 2" overhang. I'm not sure what size the legs should be to make some attempt at graceful proportions. Yes, this is like lipstick on a pig.

Anybody made a similarly ugly table who can recommend a dimension for the legs, or even the aprons? I'm thinking something like 2.5".

I also have to make the understructure for a matching coffee table with smaller dimensions. My thoughts are that the understructure dimensions should be scaled down to accomodate the smaller top surface. That is, if the coffee table is 70% the size of the dining table, the legs and aprons should accordingly be 70%. Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[dino drosas]

My first thoughts were 2 t0 2 1/2 inches. Anything larger seems too heavy to me. Talk him into a taper on two sides.

 

[PeteQuad]

Ask him if he'd prefer a really large block of wood, this way you don't even have to make the legs.
:gar-Bi

 

[Jim Murphy]

My first thoughts were 2 t0 2 1/2 inches. Anything larger seems too heavy to me. Talk him into a taper on two sides.

Dino, this is for my future daughter in law. I made a little table for my grandkids that had two-sided tapers, and during Christmas, I asked her to look at how nice the legs looked when they were tapered. Then I went on the internet and showed her pictures of tables. No dice. No way. Straight, square, and very dark. I've refused to use my walnut to make this aberration, instead, I'm going to use poplar and dye/stain the doo-doo out of it.

I forgot to add in the initial post, any suggestions on a dye or stain, along with proper prep, to turn ugly poplar legs into ugly "dark wood" legs?

BTW, the week/weekend before the picnic LOML and I will be in St. Maarten/Anguilla to observe the knot-tying ceremony. Such good taste in wedding venues and questionable taste in furniture... Oh well, I'm happy with the one I captured 36 years ago, and she likes quartersawn white oak tapered legs.

 

[walnutjerry]

Jim--------I had a similar request a few years back but the table was not as big as the one you described. She also requested 3" x 3" straight legs. The top was to be a 2" thick piece of granite. Not my preference of leg style either but the lady was happy with the results. So maybe 3x3 for your future DIL may be ok.

As far as staining the poplar--------------my most successful attempts have been to use a water soluable dye first and then minwax oil stain over it. When I tried it with just oil based stains it seemed to always turn out blotchy. There are a lot more knowledgable finishing folks out there than I am.

Good luck with the project.

Jerry

 

[Travis Porter]

Transtint dye either mixed with water or mixed with the finish to use as a toner.\

Are you going to round over the corners of the posts/legs or are they going to stay as well?

 

[Keye]

Hopefully Howie will jump in on the finish. I would test a piece sealing it with shellac first. I had some awfull looking cherry that I sealed with shellac and then used a gel stain to even things out and it worked really well.

I agree with the 2-2 1/2" suggestion. I built something similar and this what size I used, not sure exactly which size. Mine was tappered on two sides thank goodness.

 

[Jim Murphy]

Are you going to round over the corners of the posts/legs or are they going to stay as well?

Think PT 4x4. No rounding. No bead. No taper.

Yech! Ugh!

Thanks to all so far.

 

[Dutchman]

I would go 3 x 3 on you leg size. Check the arm height on your arm chairs. You should be able to do a 3" apron. That's a big-heavy piece of marble, so use good corner bracing. You could make the base kd like every other table if you prefer. I would put a heavy sand break on the corners of the legs, no sharp edges. I would suggest setting the aprons in about 2", 2 1/2 might be a little much.

 

[McRabbet]

Jim,

If the top is 1" thick, it will weigh 220 pounds (solid marble is 160 pounds/cubic foot), so you'll need a set of substantial legs and apron. I'd recommend a 4" wide apron made with 6/4 stock and mortise and tenoned into 3" square legs. I'd also add a cross piece tenoned or biscuit joint across the center of the long side aprons. With a 2" overhang, you'll be spanning abount 5 feet, so the center support add strength to that span. Even with 1-1/2" long tenons in the ends of the apron pieces, I would add substantial corner blocks to prevent the top frame from racking. And, to add one more insult to the equation, I'd never build it from poplar as I don't think it is strong enough for this application -- I'd use soft maple or ash and dye it with Transtint or Behlen's Solarlux before applying finish.

 

[Ken Massingale]

I forgot to add in the initial post, any suggestions on a dye or stain, along with proper prep, to turn ugly poplar legs into ugly "dark wood" legs?

I like Transtint Dark Mission Brown dye (Woodcraft) on Poplar. Hard to tell from Walnut unless one is very closely examining it.

 

[Sandy Rose]

Don't get me wrong, tapered legs do look nice....but don't count out straight ones either. My dad made us some really nice endtables that have straight legs

and I also made a home office desk with the same style

both look really good. I guess it depends of the look that you're going for. I personally like those clean lines in stuff like that.