by Allen Teal

Created on: July 28, 2009

Table legs can be troublesome. When one or more legs have issues, the table is uneven and unsteady. Things get spilled, guests are uncomfortable, and you may be embarrassed. Fixing the table leg is another matter. Unless you are a master wood worker, you may have problems fixing some things that go wrong with table legs. With any luck, you can trace the problem down to one of three areas and make the repair.

It might be a short or long leg problem.

This is about the most common table leg problem. Especially on old tables, wear and tear can erode away a portion of the leg and leave it just a little shorter than its counterparts on the table. You have a couple options for fixing this leg problem. The leg needs to be lengthen somehow. If your table is like most, you have the options of trying to add to the bottom eor the top of the table leg.

Adding to the top can be tricky because it means removing or at least loosening an old joint and adding in a shim. With wood, there are no guarantees that the joint will tighten back up correctly. If the amount of length needed is less than 1/4 of an inch, this might still be your best option. Loosen the leg and gently force a small shim between the top of the leg and the underside of the table top. Tighten the leg and test you work. This may take 2 or 3 tries to get it right.

Adding length to the bottom of the leg can be a little more simple, but it is not always as effective. You can glue something that is cut to the same size as the table leg onto its bottom. The problem with this that it does not always stay in place. This type of repair can last from a few hours to forever. Use some type of soft material to do the job. Felt, rubber, even heavy paper or cardboard can be used to do this repair. Use a good quality wood glue or maybe some silicon. Let the glue dry enough before putting the leg back on the floor. There are two reasons for this. It might make your repair come loose to use it too soon. The glue might bond the table leg to the floor if it is still damp.

A loose table leg is the next repair that might be needed.

Often on older tables the legs begin to become loose where they attach to the table. The holes that the bolts pass through may wear. Nuts can become loosened. Whatever the cause, it requires that you find a way to tighten the leg so that it stays solidly attached. If the stud that is attached to the leg has become loose in its socket, you will need to put some type of anchor or shim inside

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