How to Build a Hairpin-Leg Coffee Table

By: Jessica Dodel-Feder, This Old House magazine
Photo:  Ryan Kurtz

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  • 3–4 hours
  • $50–$65

Difficulty: Moderate Some saw cuts and miters are tricky, but the assembly is quick

Blending rustic wood with industrial metal, this coffee table has a high-end look—but cost less than $70 to make. The secret: vintage hairpin legs, often found on mid-century furniture, now easily available from online auction sites and marketplaces for well under a Benjamin. Find a style you like in the right height (for a table like the one shown, you'll need 
16- to 18-inch legs). Then top with reclaimed barn wood or any other spare boards set close together and screwed to battens; we used three prefinished walnut floorboards, plus a fourth to create a picture-frame trim.

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Gallery: Woodwork Finish Materials
Gallery: TOH Tested: Cordless Circular Saws
Gallery: Tool Test: 12-Volt Drill/Drivers

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