Everything to Consider When Buying Stainless Steel Table Legs

When looking to install legs onto a table, you have quite a lot to consider. The options for table legs are many, each with its pros and cons.

At the same time, there is one table leg material we’d argue bears strong consideration for nearly any project. Stainless steel table legs are durable, beautiful, and more.

Allow us today to review some good questions to ask when choosing a table leg option and why stainless steel is often a fantastic choice.

What Kind of Load Needs Supporting?

The point of a table leg is to support not only a table but also the weight upon that table. The more weight upon the table, the more support necessary.

Stainless steel is more or less the strongest material one can use for supporting a table. It is certainly the most cost-effective way to all but guarantee a table’s legs won’t buckle under almost any load.

For example, the stainless steel table legs can hold up to 300 pounds each and are easy to install. However, even that number can be misleading.

The average table has at least four legs supporting it. Therefore, most tables equipped with our legs can handle far more than 300 pounds, so long as the weight is distributed evenly.

For very heavy loads, remember that every part of a table can be tested. There isn’t much point in installing good legs only for you to choose a wooden top that can’t handle much weight.

In a similar vein, watch where you attach your legs to the table. You want to make sure installation is secure, otherwise, that can make for a weak point if the table is really tested. 

How Often Will You Clean the Leg?

It’s the belief of Table Leg World that 304 grade stainless steel makes for an excellent go-to material for table legs and table surfaces. One of the prime reasons for this is that the steel is easy to clean and maintain.

Stainless steel legs are a common choice among kitchens and medical facilities for this (and the above) reason. Cleanliness is key at these locations, with a serious risk of disaster if things get unhygienic.

Stainless steel can handle most common cleaning chemicals and won’t latch onto dirt and grime the way softer surfaces can. This ensures germs are kept at bay, allowing the area to stay safe for food or medical purposes.

Moreover, a stainless steel surface can handle a more serious cleaning without issue if it becomes necessary. Even scraping at it will only do minor superficial damage, if any at all.

These properties are helpful even for those outside food and medical industries, even if they may be less important. In short, keeping the leg clean is easy; a regular dusting and wipe down shouldn’t cause any issues whatsoever.

What Size Leg Do You Want?

The next question you need to consider is what size leg you want. Table leg prices do vary somewhat by diameter, with 2 3/8″ diameter legs tending to be somewhat cheaper than 3″ diameter legs. 

Another place of price variance is in height. Taller legs are more expensive, although the price increase is not proportional. For instance, stand-up bar height (42 1/2″) is not much more expensive than counter height (34 1/4″).  

Assuming cost is not a major concern, it then becomes about achieving your vision for a given table. In fact, our company can also offer custom cut lengths to help clients ensure they get exactly the size of leg they want.

Custom cutting is affordable and allows for a table to be precisely the height you’re looking for. This can be an excellent option for people who are taller or shorter than average and have trouble finding a comfortable standard table.

A custom cut can also help with certain industrial or medical tasks, where something may need to be done at a particular height. (Alternatively, a table may just need to fit into a tight workspace.)

There are many cuts and types of table legs. The best one for you will depend on your needs.

Rounded or Squared?

An aesthetic-conscious choice more than anything, someone buying table legs will need to decide if they want a rounded or squared leg. 

Round legs have been the traditional choice of many businesses and home users for some time. Many feel it gives the steel a “natural” look that helps it flow with the rest of one’s decor. 

At the same time, some people feel squared legs have a solid, modern look to them. There are many homes and businesses for which the rounded look may seem a bit out of place. Square legs can help pull together a look.

In part, one might argue which option is best has much to do with the top you’ve chosen. Many people feel square legs look best connected to round tops and vice versa. 

Whatever your choice, you’re not wrong. The trick is to consider the point in the first place so you reach an aesthetic you appreciate. Table leg providers like us are here to accommodate all tastes.

What Are Your Alternatives?

The final question we’ll discuss is what your alternatives might be. When buying stainless steel table legs, it’s only fair that you might consider other materials.

The go-to alternative for many people is wood. We do not deny wood can be beautiful and the many varieties of wood can offer a wide range of useful properties. At the same time, it is more limited.

Wood has downsides stainless steel does not. The most obvious is that it is much easier to damage. Scratches can go deep too, permanently marring the surface.

Wood also cannot handle as much weight as steel. Long wooden legs especially leave more room for structural weakness that could lead to buckling or other issues not common with steel legs.