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DIY a Hairpin Leg Coffee Table In 5 Steps (+ a Mini Vlog!)

Last summer, we sold our extra long Mid Century coffee table. There was a small outcry when we shared this vlog (we hear you!), but despite our love for that piece of furniture, it wasn’t the right fit for our living room. When we first moved into this home from our former condo, we would say, ‘Our living room is so big!’ Our solution was to purchase items that felt, well, bigger. Our couch is not-quite-100″ wide, and while that feels right in the room, it became slowly apparent that our 75″ coffee table did not. To move around the table required a shimmy from side to side, and to be honest, we were tired of knocking our shins along the edge. Ouch!

We lived without a table for several months, waiting for the right one to come into our lives. We wanted something round to mimic the curve of our blue sofa, and our preference was a wood finish to break up all the grays we have going on. There was no hurry, but any time friends would pop over, there was always that moment when we would all realize there was no place to easily set down our drinks! (Isn’t it funny how tricky coffee tables can be? What kind do you have in your home?) Around this same time, DIY Hairpin Legs reached out, and they asked if we’d be interested in giving their legs a try. We were impressed with their selection (and one of the lowest price points we’ve seen online!), and in the end, the decision to DIY couldn’t have have been more easy. Here’s what we did:

Tools + Supplies

Pine round
4 – 16″ hairpin legs
Wood stain in Special Walnut
Polycrylic
220 grit sandpaper
Screwdriver + drill bit
Rag
Small foam roller
Gloves
Face mask
Tape measure
Pencil

We bought a 32″ pine round on Etsy (that seller is no longer active, but this shop has you covered!), which was the sweet spot for our size room. And those 5 easy steps? It’s as simple as 1 sand, 2 stain, 3 poly, 4 attach the legs and – the best part – 5 enjoy!

We chose Minwax in Special Walnut for the stain color, which is a nice not-too-dark warm brown tone. For the finish, we were excited to see that Minwax Polycrylic came in matte, something we never noticed in our store (or maybe they never carried it?), but either way, we absolutely love the super low sheen it provided. We’re looking forward to using it for more projects down the road!

Admittedly, attaching the hairpin legs to a round table was the trickiest part. We didn’t get overly technical, but in a nutshell, we found the center and used a pencil to draw a large X. At the end of those four points, we measured in about 1 1/2″ for each leg and screwed them in with the provided screws.

Because the stain and poly need to dry, the entire DIY takes a handful of days, but all said it done, it’s only a few hours of work! We wanted to show you how easy it could be, so we wrapped it up in a video for the full (yet still quick!) process:

It’s practical, non-fussy and lends a warmth to the room (a triple win!). Before we began, we said to one another, ‘This could just be an interim table until we find The Real One.’ But as it turned out, we both admitted to crushing on this little guy; so much so, we see it sticking around for a good while.

For fun: Our legs are courtesy of DIY Hairpin Legs, one of the most affordable places we’ve seen to get your fill of hairpins. If you shop from this link, you’ll get 10% off any order over $50! Be sure to check out their shelf brackets, too. Cute, cute.

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  • Nadia Kaplan2.20.17 - 8:07 AM

    Such a lovely table, amazing that you made it yourself.ReplyCancel

  • The tutorial vid rules! Love the DIY, and the new coffee table looks great in your space. Can’t believe you lived without one for so long!ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.20.17 - 9:46 AM

      The funny thing is, we were so used to the extra space, that alone was reason enough to keep putting it off! The dogs and I liked to stretch out all over the floor with pillows. :D Now we have to move the coffee table to do that, ha!ReplyCancel

  • Jane lim2.20.17 - 10:51 AM

    Do you use something else than a vacuum to clean your beautiful rug? You have inspired me to make my own DIY coffee table. Thank you.ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.20.17 - 11:05 AM

      We spot clean if needed, but otherwise, we vacuum A LOT! With 3 furry pets, fur is no joke, so we stay on top of the vacuuming.ReplyCancel

  • Susie2.20.17 - 12:24 PM

    What a kick ass video! We’ve used hairpin legs for a few projects before and just loved them. Finishes off the room really well (and no more banged up shins for you!) ??

    -Susie http://www.tinyhousegiantlife.comReplyCancel

  • Emily2.20.17 - 2:34 PM

    I LOVE this coffee table idea. We’re in the middle of selling ours and this may be just the one to fill the space! And I definitely understand and agree about the whole space thing… just because you have more space doesn’t mean everything has to be bigger. I was tired of bumping into our coffee table so much too. Thanks for the idea :) Love the blog!ReplyCancel

  • Kathy2.20.17 - 6:00 PM

    Oh man, that video was SO helpful! I remember back when you had first posted about the Varde in your shipping room that you had discovered that you could do poly with a roller. And I was like okay but HOW because I have definitely tried before and it’s literally gloop. Clearly, my definition of a thin coat was not the right one.ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.21.17 - 9:03 AM

      Ha! Yes, VERY thin. I also go slowly, and then I do a quick roll over any area that might show tiny bubbles. It always dries perfectly.ReplyCancel

  • Paige2.20.17 - 7:48 PM

    That coffee table is amazing! I totally want to get my husband to make one for me!

    Paige
    http://thehappyflammily.comReplyCancel

  • amayra | tilecentre2.22.17 - 11:52 PM

    Thank you for sharing the tutorial.Hair pin leg coffee table matches with trending concepts as well you can create one by yourself.I am thinking now I should make it by my own.ReplyCancel

  • Cathy2.25.17 - 9:19 AM

    Love this diy! I’ve been looking for a round coffee table to replace our rectangle one too, because we’re always bumping into one of the corners (ouch!) and now with a mobile toddler, it’s on our high need list. But, I’m debating between a round ottoman with a tray on top vs. an actual wooden table. Decisions decisions…

    I did go ahead and price out the wooden top from the source you linked but the shipping comes out to almost the same as the price of the item itself. However, I did find that homedepot has the same for $39.99 and you get free shipping to the store. FYI for anyone else looking to do this diy.ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.27.17 - 8:39 AM

      Great tip! We couldn’t find a 32″ round at any of our local hardware stores, so we turned to Etsy in the end. There’s no shortage of options, luckily!ReplyCancel

  • Cathy2.26.17 - 8:54 PM

    Question, did you guys treat the raw steel legs to prevent rust?ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.27.17 - 8:38 AM

      Yup, the legs come with a small bit of wax and instructions on how to prep them before use.ReplyCancel

  • Amanda2.27.17 - 9:52 PM

    Hi you two! Thanks so much for posting this. This is exactly what I’ve been wanting to make, you make it look so easy so it’ll be a project this upcoming month! I’m from Canada, so I’m sourcing materials tonight! I need to know though, did you get that sand paper holder from Home Depot? If not, can you please tell me where? Thanks so much! XoReplyCancel

    • Kim2.28.17 - 9:22 AM

      The sandpaper holder is from a brand called Gator Grit! We love it, but something else that would work is a sanding sponge (easier to hold than just a sheet of paper).ReplyCancel

  • […] Yellow Brick Home […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Coffee tables are SO hard to find. It depends on the size, the shape, the materials… a nightmare. The best option? Make it yourself. I’m currently loving this hairpin table from Yellow Brick Home. […]ReplyCancel

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We’re Kim + Scott, Chicago based content creators behind the Home + Lifestyle brand Yellow Brick Home.

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