If you are looking for more information on furniture legs then, you’ve come to the right place.
A Guide To Furniture Legs
Various Furniture Legs
Any piece of furniture needs to be supported and one of the primary devices which have been used for this purpose is the furniture legs. A set of legs to support a table, a chair, a bed or any other piece of furniture is the most elegant solution to the problem which was at hand. The number of legs, the design of the legs and the materials used for the construction of these legs however was greatly varied depending on the needs of the furniture in question.
For example the legs of a bed need to withstand the weight of at least one person while the legs of a table need not bear huge weights. The number of legs that are attached to the furniture also add to the elegance of the furniture hence is needs to be carefully chosen. There are many different ways to classify the furniture legs, the main criteria being the style employed, the number of legs and the materials used in the construction.
Cabriole Legs
Cabriole Leg
One of the most popular styles employed in furniture legs is the cabriole leg. It typically consists of two curves; the upper arc of the curve is convex while the lower arc is almost always concave, i.e., the upper curve always bows outward and the lower curve bows inward. The two curves are constructed such that the axes of the two curves lie in the same plane.
Antique Desk With Cabriole Legs
This design has been in use for furniture varying from stools to arm chairs to tables and even beds all the way back from ancient Chinese civilizations. The popularity of this technique of construction of a leg relies heavily on the mechanical advantage provided by the opposing double arc construction which ensures that optimum support while also managing to look regal. These furniture legs became especially popular during the medieval times and are seen most commonly in antique furniture.
Metal Furniture Legs
Metal Legs Furniture
Depending on the type of material used, the two major types of furniture legs are the metal furniture legs and the wooden furniture legs. The metal legs are typically found in simple geometric figures such as straight lines, arcs or cylinder and are made of light weight but strong metals like aluminum. However they usually do not contain any particular designs or engravings as opposed to the ones made of wood. They are most commonly used in situations where higher strength is required or as an attachment to furniture which is also made of metal. Since most metals can be made water resistant, after certain treatment, these are also used in situations where the furniture might be exposed to high amounts of moisture or regions which are predominantly damp.
Wooden Furniture Legs
Wooden Legs
Wooden furniture legs are typically used in situations where the actual furniture itself is wooden. However they are also used in certain cases where the furniture might also be made of glass or other such materials. They are usually elaborate and contain intricate designs and engravings throughout the body of the leg. Depending on the quality of the wood, the cost of a wooden furniture leg varies and can sometimes be more expensive than the actual furniture it supports!
